I saw that video too and was also thinking about replacing an Aggie PJ set. Not sure if the 57 or 65 is better in that situation. I was happy with going Novak again.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Ultra boutique P bass pickups
- Thread starter Laurent
- Start date
I saw that video too and was also thinking about replacing an Aggie PJ set. Not sure if the 57 or 65 is better in that situation. I was happy with going Novak again.
Your issue here is the set. It's hard to find PJ combinations which are balanced between pickups. I have not tried the combination offered by Arcane. His Experience 65 P is amazing. I would reach out to Rob with regards to the combination he offers.
I do know that the Aggie PJ set is balanced and so is the DiMarzio Model P model J set. I owned both in the past.
I do know that the Aggie PJ set is balanced and so is the DiMarzio Model P model J set. I owned both in the past.
Cool thread! I’ve been exploring various boutique bass pickups and have tested and acquired quite a few, including Arcane, Lollar, Fralin, Moollon (YJP), among others. My favorites have been the Arcane 65, Moollon VP-60 and Fralin P pup so far. I’m also eager to try Mas Hino’s pickups, though they are a bit pricey.
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend a pickup winding workshop led by Rob Timmons from Arcane. It was incredibly insightful to ask him questions directly and learn about his techniques for winding P bass and Jazz bass pickups. Rob is not only knowledgeable but also a great teacher. The workshop was fantastic, and I came away with a lot of valuable knowledge that now allows me to wind my own pickups.
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend a pickup winding workshop led by Rob Timmons from Arcane. It was incredibly insightful to ask him questions directly and learn about his techniques for winding P bass and Jazz bass pickups. Rob is not only knowledgeable but also a great teacher. The workshop was fantastic, and I came away with a lot of valuable knowledge that now allows me to wind my own pickups.
Though not advertised, Zach Oswald of highly reputable Brandonwound Pickups will make year specific clones of bass pickups. Brandonwound’s tele and strat clones are extremely accurate. Zach will also wind to your specs.
I have been looking at that workshop and would love to attend it at some point. This seems like an incredible experience.
I have read every page on this thread so I can come in with my questions loaded.
I have a Sandberg VM4 with a reverse P pickup. It is the Sandberg standard big pole piece into a 2 band glockenklang pre amp.
I love the way the bass feels, but I have come to the realization I love listening to modern sounding basses, but when I play the sound I have in my head is a big fat buttery P bass sound with a little bit of dirt sprinkled on top. So I put some Fender 9050L flats on the thing and it is a step in the right direction, I suspect I might have been better off going for the classic labella's as this bass is naturally midrange heavy.
It is alder body, with all maple neck.
I am not happy with the pickup/preamp sound. In passive mode, the pickup is quite...flat. I have had various 63 reissue pbasses in the past and they sounded more alive, and the passive tone control sucks, when I roll it off, it just boosts midrange and rolls off the highs and lows... I find with this bass it benefits from being in active mode, little bump to the bass with treble rolled off a little.
Looks like to really get this to where I want it, I would likely be looking to replace the P pickup and likely install a different preamp with a better tone control (maybe Sadowsky). I like having the blend control, and the MM pickup in the back I dont really have much to comment on...as I usually only use the P or sometimes blend a little bit of it in depending on the song.
From what I have read the Arcane, Lollar, maybe some of SD offerings would fit what I am looking for.
Any input would be appreciated.
I have a Sandberg VM4 with a reverse P pickup. It is the Sandberg standard big pole piece into a 2 band glockenklang pre amp.
I love the way the bass feels, but I have come to the realization I love listening to modern sounding basses, but when I play the sound I have in my head is a big fat buttery P bass sound with a little bit of dirt sprinkled on top. So I put some Fender 9050L flats on the thing and it is a step in the right direction, I suspect I might have been better off going for the classic labella's as this bass is naturally midrange heavy.
It is alder body, with all maple neck.
I am not happy with the pickup/preamp sound. In passive mode, the pickup is quite...flat. I have had various 63 reissue pbasses in the past and they sounded more alive, and the passive tone control sucks, when I roll it off, it just boosts midrange and rolls off the highs and lows... I find with this bass it benefits from being in active mode, little bump to the bass with treble rolled off a little.
Looks like to really get this to where I want it, I would likely be looking to replace the P pickup and likely install a different preamp with a better tone control (maybe Sadowsky). I like having the blend control, and the MM pickup in the back I dont really have much to comment on...as I usually only use the P or sometimes blend a little bit of it in depending on the song.
From what I have read the Arcane, Lollar, maybe some of SD offerings would fit what I am looking for.
Any input would be appreciated.
Couple day ago before I let go my mod PJ bass which has Dimarzio PJ set inside, I remove the model P and replace with 9.7k underwound alnico V P pup. Surprised this underwound P pup blend better than model P with model J bridge pup.
I am using blend pot, clearly to hear more vary/flexible tonal create and fully blend sound more close to J-ist. Slightly turn the blend knob to bridge side, parallel stingray-ist kind like tone along with some amplifier bass knob increase.
Suggest try some 9.5k alnico V pup that you can get cheap from AliExpress before huge money spend on branded pup.
Your situation is complicated because you have so many factors at play.
If I were you I would sort one thing at a time. I think I would start with the preamp then once you have something that works, test pickups.
You might have to test a whole bunch of things to find elements that play nice together.
For the preamp, you might look at Aguilar or even Seymour Duncan. Sadowsky is also a good idea.
Once you have that try different pickups that work well with the preamp. In general with flats you want something punchy and a bit trebbly.
Maybe a DiMarzio Model P might work but I do not know if this hot pickup will play nice with a preamp behind it. Arcane and Lollar are good options too but how will they interact with the preamp is something I have never tested. I run passive systems on my basses.
For strings I used Thomastik flats.
You make a very good point. Perhaps a better route would be putting rebuilding an old squier bass I have with a Badass II bridge on it. It needs a new neck, probaby get a musikraft or warmoth, then go with some of the pickups listed in this thread, and that might scratch that itch.
And then attend to the Sandberg after (it really does sound good, we all know how this goes) and see what I want out of it.
@Laurent have you done much experiementing with J bass pickups?
I've used Duncan SJB-1's and liked them as well as Model J's (which sound nothing like a J bass to me but do sound good).
I've used Duncan SJB-1's and liked them as well as Model J's (which sound nothing like a J bass to me but do sound good).
Very little experimentation with J's. I tested a few PJ's and I tried an Aguilar 60's era jazz which I liked.
I can't comment on this. I have no experience with Alienxpress. Model J are hot pickups so I suspect it will not play nice with an Alnico V pickup.
Model J are hot, but only 6.9k resistance. Mix well with 9.5k P pup. No volume drop while full blend. Pickups height setting on both pup are pretty close too.
When I use model P and others 11-13k alnico V pup mix with model J, even I can get nice blend tone, but once only neck pup run, the P vibe sound more to darker side even using 500k volume pot.
To my ear, this 9.5k china pup sound pretty close to Area P on this PJ bass.
Last edited:
Were they wired in series?
It sounds really consistent - none of the usual scoop, or volume drop.
They weren't asking the question, they were demonstrating the result.
It was probably an idiom that doesn't translate.
What does it feel like behind the wheel of a luxury automobile?
Just step into my showroom.
How impressed will those girls be, when I back-flip over the barbeque, into the swimming pool?
Hold my beer.
May 2024 and I still very much like the David Allen set I installed a few years ago in my P-Bass... Just sayin'. 
