P bass pickups

[The Bass Doc]

There's a song about at the moment:-

# I need a Lollar, Lollar
Lollar is what I need#

(actually any of the 4 mentioned would be fine).

[essexbasscat]

[quote name='BottomE' post='1324650' date='Aug 2 2011, 06:32 PM']In some other threads i have seen a lot of love for Wizard pickups. Being in the same boat as you i am watching this thread but think i am gonna go stock Fender as i want the bass to sound like a Fender Precision. I am figuring that Fender pickups will give the most authentic Fender sound with other brands being a variation of the stock sound?[/quote]


Confusing isn't it ?

I wish there were some way of doing A/B tests with this or those brands and models without parting with cash, otherwise it seems a case of an expensive march through the market.

There must be a better way of doing this, the P bass was around while Elvis was in short trousers !!

[Beedster]

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='1324670' date='Aug 2 2011, 06:44 PM']Confusing isn't it ?

I wish there were some way of doing A/B tests with this or those brands and models without parting with cash, otherwise it seems a case of an expensive march through the market.

There must be a better way of doing this, the P bass was around while Elvis was in short trousers !![/quote]

Honestly mate, you won't go far wrong with any of Fender, Wizard, SD, Lollar, Lindy Fralin, and many more. There are differences of course, but in the big picture, and with your guitarist winding up his Marshall all-valve head and two 4x10s and your drummer matching it, those differences become vanishingly small

[bassybill]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='1324116' date='Aug 2 2011, 12:35 PM']I really don't get the Fender market. Surely a '62 RI pup should be made to recreate what an original circa '62 pup sounds like [b]today[/b] (taking into account magnetic degradation etc. etc.). That would make far more sense to me, especially if you are attempting to recreate a vintage instrument. I mean what's the point of playing a "new sounding" vintage instrument?[/quote]

Yeah - interesting comment.

And I just noticed how cynical my earlier post in the thread sounded. Please don't get me wrong, I'm just as gear obsessed as anyone else most of the time. I just have these occasional moments of clarity.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='essexbasscat' post='1324637' date='Aug 2 2011, 10:23 AM']So the love seems to be for Lollars, SD Antiques, SPB1's and Fender originals.

Thanks folks [/quote]
I love Barts, they look different so they'll never sound right to the vintage crowd but they don't click when the string hits a pole, they're shielded and hard to break. Also the original EMG P has been amazing in my experience but is now way out of fashion.

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='BottomE' post='1324650' date='Aug 2 2011, 10:32 AM']In some other threads i have seen a lot of love for Wizard pickups. Being in the same boat as you i am watching this thread but think i am gonna go stock Fender as i want the bass to sound like a Fender Precision. I am figuring that Fender pickups will give the most authentic Fender sound with other brands being a variation of the stock sound?[/quote]
My Fernandes sounds more Fendery than my Fender does. Also you may be surprised how many times you thought you were hearing a Fender but it had different pickups. It's such a common swap it is part of the tone.

[molan]

[quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1325523' date='Aug 3 2011, 12:27 PM']I love Barts, they look different so they'll never sound right to the vintage crowd but they don't click when the string hits a pole, they're shielded and hard to break. Also the original EMG P has been amazing in my experience but is now way out of fashion.[/quote]

I forgot about Barts!

My old Performance P bass had a Bart replacement & it sounded great.

Modern EMG's seem to be a lot brighter than the older ones. I have an '86 in a Fodera Monarch that is very sweet sounding but the one in my newer Fodera is a lot more modern and 'hi fi' sounding.