Dread Bass Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Some of you may have seen my thread about being drawn to P basses even though i used to dislike them. This will never be my main bass but it should be a bit of fun. I have ordered a Westfield P bass in a fetching metallic red http://www.stagebeat.com/Westfield-B1000-Bass-Guitar-Metallic-Red-015411-144048 I am planning a few customisations from mainly an aesthetic point of view. I have ordered: -Black bridge -Black machine heads. -Black stick on blocks ala Geddys Jazz. -Black control knobs. I am planning to order: an all black scratch plate. It comes with a B/W/B and i want to wait to see how it looks. A Wizard pickup. In the long run i like the idea of fitting a jazz neck but that will be further down the line. I would also like a matching headstock in red. I want a classic p bass sound any other pickup recommendations? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 You gotta love red, black and maple. That metallic red isn't a million miles away from CAR, imho. Like the idea of black blocks, too. If you want a classic P sound you could do far worse than a Seymour Duncan SPB-1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Cool i will check out the SDs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Ok mistake number 1) I ordered 2 a side machine heads instead of 4 a side. oh dear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 [quote name='Dread Bass' timestamp='1362316168' post='1998235'] Cool i will check out the SDs [/quote] I've got one fitted to my Custom P - it's got 'that' sound, and then some. [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass/pbass/passive/spb1_vintage_fo/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass/pbass/passive/spb1_vintage_fo/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest teamcoy Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I have the Nordstrand NP4s fitted to my Chrome Red/Maple P, actually looks not a kick in the teeth off yours. The Nordy is awesome, switched from the Fender US pickup to it and it just sounds so much better. One of my bandmates has a 75P and the nordy sounds like a fuller version of that stock pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Cheers for that teamcoy. I have always been interested in Nordstrands. You are right the colours are similar. I think the picture of the Westfield looks like Candy Cola finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 Hi Dread, each to their own aesthetic and that, but I reckon you are wasting your hard earned on the changes you say. Put the cash into the SPB-1, a wiring circuit from BC's own KiOgon and get it all put in and set up by a BC recommended Luthier in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 I know what you are saying Billy and usually i would be following the route you have suggested. However. This is not going to be a main gigging bass for me any time soon. i am buying it as an experiment. I also really enjoy modding basses and i have a week off. its a bit of a project and that has its merit. The upgrades have cost me less than £40 thus far so i am not breaking the bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 [quote name='Dread Bass' timestamp='1362329935' post='1998453'] I know what you are saying Billy and usually i would be following the route you have suggested. However. This is not going to be a main gigging bass for me any time soon. i am buying it as an experiment. I also really enjoy modding basses and i have a week off. its a bit of a project and that has its merit. The upgrades have cost me less than £40 thus far so i am not breaking the bank. [/quote] Coolio. FWIW, I think this is a great looking P for the money Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted March 3, 2013 Author Share Posted March 3, 2013 Cheers. I will reserve judgement until the actual bass arrives Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silentbob Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 You may find that you're actually pleasently surprised by the Westfield's stock pick-ups. I had one a couple of years back and it sounded very P like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommorichards Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I got this pickup, and it sounds amazing http://www.axesrus.co.uk/Axesrus-P-Bass-Pickups-p/b101v.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 I'm no fan of the 'P' either. I've really tried to get on with them, but just can't. I built a P a couple of years ago but it's undergone a few changes since then. Rerouted for a MM humbucker near the bridge to get a bit more top out of it..... then rerouted (again) to fit a Jazz neck pickup. And put a Jazz neck on it. I quite like the body though... With the Jazz neck and different pickup configurations it's a great sounding and great playing bass. Not really a P anymore though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rubis Posted March 3, 2013 Share Posted March 3, 2013 The Bare Knuckles pickup in my (son's) black Westfield sounds awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapbassSteve Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 [quote name='silentbob' timestamp='1362337019' post='1998598'] You may find that you're actually pleasently surprised by the Westfield's stock pick-ups. I had one a couple of years back and it sounded very P like. [/quote] I've just the other week bought one of these Westfield B-1000's from Alyctes on here as a project bass... was going to upgrade the pickup but in my opinion it matches up very well with the DeMarzio in my Fender P. I think I actually prefer the overall tone of the Westfield! Bought it for a music video I've got soon, so I've put on some massive Wilkinson tuners, black Geddy-style inlays and committed the ultimate crime of adding a 70's Fender logo. The black blocks work really well on mine, although I think one or two might be a bit wonky... Looks amazing for what I paid for it all though, and I've used it for a couple of gigs already with no problems whatsoever [attachment=129048:IMG_0061.JPG] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Westfield's are great in the house..... but you might find the pick up lacks volume when the band kicks in. PLease, someone tell me I am wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 Perhaps we should have an 'everybody bring a P bass" session at the MBB next year? Might upset Alan though, so on second thoughts maybe not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yepmop Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 [quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1362345716' post='1998793'] I got this pickup, and it sounds amazing [url="http://www.axesrus.co.uk/Axesrus-P-Bass-Pickups-p/b101v.htm"]http://www.axesrus.c...ups-p/b101v.htm[/url] [/quote] +1 to that VERY nice sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlapbassSteve Posted March 4, 2013 Share Posted March 4, 2013 [quote name='leftyhook' timestamp='1362366127' post='1999029'] Westfield's are great in the house..... but you might find the pick up lacks volume when the band kicks in. PLease, someone tell me I am wrong! [/quote] The one in mine seems every bit as loud as the DeMarzio model P in my Fender, completely different tone though.. that said will discover it's true colours when the strings on the Westfield have worn in properly, it's got a lovely punk growl at the moment but I'm aware this might be mostly new string 'zing' [size=4] [/size] [size=4]Didn't Westfield put slightly different pickups in the B-1000 at one point? I seem to remember the pickups having something written on them in gold, a logo or something similar to the SD Basslines series when I first noticed them about four years back..? You can faintly see it in this pic from their website [/size][size=4]http://www.westfieldguitar.co.uk/westfield/hires/B1000%20Metallic.jpg[/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dread Bass Posted March 5, 2013 Author Share Posted March 5, 2013 Well the bass is here and I am loving it. Knobs, flats and bridge on too. Photos to follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted March 6, 2013 Share Posted March 6, 2013 I once bought some machine heads like this: , they turned up 2 a side, it's easy enough to take them apart and make them 4 a side A +1 for the Westfield's own pickup, they are good, I always find that the studio is where having quality pickups really shows, and I haven't tried recoding with a Westfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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