Transparent Sounding Pickups

[iiipopes]

By definition, anything with a coil of wire will color the sound because inductance will cause a resonance frequency spike somewhere. So...by "neutral" do you mean a pickup with a frequency spike that is above what are usually considered bass and overtone frequencies, say, 5 to 7 kilohertz and up; or by "neutral" do you mean something akin to "traditional" tonal palettes of the traditional pickups, just not as spikey a peak; or by "neutral" do you mean something that does not have the treble rolled off, as some of the above posts have described; or do you mean something else entirely different? For example, because a DiMarzio Model J pickup has a bit of a mid dip but an extended top end, some people refer to them as sounding "hi-fi." I prefer my EMG 40CS soapbar, because the mids are not boosted, the bass has presence, and the top end to my ears is "neutral," neither boosted or rolled off. Bartolini CSC, or "Classic" series pickups have a little bit of upper mid presence to slot the mix, but are not obtrusive. So there are many flavors of what people consider "neutral." Or do you just mean that you don't want the mid thump of a P-bass pickup or the upper mid growl of a typical J-pickup?

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

I didn’t intend for my question to spark so much debate. I can totally understand how the term transparent could be so subjective. I guess that was the best way for me to describe what I’m trying to achieve. I’m trying to faithfully reproduce the interplay between the strings and the wood without the pickups themselves changing that tone dramatically. I guess a better way to describe it would be that I want a pickup that has a naturally flat EQ? This bass will have an active preamp so I can add what I want or subtract what I don’t but I’d like to start with a even playing field, so to speak. Maybe what I want to hear in my head is more so because of EQ adjustments but I would think it easier to muddy up a clean and clear sounding pickup than it would be to clean up a muddy pickup? Maybe I’m fighting the natural characteristics of the electric bass?

I didn’t mean to make this so complicated.

None of this is your fault. It's the nature of the beast.

If these side squabbles didn't break out and take over threads, this place would be like reading those tightly packed little one inch square drug study data sheets that come with your prescription, and that folds out to a 4x4 ft sheet and requires a magnifying glass to read.

Thanks for sparking this discussion. It is a complicated subject. Your revised description of what you want to have happen takes out some of the ambiguity.

Opinions will always rule, even if unfounded. In general consumers, once they've made a purchase tend to be biased towards their decision being the correct one. Unless they find some flaw that has nothing to do with them, they will rate the product high, just on the basis of having slapped down their hard-earned.

Keep you questions coming. Some truth will filter through.

 

[DCCat]

Pickup routing sizes can be the following:
Bartolini P2
EMG40
MM5
Jazz
P5

You might want to consider a Wilde P-46, which has a tight, strong bottom and smooth and relatively flat and uncolored mids and highs that I think would likely meet your tonal criteria. It comes in a standard p4 form factor, but has extra magnets that (Wilde claims) make it suitable for 5-string applications. I haven't tried it in a 5-string, but I think others have, with success.

The Wilde J-45 neck pickup would be another option.

Bill Lawrence Pickups

 

[markanini]

EMG original PJ or JJ, or their X variants. Alumitone. Q-tuner.

The bass isnt routed yet? I suggest JJ with the neck pickup moved to where a back P coil would be. Basically a Warwick Streamer setup.