What’s The Better Thumper..?

Seeing “thumper,” the first thing that came to my mind was Larry Graham and Louis Johnson thumpin’ and pluckin’. As for your question, I would take an old Telecaster with a single coil pickup.

 

I’d say the Fender because it’s more durable than a gibson. However, the mudbucker combined with the shorter scale of the Gibson should be very thumpy, not to discredit the Fender ofc. Any bass with a mudbucker will thump.

 

This is the pickup in a 70s Tele. I had one, and it is all thump

 

I've owned both in the past and still have a couple of '60s Gibbys.

The biggest difference is in the feel. If you like a baseball bat neck with a vintage radius, Tele is your friend. Having said that, I'm not keen on Fender's rendition of 3-bolt or their QC at the time that these were produced.

Pre-73 Gibsons - with the pickup located right at the bottom of the neck - are a completely different animal and I know quite a few people who could never get along with their 12" radius and often narrow string spacing. There are numerous subtle and less subtle variations from year to year that one may want to take into consideration. With the mute engaged and the pickup volume at 6 or so, you may get into somewhat of an upright territory, especially with tapewounds.

Both the Tele and the EB-0 will give you the thumpy, dark, wooly sound without too much definition unless you take some serious time to learn how to EQ them to your liking. You might find yourself getting bored with it at some point and wish that there was another pickup on the given bass, like thousands of bass players before you had.

If I were interested in a bass to serve similar purposes to your intended ones, I'd be looking at an EB-3 (or a modded EB-0) or an already modded Tele Bass. However, a "slothead" EB-3L (1970-72) with a 34" scale would likely offer the best of both worlds, being more sonically defined than a short-scale Gibby while still being able to bark as needed, while being way more versatile than an un-modded second-generation Tele. The downside of these basses is that they only have 19 frets and a very pronounced neck dive. If these two aspects don't bother you that would be my first recommendation.

If you're willing to look outside of the initial Fender/Gibson variety, Ovation Magnum would be another instrument that could fit the bill very well IMO.

My experiences only...

 

Yeah, but with that pickguard you look like you’re auditioning for a gig with Conway Twitty.

 

he did not play one with a Humbucker. Single coil Tele or precision with round wounds is his tone.

 

If you want either one of them to thump just add a piece of foam back by the bridge.

 

How about make a hybrid artec hot pickup on a parts flender..

 

Did you say Tele Pup ?

 

Squier Vintage Modified Precision Bass TB (Tele Bass)
Made in Indonesia with a very nice 34" scale neck.
That "Fender" wide range humbucker in that location is thump city.
The pickup has an output of 23K ohms, so a powerhouse.
I took off the 2 saddle bridge and put on a Hipshot.

 

Not many will get this nowadays.................

 

What is a thumper? Never heard of that term.
Any sound examples of the sound you are after?

 

Lakland Jerry Scheff !

 

Why not just take one of your old Ps slap some old flats on it and dial it in? Save money. If I had a base for every possible situation I would not have enough room fit it all on the stage

 

I still watch it if happens to comes on.

 

No clue.