Tweaking the sound of a P-Bass

BRAND NEW DR Hibeams, Seymour Duncan Spb-3. Crank your bass and treble and cut all the mids from 300-1200HZ. AND you MUST MUST MUST carve the pbass into a tear drop shape like geddy lee did, percisely to emulate the tone of the early 60s on some of his songs.















Joke, please DO NOT DO THE ABOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just throw some flatwounds on (ghs, labella, fender, d'addario, your pick) and set it up the way you like. Either palm mute with a pick or stuff some foam under the strings to help with that muted thump you hear.

 

Im planning on getting a set of Seymour Duncan spb-1's for my p bass. Ive heard good things about them. Theyre supposed to replicate the classic p bass sound pretty well.

 

EMG Geezer is my choice.

 

Hey Jimmy, I meant to ask you on my older thread. You said you preferred the EMG Geezer over the spb-1's. How exactly do they compare?

 

Don't think I said that since I said I never actually played a bass with an SPB-1. What I said is I am told by those who played both is that the SPB-1 and Geezer sound very similar but the midrange content of the SPB-1 is slightly less prominent than the Geezer. Now with that information, I probably would still prefer the Geezer since its mids are very unique and cool, but I would still dig the SPB-1, I'm sure, and maybe for some things even prefer it.

 

Gotta agree with JimmyM on this one.

The Geezer P pickup is fantastic, though you may be the first person I've seen that wasn't happy with the stock pickup in the 60th. I love mine.

 

In fact, that foam chunk is my favorite effect unit for bass. Works even on a Jazz bass.

Best
Sidecar

 

Is it possible that the OP has a different model Precision which just happened to be made in 2011 and therefore has the "Precision Bass: 60 Years" neck plate and stickers? I have a 2011 Hwy One Precision from that year and I'm in the middle of a replacement project as well.

 

Seymour Duncan SPB-1 and SJB-1 are often overlooked, not as cool or trendy as others. That's is a shame as they really are good pups IMO.

 

Geezer all the way, but perhaps, before that, better to try strings, technique, etc first?

 

I play both. With flats, I prefer the SPB-1. With rounds or GHS Pressure Wounds, I prefer the Geezer. I suppose if I were forced to choose only one, it'd be the Geezer, even with flats.

 

Flats or dead nickel rounds, play towards or over the end of the neck or palm mute, and dig in (I don't think "light touch" was a thing yet in the early 60's). If non of that satisfies, try a different pickup.

Oh, and in the TB tradition of "name yer favorite", a wilde/lawrence P46.

 

Light touch definitely was a thing in the 60's. Jamerson and Carol Kaye were the earliest light-touchers.

 

Doesn't that bass come stock with the Fender Original Precision ("vintage") pickup? If so that pickup sounds as fat and warm as anything on the market. Try flats and a mute and forget the pickup swap -- it's a waste of money. Maybe use the cash for something like a VT pedal. Also, what amp are you using?

 

Nordstrand Vintage P is one of many excellent choices. Just installed a NP5V in a bass and it is very smooth, buttery, deep and fat.