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You guessed it... another "keep or sell" (50's Sting Sig.)

Keep it or Sell it?

  • Keep it you silly boy!

    Votes: 92 56.8%

  • Sell it ya' goof!

    Votes: 56 34.6%

  • I don't give a care!

    Votes: 30 18.5%
  • Total voters
    162
#101
jtrom said:
So I have a "keep or sell" question. I realize that everything is subjective and personal but I'm wanting to hear your experiences/thoughts

It's regarding my Fender MIJ Sting Signature Bass. It was the FIRST real bass I bought and I played it for many many years.

As I progressed in skill I realized that the bass wasn't giving me the sound that I wanted so I bought a Lolar pickup for it... STILL not the sound I wanted. So the single coil isn't my thing. At all. Ever. It has sat in my closet for about 10 years and the other day I dug it out. LOVE the look. LOVE the feel. Can't stand the sound :bored:

If I could find a pickup that made it sound like a big phat thumping pbass (I have Bill Lawrence p's in my 2 other basses) I would play it every day until I die. I can't really afford to go pup shopping and experiment with different pickups. sooooo ...... ?

Have any of you been in a similar situation? What was your ultimate revelation? Regret? Glad you sold? Still have a bass in your 20 year old closet? Sentiment has me by the ****! :D

View attachment 3108142
Click to expand...

So you want the sound of the Split-coil Precision pickup? Both Fralin and Novak make split-coil takes on the '51 pickup which would put you closer to that sound without routing. I'm rather surprised to hear that it lacks lows and highs, I've used a few Telecaster/SCPB basses and they've always sounded very strong across the board, though a bit more high mids/aggressive than a typical Split-coil, which has more low-mids and less attack. It'd also say they sound a bit more open, less compressed than the split-coil.

This is what one should sound like:





Or if you want to go with the Split-Coil, you can also do the route Dale Peters took:
 
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#103
D.M.N. said:
So you want the sound of the Split-coil Precision pickup? Both Fralin and Novak make split-coil takes on the '51 pickup which would put you closer to that sound without routing. I'm rather surprised to hear that it lacks lows and highs, I've used a few Telecaster/SCPB basses and they've always sounded very strong across the board, though a bit more high mids/aggressive than a typical Split-coil, which has more low-mids and less attack. It'd also say they sound a bit more open, less compressed than the split-coil.

This is what one should sound like:





Or if you want to go with the Split-Coil, you can also do the route Dale Peters took:
Click to expand...


Nice. I like the sound of the Jeff Beck tone! Hard to tell how much if that is coming from the amp/any pedals but it's rocking for sure!
 
#104
So for the last couple days I've been listening to a bunch of videos of 51 P style basses and pickups. To my ear mine sounds nothing like these instruments... both the original pickup and the Lollar sound really similar and nothing like the clips I've been hearing of single coil P's. Makes me think I have to go to Long and McQuade and try all their single coil basses to see if mine is just a dud. Which is strange but perhaps it can happen. I just threw my Californian Special neck on it to see what would happen (jazz style rosewood) and it definitely sounded different and I liked it ... too many factors! Is there such a thing as a "dead bass"? :dead:
 
#109
bassist4dalord said:
Congrats! Did you ever swap the pickup?
Click to expand...
I never did end up swapping the pickup... that's still something I'm looking into. In the meantime, I've been very happy with my Gibson Grabber and Harmony P bass - those sounds cover everything I'm up to these days.

Would love to check out the Dave Reimer pups or even route it out for a TV Jones or something - I'm a big Bill Lawrence fan and someone on here suggested putting in one of their Strat pups... interesting thought.
 
#113
jtrom said:
Hey thanks!!

Ya I'm definitely going to keep it. Just put a Quarter Pounder in it and am liking it DI into logic. Might be a while before I can try it live
Click to expand...
right on! i feel your pain our band played one show in march that was the start of more to come and then that was that..covid killed our spring and summer gig list.
Now it just feels stagnent lately...Keep safe and healthy,,Cheers.
 
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