And the La Bellas are, literally, the strings that Jamerson/Dunn used. The 45-105 or 52-110 set with the added B string is where I would start.
Chromes and TIs are great, but if you want the Jamerson/Dunn sound on a P, La Bellas.
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Vintage sound from a modern 5 string Precision?
- Thread starter Neon Scribe
- Start date
And the La Bellas are, literally, the strings that Jamerson/Dunn used. The 45-105 or 52-110 set with the added B string is where I would start.
Chromes and TIs are great, but if you want the Jamerson/Dunn sound on a P, La Bellas.
To go all the way anand get it ththe quickest and easiest, you need Labella flats. They will be a little bright when you first put them on, but it doesnt take very long to get them to settle in and be exactly what you describe.
That's why I use the Low Tension Flats version. IMHE they're even lower tension than TI's - at least that's what my aging hands tell me.
As for the zing & the clank: You need to learn how to prepare flats before installing them on a bass. Hold the bead end of the string so the string is hanging down in front of you then take 0000 steel wool dipped in isopropyl alcohol and slowly run it down along the full length of the string - ONLY in one direction. Twist the string in your fingers after every time. After 3 - 6 times you've pretty much gotten the "stickiness" off the string. After this wipe down the string with a clean rag and install the strings on your bass. There will be some clankiness at first but it goes away much quicker.
From my experience you won't find a more "vintage" tone from a set of flats on a P bass like you will with LTF's. Chromes are too clanky. Regular LaBellas may have the sound but your hands can/will suffer. TI's are great but, to my ears, they still "clank" more than LTF's. The only other strings I would consider are GHS Pressurewounds. A different beast but very little to no clank IMHE. YMMV . . .
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
So that is a beautiful bass guitar you have aquired. The split coil pickups in that bass should have a fairly vintage tone being of 60's specs in terms of DC resistance and alnico 5 magnets etc so I don't think you need to order a different one. IMHO the following steps, are a definite prescription to old school thump!
1) String through the bridge not through the body. 60's P's had top load bridges not string through body.
2) Order a set of Labella medium gauge flats for 5 string. I use the Labella deep talkin' 760FM set on one of my P's and it has a thick old school sound without being of very high tension like the even heavier "Jamerson" 760FM set. Jameson and Dunn used heavy Labella flats.
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3) Consider switching out the tone capacitor from a .047uf value cap to a .1uf capacitor. The late 50's / early 60's Precision basses that Jamerson and Dunn played had the higher value .1uf cap on the tone pot, which affects the treble and midrange frequencies a bit differently as you roll it off and can help give a more vintage sound.
4) Make sure that you take a bit of foam sponge or foam rubber and tuck it under the strings right by the bridge, touching it, so that the foam presses against the strings moderately. This has the effect of muting some of the harmonic overtones produced by the strings, especially new ones, and giving the bass sound a more thumpy, fundamental punch. Precision basses from the 50's and 60's had bridge covers with this foam installed on them to push against the strings and mute them.
In my experience, if you follow this recipe, you will get the sound that you are after. Keep in mind, that the old school players like James Jamerson kept their flats on their basses for years or decades, so you will need to log some pretty decent playing hours even on Labella's to cut some of the treble off the top of the sound. Nothing the tone knob can't handle in the meantime though.....Good luck!
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
The thing to remember about flats, is that a large part of the sound comes from the stiffness and tension of the strings. The low tension flats are great, but in my experience you don't get quite the same thump and fundamental punch from them that you get from the regular Labella or GHS flats. Also, I find that heavier flats kind of "pull the neck straight" in a way that rounds or lower tension strings don't, and allow for a really great setup. The stiffness of the heavier Labella''s even affects ones playing style. I find it allows you to bump up and down the strings with your plucking hand much more quickly and I think that they were a big part of Jamersons playing style and sound.
Ime, using foam and rolling the tone back as a tool to warm new flats only goes so far. I can always hear that new string sound underneath. I just accept that the new string sound will be present anywhere from 1-3 months playing time. Once they're broken in, the other big part of the "old school" sound comes from your apparoach to the bass and music.
I think your new bass has those V-Mod pups, which are traditional sounding enough, especially given the non-traditional design. So I think you have the equipment you need. If you can really hear some of these "old school" tones in your head, I bet you'll be able to coax it out of your current rig.
I think your new bass has those V-Mod pups, which are traditional sounding enough, especially given the non-traditional design. So I think you have the equipment you need. If you can really hear some of these "old school" tones in your head, I bet you'll be able to coax it out of your current rig.
Pbassmanca
In the pocket n' thumpy. So woody, so greasy...
Very true about the strings, but the American Standard 5's have a vintage split coil 5 string pickup, not the V-mod, which are installed in the newer American Professional models.
True these are the strings Jamerson used throughout his career, and the strings Duck mostly used. However, I'd say in order to get tones like theirs from the same setup, you have to apparoach the bass the same way (physically and mentally). Most of us don't attack the bass the same way Duck does, or play w the same high action and one-finger strength as Jamerson. That's just to say some of us may be better off using different strings that fit our approach better. I say this after years of exclusively using La Bella bc I knew that's what these guys were using, so figured I HAD to string my bass w them to get "that" sound... which isn't necessarily true.
Ah, thanks for the correction. I guess I cant really speak to those pups then. However, I will say if these pups are tonally in the "vintage" camp, then they'll probably be more than fine. I found the CS 60s in the old Am STDs to work great.
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You should get the labella LTF5A which give you 80% broken in old school tone fresh from pack. Another 2 weeks to mellow out the bright G string.
You wouldn't be scooping the low mids out by any chance, would you? Just a thought....
Greetings from the North,
I put La Bella Flats on my P5 the day that I got it new and have have been nailin that sound ever since. I'm extremely happy with them.
Rezdog
I put La Bella Flats on my P5 the day that I got it new and have have been nailin that sound ever since. I'm extremely happy with them.
Rezdog
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Foam...and precision flats by ghs...they make them in a 5 pack.... tone up 1/4 of way...
Try a set of good round wounds, then spend some time with your midrange controls to get it dialed in. You will not be sorry. IMO, the magic is in the EQ, not the flats.
Key discovery: they sell a five string set of La Bella Low Tension Flats! That should do the trick. If not, I’ll try lowering the pickup. As to why I want a five string, it’s mostly for those tunes in F, when you play an A followed by an F. If you play the A on the E string, it’s an awkward position shift. If you play the open A, it’s tough to mute the A and play the F. On the five string you can play the A on the E string at the fifth fret, then the F on the B string at the sixth fret. In general, more position options.
The Fender pickups are asymmetrical. The EMG pickups, and many others, won’t fit without routing.
Seymour Duncan, Nordstrand and Delano offer the Fender asymmetrical size, but only the Nordstrands appear to seek a vintage tone. Can anyone share their experience on the difference between the stock puckups in the American Standard P5 and the Nordstrands?
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Keep what you have and get some Chicken in the bucket, Really. I know, It is old school but .....
May have already been stated, but weird overtones and clank are from your pickups being too close to the strings. New chromes will contribute as well..give them time to settle in. Technique can tame clank as well as fine tuning your setup to eliminate fret-buzz.
Adjust your pups...this will have an instant positive impact.
