MIM P Bass - keep or get rid?

[pburrows]

So from experience how much difference in tone/sound do you get between

Seymour Duncan SPB-1
Lindy Fralin
DiMarzio

There is quite a large price difference and would most listeners or players come to that notice the difference?

Much difference between Seymour Duncan and Wilkinson?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='pburrows' timestamp='1332847725' post='1593820']
So from experience how much difference in tone/sound do you get between

Seymour Duncan SPB-1
Lindy Fralin
DiMarzio

There is quite a large price difference and would most listeners or players come to that notice the difference?

Much difference between Seymour Duncan and Wilkinson?
[/quote]

The most different from that lot are the Fralins - more attack and sizzle.

No the punters will not be able to tell the slightest bit of difference... some Basschatters in your audience might be able to though.

The Wilkinson's I've heard have been flat uninspiring ordinary sounding pups.
(a penny to a pound the same people recommending Wilkinsons will hate Ashdown though. )

[pburrows]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1332848642' post='1593834']
more attack and sizzle.
[/quote]

That's the sound I want dude... bang on.

[Lozz196]

As someon who plays mainly tight driving basslines, a Precision is, in my view, a great bass for the job (I only play Precisions, btw).

Now the Ashdown/woolly thing is subjective, but bear in mind people like Bruce Foxton & JJ Burnell use them - with Precisions, and neither are woolly-sounding bassists - so a good sharp punchy driving sound can be obtained from an Ashdown set-up.

Precisions are very low-mid biased, so add into that a 1x15, and the Ashdown signature sound - lets call it warm, not woolly - and there`s a lot going on that low-mid frequency range that will definately sound undefined, especially in comparison to a TE setup.

Apologies if you`ve already done all this, but if the amp is the one with the Mid selector of 340hz and 1.6khz, firstly I`d select the 340 and reduce this, keeping bass & treble flat. Then see how it sounds. I`d then try selecting the 1.6khz and boosting this, again keeping the bass and treble flat.

Cutting low mids, and boosting high mids should clear up the sound a fair bit, and enable a nice tight sound. I know many state bass is about the low-mids, but with a Precision/Ashdown/1x15 you`ve got them in abundance.

[pburrows]

cheers Lozz

[Adee]

Keep it simple and go for a used Seymour Duncan SPB-1 or maybeslightly hotter SPB-2
and how about then just using your 4x10 solo and see how you get on

Who has a tone you like ?

A second set of 'local ears' would deffo help too !

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1332849031' post='1593847']
As someon who plays mainly tight driving basslines, a Precision is, in my view, a great bass for the job (I only play Precisions, btw).

Now the Ashdown/woolly thing is subjective, but bear in mind people like Bruce Foxton & JJ Burnell use them - with Precisions, and neither are woolly-sounding bassists - so a good sharp punchy driving sound can be obtained from an Ashdown set-up.

Precisions are very low-mid biased, so add into that a 1x15, and the Ashdown signature sound - lets call it warm, not woolly - and there`s a lot going on that low-mid frequency range that will definately sound undefined, especially in comparison to a TE setup.

Apologies if you`ve already done all this, but if the amp is the one with the Mid selector of 340hz and 1.6khz, firstly I`d select the 340 and reduce this, keeping bass & treble flat. Then see how it sounds. I`d then try selecting the 1.6khz and boosting this, again keeping the bass and treble flat.

Cutting low mids, and boosting high mids should clear up the sound a fair bit, and enable a nice tight sound. I know many state bass is about the low-mids, but with a Precision/Ashdown/1x15 you`ve got them in abundance.
[/quote]

Good call.

[Conan]

[quote name='pburrows' timestamp='1332847725' post='1593820']
Seymour Duncan SPB-1
Lindy Fralin
DiMarzio

There is quite a large price difference [/quote]

I'm not convinced that you always get what you pay for. All of the above-mentioned manufacturers are pretty pricey. I put a brand new set of [url="http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-PB-Pro-PLUS-OVERWOUND-Alnico-P-Bass-style-VERY-hot_p_334.html"]these[/url] in my Squier P and the difference was amazing! You can't go far wrong at that price.

Look in the for sale threads on here too - there are plenty of used pickups being sold by people who are on the same tone journey that you are about to embark upon!

[The Dark Lord]

Any chance you can post a sound clip on here ..... so that we can all give an opinion?

You might find this thread helpful .... depends what you like. I think my white Precision is the best sounding bass ever made ..... but others would disagree. It's a stock USA P Bass. Whereas the Black P Bass in the clip has a P/J config and Seymour Duncans in it. Still sounds good, but a lot more aggressive sounding.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/163461-precision-vs-jazz-vs-warwick-vs-other-precision/page__hl__vs%20warwick%20jazz"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/163461-precision-vs-jazz-vs-warwick-vs-other-precision/page__hl__vs%20warwick%20jazz[/url]

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='mercuryl' timestamp='1332852381' post='1593930']... I think my white Precision is the best sounding bass ever made ..... but others would disagree. ....[/quote]

It's a documented fact that white (or off white) Precisions do sound the best.

[pburrows]

Lol, good coz that's what colour mine is.

[sixdegrees]

To add to the Ashdown comments (seems I created a bit of a monster) - the 10" speakers are better than the 15". I believe that's where most of the wooliness comes from. JJ Burnell and Bruce Foxton are both aggressive pick players which will bring out more of the percussive attack, and JJ uses a signature head that's custom voiced to his spec (and doesn't have the horrid pre-shape). And with regard to cleaning up the low end - I used an old Trace Elliot SMX dual compressor with my Ashdown which worked a treat. Although it did add a little unwanted finger noise.

