la bam Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Evening all. What are people's favourite p bass pickups? I'm looking at making a bitsa bass, and just wondered what options are out there? Price not really a matter. Also, would i then have to add in specific pots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 What sort of music do you play, do you want a vintage or modern sound? My fav p pup is the Fender 62 ri, lots of vintage tone but hotter than an original 62 pup, and a lot less expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 (edited) I'd love a warm vintage sound if I'm honest. The kind of classic p bass, flats, svt sound. I like the sound of the wilkinson on my vintage icon, but there's so many different opinions which they are - wp0b / wpb etc, I'm not sure what they actually are. Edited February 21, 2019 by la bam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Fender Custom Shop 62, rich, warm, great low mids and doesn’t become too harsh when either a lot of hi-mids/treble/drive added. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 2 hours ago, la bam said: Evening all. What are people's favourite p bass pickups? I'm looking at making a bitsa bass, and just wondered what options are out there? Price not really a matter. Also, would i then have to add in specific pots? I bought a “blues tribute” on eBay for not much and it’s fabulous. Fat Woody sound and cheap as chips Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 1 hour ago, la bam said: I'd love a warm vintage sound if I'm honest. The kind of classic p bass, flats, svt sound. I like the sound of the wilkinson on my vintage icon, but there's so many different opinions which they are - wp0b / wpb etc, I'm not sure what they actually are. Wilkinson's are very decent vintage sounding pickups. The different model / prefixes refer to if they are ceramic or alnico. The cheaper pickups will be ceramic and the slightly more expensive will be alnico. The alnico are the better pickups and do sound better (warmer and more vintage sounding) than ceramics. Lozz196 is correct, Fender custom shop 62 or the 62 ri's which are essentially the same pickups will be perfect for what you want. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itu Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 My choice was a plain humbucker: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/337754-mourning-the-passing-of-gas/?do=findComment&comment=3701429 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Seymour Duncan SPB1. I have this pup on two of my Precisions. I prefer the vintage sound of these over the standard Fender pup. https://www.seymourduncan.com/pickup/vintage-p-bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 13 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said: Wilkinson's are very decent vintage sounding pickups. The different model / prefixes refer to if they are ceramic or alnico. The cheaper pickups will be ceramic and the slightly more expensive will be alnico. The alnico are the better pickups and do sound better (warmer and more vintage sounding) than ceramics. Cheers all. The weird thing is ..... the 2 vintages I have are a basic v4blk and a icon. Now, out of the 2, the icon is supposed to be the flagship bass I think. The pickups in the blk are great, very strong and punchy, and record superbly. The pickups in the icon are lovely and warm and have a lot of range and more soul to them, as opposed to the more clinical blk. Yet, it looks like the pickups in the icon are only £15 and are the cheaper ones? Confusion comes when you look on the internet for which one is which. I've email jhs but no reply. The fender 62 look great to be honest, probably more of the sound im looking for opposed to the quarter pounders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hooky_lowdown Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 Pretty sure the pickups in the Icon are alnico, I've heard the newer Vintage v4 reissue's (one with painted headstock) have different pickups than the others. However, you have one bass which records well and the other I'm guessing sounds good playing live, so I reckon you have GAS for something new or different. You probably don't want to hear this, but you already have a solid setup. But GAS affects us all. Damn you GAS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bam Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 Yep! I've no need at all to change anything, but have an undying urge to do so! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 22, 2019 Share Posted February 22, 2019 There’s a set of CS 62s on evilbay at moment, £75. Says ex The Beat but imo price isn’t inflated due to that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2x18 Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 11 hours ago, Lozz196 said: There’s a set of CS 62s on evilbay at moment, £75. Says ex The Beat but imo price isn’t inflated due to that. They look more like Fenders cheaper ( but great ) " original " 62 pickups! --the Custom shop 62's don't have a large chamfer on the poles! