B E A D tuning and vintage spec Pbass pickups?

[miles'tone]

Hey everybody.

I'm considering tuning my Pbass to BEAD tuning, or possibly CFBbEb
I've a vintage spec split P pickup in it at the mo but I'm wondering if it will be up to the job. On a budget right now so can't go buying new pickups really and don't want to spoil my bass!
I've been messing around on our old piano and been loving coming up with stuff down the 'dark end' and want that range on my 4 string (love my P and can't afford even a cheap 5 string right now)

So, anyone here had any success tuning down so low without installing say a Model P or a SD Quarterpounder or something equally beefy?

Edited October 8, 2013 by miles'tone

[wateroftyne]

Here's a PBass, tuned BEAD with (as far as I'm aware) an old stock P pickup. She gets a consistently great tone live and on recordings.

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfjtK4Mnrg8"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfjtK4Mnrg8[/url]

[miles'tone]

Yep, that's pretty darn filthy sounding!
Think you're right that she's in BEAD and it does sound like a regular Precision too. Her strings look like the bottom 4 from a 5 string set to me.

Really enjoyed that Wot, thanks so much for posting (going to check those guys out further too!)

[wateroftyne]

They're marvellous. One of my favourite bands.

[url="http://spikedrivers.co.uk/"]http://spikedrivers.co.uk/[/url]