The first thing I would do if I used an Ashdown would be to disengage the pre-shape and eq from there, while using the valve drive knob to add grit and warmth.

[LukeFRC]

[quote name='sixdegrees' timestamp='1332863154' post='1594130']

The first thing I would do if I used an Ashdown would be to [b]disengage the pre-shape[/b] and eq from there, while using the valve drive knob to add grit and warmth.
[/quote]

+1000

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='sixdegrees' timestamp='1332863154' post='1594130']... Although it did add a little unwanted finger noise.
...[/quote]

Ooh there's nothing worse than a little unwanted finger... noisy or otherwise.

[JTUK]

I'd cut my losses and sell as is...or put the P-bass bridge back and sell the Badass seperately.

If the bass isn't working, I think you'll be throwing good money after bad...on a guessimate that you might be able to buy
something to enhance the bass..be it, pups or a set-up..

[mckendrick]

[quote name='pburrows' timestamp='1332766605' post='1592726']
anyone want to buy a Bad Ass going cheap?
[/quote]
I sold one on here recently.... I could have sold it twelve time times over. It went in less than an hour.

Ditch the Badass.... put a stock Fender bridge back on there. Make it sound like a Fender again.

[LukeFRC]

keep it. you don't need to spend money on a set up, set ups tend to make it more playable, not do anything radical to the sound.
Sell the badass if you want and get some new pickups... but I would guess that isn't where the problem is.
It will be the amp- or more specifically how you are setting it up. you could sell and buy something else- but my guess is that you'll have the same problem.
The second thing I would question would be your fingers.... the tone is in there too....

[Jack]

You'll get money for a standard bass and you'll get the money from the parts too. Most people think any upgrades are downgrades and your idea of a upgrade may not suit anyone else's taste. Nothing against you, but standard is always the way to sell.

FWIW, My P recently got a new lease of life with a new wiring job, orange drop capacitor (of questionable benefit but I was in there anyway and it was cheap!) and a DiMarzio Will Power pickup. Best precision I've ever played, and now it sounds like it should.

[mckendrick]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1332848642' post='1593834']
The Wilkinson's I've heard have been flat uninspiring ordinary sounding pups.
(a penny to a pound the same people recommending Wilkinsons will hate Ashdown though. )
[/quote]
I hate 'em both.

I think our friend PBurrows should pop a set of 62's ....



.... in it.

Oomph, pop, ping, growl an' honk.

There you go... proper bridge, proper pickups, proper Fender Bass.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='mckendrick' timestamp='1332874251' post='1594343']
I hate 'em both.

I think our friend PBurrows should pop a set of 62's ....



.... in it.

Oomph, pop, ping, growl an' honk.

There you go... proper bridge, proper pickups, proper Fender Bass.
[/quote]

Had these in my old MIM Precision, and seriously considering putting them in my MIM Precision I`ve just bought.

[icastle]

[quote name='Ou7shined' timestamp='1332860857' post='1594089']
It's a documented fact that white (or off white) Precisions do sound the best.
[/quote]

I have seen that written somewhere... in crayon because the hospital doesn't allow sharp things...

[Max Normal]

Blimey, if you had dissed the Badass on BC a couple of years back, you would have got pooed on from a great height by the BC Mafia! I think they still have a shrine forum to it pinned somewhere.......

I asked Bernie Goodfellow to tweak the neck on my last frankenbass. when he saw I had put a Babicz bridge on it. He said, "Oh no not another new bloody bridge design, none of them make any bloody difference!" (To be fair, when I got it back he said he really liked the Babicz after all because it was nice to set up). But that says it all really.....

The best pickups i have are on my Lakland Glaub (Fralins), they are grindy, growly, full and cut through. My Wizard Thumpers come a close second, and at only £50.00 are amazing. BTW, +1 on the Willpower pup, I have a Model one in my frankenbass and it sounds amazing. No more Seymour Duncans for me though. I'd buy the Wizards if I was you, you won't regret it.

[pburrows]

I've sold all my kit in the last couple of weeks and now have enough to get a US P bass, stingray, G&L or similar for about £600-700.

I'm going over to bass direct in Warwick on sat to try a few out. After my last gig I came off and told the guys I was selling it all and have finally managed to do that.

So anyone who knows of a good US P shout me up!

[chrismuzz]

With regards to the Ashdown stuff, it's the same as any piece of equipment, it just doesn't tickle everyone's fancy. Funnily enough even though I normally prefer super expensive amps I actually LOVE Ashdown MAG amps and cabs!

We all have different things that we like, and also some basses work with some amps and not others. You might love your Precision through an Ampeg SVT but hate it through my Markbass rig! But you might try a Jazz and decide it only sounds good through a... line 6 30w combo

I totally agree with the suggestions that you go to a shop and try your bass through a bunch of other amps and see if anything else really grabs you. In my opinion a bass FEELING good and playing well is more important than the tone, so if yiu're happy with how yours feels i would recommend keeping it

Anyways I hope you do come to a solution that makes you 100% happy !

[pburrows]

Yeah still got the ashdown kit and will hang onto that. You're right about what feels good... I plugged in my Vintage fretless tonight that I bought off eBay for £120 used. It's absolutely bloody amazing. It just works for me and I love playing it. Crazy eh?