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opticaleye Posted February 24, 2019 Share Posted February 24, 2019 I've tried a few P pickups including Original 62's and my favourite is the EMG Geezer Butler ones. Faithful passive reproduction of a vintage P Bass set (from a bass owned by Bobby Vega). They even come with pots and solderless wiring 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamPlaysBass Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 +1 for EMG Geezer Butlers. I had a Squire Chris Aiken P bass which I bought as a project off Facebook. The previous owner had made his own loom and wasn’t the best with a soldering iron, so the tone pot didn’t work and it wasn’t great. Whacked in the GZR set as it came with a new solderless loom. Installation was easy, pots feel good and the sound... a fantastic, rich and slightly dark sounding with a big vintage nod. A fantastic upgrade with a very noticeable improvement in sound. Very pleased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 I've tried the Custom Shop 62s and been rather disappointed with them. Perfectly good pickup and better than the Seymour Duncan quarter pounders but they didn't do it for me. What did do it for me was a set of Wizard Thumpers. Sadly they're not made any more in their original form but Hot Rod have taken over making them, although I don't know how close they come to the originals. https://www.hot-rodpickups.com/pb-thumper-precision-bass-pickup-574-p.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Browning Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Kent Armstrong Vintage P - wonderful pickups. Great depth and clarity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Tried a lot and I've got a Wizard Thumper in my main P bass. Sadly I don't think you can get them any more. Like a proper old school growly P sound with a bit more girth. I've got a Dimarzio Model P in the spare which I really like too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 (edited) I put Bartolini into my P bass. That was in the late 80's so I don't remember which ones, but they improved the sound 1000%. My current passive PJ5 has SD's in. An Amazingly good sound. PS I've seen reviews that claim Bill Lawrence pickups are the best. He was an innovative designer and designed pickups for Fender before going out on his own. Edited March 1, 2019 by chris_b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 When Andy retired, Wizard was taken over by Hot Rod pickups https://www.hot-rodpickups.com/bass-pickups-33-c.asp and they still make the Thumper. I have a Nordstrand in my Japanese Precision and I'm very pleased with it. The weird thing about these threads is that virtually everyone is happy with the choice they've made - you almost never see postings that say "I fitted <x> in my bass and it sucked watermelons through elephants". 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muppet Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 6 minutes ago, pete.young said: When Andy retired, Wizard was taken over by Hot Rod pickups https://www.hot-rodpickups.com/bass-pickups-33-c.asp and they still make the Thumper. I have a Nordstrand in my Japanese Precision and I'm very pleased with it. The weird thing about these threads is that virtually everyone is happy with the choice they've made - you almost never see postings that say "I fitted <x> in my bass and it sucked watermelons through elephants". I guess the the thread title might determine the sorts replies that are given. Maybe if there was a "Precision Pickups that suck" thread...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 16 minutes ago, pete.young said: The weird thing about these threads is that virtually everyone is happy with the choice they've made - you almost never see postings that say "I fitted <x> in my bass and it sucked watermelons through elephants". I prefer to dwell on the success stories, but if you want to hear about the stuff that didn't work out . . here goes. . . when I removed my average sounding, lifeless Fender pickups I put in a set of MEC's (from Warwick via the Bass Centre). IMO they were OK but nothing special. I then put in some SD's (can remember which ones). While it was getting better, the sound wasn't quite what I wanted, so I went over to Chandlers who put in a Bartolini P bass pickup. . . . and that was it! A great full, fat tone. Tons of low mid punch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 MEC and SD a re good brands, so I'm not going to say they were crap, just not my preference. I'm not sure how it helps the OP to know what I didn't like 30 years ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonse Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 Lindy Fralin for me, the standard wind ones. Pair that with one of those pricey (but lovely) Emerson looms - fantastic! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDaBass Posted March 1, 2019 Share Posted March 1, 2019 DiMazio Split P with a @KiOgon loom with CTS's . Huge sound range from Old School to glass like highs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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