MIJ P bass pickup has weak output: replacement options?

[franzbassist]

So my '88 MIJ P bass is lovely, really well put together, lightweight and a pleasure to play. The only weakness I think it has is that the pickups don't have much weight behind them, so I was thinking about swapping them out for something with a bit more output.

As the bass is stock I am a litle hesitant to do this, but as it's not exactly a rare bass I guess it'll never be worth big money anyway, and as I could always return it to original would a couple of solder joints make a huge difference?

The other question is what to drop in there if I do change? I'd like it to keep the [i]sound[/i] of a P bass, so nothing that colours the tone too much,but it must have more oomph, so Wizard, Fralin, Nordstrand, a Seymour Duncan? What does the BC massive think?

Cheers

Gareth

[yorick]

I've got a set of pick-ups from a CIJ 62 re-issue, if you want to slot them in and see if there's a difference. I've since replaced the with Seymour Quarter Pounders, which are the mutts nuts as far as i'm concerned.

[Graham]

I love the Lindy Fralins in my Lakland, they just sound like a precision should, however i can't say if they're any better than any others so not a lot of help there i know. I'm also very keen to try Bare Knuckle's '58 and '65 P pickups

[cocco]

DiMarzio Model P for me, especially if you can find an old one

[Hobbayne]

Seymour Duncan vintage SBP1 gives an old school p bass thump, without beefing it up like quarter pounders or similar hot pickups do.

Edited March 2, 2012 by Hobbayne

[Jerry_B]

I like the Fender 'Original' pickups. If you're worried about breaking the internals up, take out the whole lot (for now) and get a wiring harness from KiOgon. This give you the option of keeping the original electrics and connections intact and untouched, whilst also giving you an easy way to swap in new pups.

[jonnybass]

hi, since I replaced the original pickup in my jap fender in '93 i have tried dimarzio model p, seymour duncan quarter pounder, wizard thumper and lindy fralin. The di marzio was articulate and clear, the quarter pounder was good but hot and not too old school, the wizard was very hot and scooped sounding, the fralin is clear, does the old school thing or the modern sound a bit hotter than the di marzio... I think it will record really well.

as usual this is all IMHO...

[Mylkinut]

[quote name='Jerry_B' timestamp='1330681554' post='1561352']
I like the Fender 'Original' pickups. If you're worried about breaking the internals up, take out the whole lot (for now) and get a wiring harness from KiOgon. This give you the option of keeping the original electrics and connections intact and untouched, whilst also giving you an easy way to swap in new pups.
[/quote]

Personally changing pickups wouldn't bother me at all, but if you [i]are[/i] bothered this is a +1

I've got Seymour Duncan SPB-2s, lovely middle ground between vintage and QDs with plenty of output.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1330681343' post='1561350']
Seymour Duncan vintage SBP1 gives an old school p bass thump, without beefing it up like quarter pounders or similar hot pickups do.
[/quote]
[quote name='Jerry_B' timestamp='1330681554' post='1561352']
I like the Fender 'Original' pickups. If you're worried about breaking the internals up, take out the whole lot (for now) and get a wiring harness from KiOgon. This give you the option of keeping the original electrics and connections intact and untouched, whilst also giving you an easy way to swap in new pups.
[/quote]

Agree on both of the above. SD SBP1 is a very nice pickup,so is the Fender Original. Both keep the original feel of the Precision, without becoming all high output.

[Conan]

I was quietly impressed with the GFS hot pickup I put in my Squier... certainly plenty of midrange grunt and loads of output. Bloody cheap too! No down-side that I can see...

[url="http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-PB-Pro-PLUS-OVERWOUND-Alnico-P-Bass-style-VERY-hot_p_334.html"]http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-PB-Pro-PLUS-OVERWOUND-Alnico-P-Bass-style-VERY-hot_p_334.html[/url]

[franzbassist]

Thanks, everyone, for your comments. I think I'm going to go with an SPB2 and a KiOgon wiring harness for now.

[OmeDunk]

I replaced the CIJ stock pickup with a Wizard thumper.
Since then no gas for another pup.