Has anyone ever tried these in a P Bass

[Bobby K]

Hello Bassists

I was just wondering if anyone had ever tried these EMG's in their P Bass and what the results were:


[url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/74033"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/74033[/url]


Cheers

Bob

[warwickhunt]

EMGs were the 'must have' upgrade for many basses/bassists back in the 80's and I loved them in my basses; The Bass Doc on this forum will likely have fitted more of these EMGs to P basses over the last 25 years than any other modification (I'll give him a nudge for his opinion). Some say they are sterile others will say they let the sound of your instrument come through uncoloured... oddly enough I always found that they were as warm sounding and un-sterile as any active pup.

It's like anything though, it'll not make a sh*tty plank sound brilliant and if your bass has decent pups in then it'll just give you a slightly different tone.

It's probably easier if you identify what it is about your stock pups that has you looking at replacements.

[Bobby K]

Well, I've found that my bass (the Squier CV P bass, the FIESTA red one) is fantastic (especially for the money!!) in all respects other than the electronics, which seem a bit wimpy and characterless. Many other CV owners on here have echoed those sentiments.

I use the CV mainly as a backup to my Fender Jap reissue P Bass (the one in my profile pic) and the difference in attack and tone is very noticeable.

I play mainly in a tribute to The Smiths, so need lots of punch, poke and clarity from the P bass. Tone on full, light chorusing, almost exclusively played with a pick. You get the idea...

I'm just considering various pups at the minute. It's that thing of looking for something suitable for the sound, whilst at the same time wanting to pimp up the bass a bit

[The Bass Doc]

I've fitted loads of EMGs since they came out way back. I would say the vast majority of bass players really liked them. I can only recall one guy asking me to reverse the operation - he thought they were too 'hi-fi' for rock as he liked a bit of 'grit' in his sound and they seemed too pure. Strange thing is they are reckoned to 'drive' pedals so well it's a wonder he didn't go down the route of distortion being introduced that way.

In the early days, anyone who had problems with background noise used to automatically choose these pickups because they were so quiet until they hit the strings so studio players loved them as well as pros doing theatre work where light faders interfered with their signal. They are actually detached from the earth path and therefore your strings so there is even a safety element involved.

So, to some they may appear to be the Rolls Royce of pickups and to others, too clean for rock. I'm neutral.

Still confused? Thought so, but I tried to help

[Bobby K]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='971154' date='Sep 28 2010, 09:05 PM']I've fitted loads of EMGs since they came out way back. I would say the vast majority of bass players really liked them. I can only recall one guy asking me to reverse the operation - he thought they were too 'hi-fi' for rock as he liked a bit of 'grit' in his sound and they seemed too pure. Strange thing is they are reckoned to 'drive' pedals so well it's a wonder he didn't go down the route of distortion being introduced that way.

In the early days, anyone who had problems with background noise used to automatically choose these pickups because they were so quiet until they hit the strings so studio players loved them as well as pros doing theatre work where light faders interfered with their signal. They are actually detached from the earth path and therefore your strings so there is even a safety element involved.

So, to some they may appear to be the Rolls Royce of pickups and to others, too clean for rock. I'm neutral.

Still confused? Thought so, but I tried to help [/quote]

No mate, that's excellent insight you've provided. Up until now, I was considering SD SPB-1's, after reading lots of good stuff
about them, even pondering whether 1/4 pounders would be a pickup too far etc etc. I just came across the EMG's by accident today whilst browsing on GAK's website. So it got me pondering...

One other thing to consider though, is whether the battery would fit in the existing cavity - any ideas?

[warwickhunt]

Can I just add one thought/comment into the mix.

All of the discussion about pick-ups adding/subtracting/altering tone and what differences there are between 10"/12"/15" speakers (different thread but relevant... I think any way), I've found that passing a bass that I've just played to another bassist and them playing through the same rig on the same settings can be like chalk and cheese; added to which changing your brand/gauge/material of string can have a more dramatic effect on your sound than any pup change might have.

Just saying.

[The Bass Doc]

[quote name='Bobby K' post='971161' date='Sep 28 2010, 09:15 PM']One other thing to consider though, is whether the battery would fit in the existing cavity - any ideas?[/quote]

Pretty sure a battery wouldn't fit easily under the plate. Besides, trying to undo 13 or so screws to replace it in a hurry ain't gonna be too practical, so I would always advise having a separate battery compartment added at the rear. The one Gotoh make available is the best for ease of access - no screws involved, simply 'fingernail' it open and the battery is replaced in a couple of seconds.

[Bobby K]

[quote name='The Bass Doc' post='971204' date='Sep 28 2010, 10:31 PM']Pretty sure a battery wouldn't fit easily under the plate. Besides, trying to undo 13 or so screws to replace it in a hurry ain't gonna be too practical, so I would always advise having a separate battery compartment added at the rear. The one Gotoh make available is the best for ease of access - no screws involved, simply 'fingernail' it open and the battery is replaced in a couple of seconds.[/quote]

Cheers Doc and Warwick for the input, all food for thought.

[ikay]

[quote name='Bobby K' post='971245' date='Sep 28 2010, 11:07 PM']Cheers Doc and Warwick for the input, all food for thought. [/quote]

My 72 P came with an EMG installed and the battery did fit in the control cavity, but as Doc says taking the pickguard off to replace it was a pain (although to be fair the power it uses is tiny and you don't have to do this very often). It also came with the original 72 pup. I swapped them back and forth a couple of times just to see how they compared and to be honest there wasn't a huge difference to my ears. The EMG had a touch more bottom end and was 'smoother' but I actually prefer the original pup which sounds a bit grittier and more 'authentic' if that makes any sense. I didn't want to hack a battery compartment into such a lovely old bass and the EMG is now in my parts box. Experiment away though, it's all down to personal preference in the end!