Recommendation for inexpensive P/J pickups?

[Angel]

Having made 5 electric guitars, I figured that I'd have a go at a 5 string bass. I want to have a P/J setup but I'm not having much luck finding a set that isn't megabucks. I was just wondering if anyone has any recommendations - preferably not too expensive!

I'm thinking passive as I plan to install a J-Retro 01 that I have had for some years.

[ezbass]

A set of Wilkinson’s will set you back £86. Folk seem to have a good opinion of basses fitted with these.

https://www.jhs.co.uk/brands/wilkinson/wilkinson-pickups

A set of Toneriders are sub £70 and, again, these have received some love on BC.

https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/bass-guitar-pickups/

[ClassicVibes]

Secondhand SD 1/4 Pounder set?

[hooky_lowdown]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

A set of Toneriders are sub £70 and, again, these have received some love on BC.

https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/bass-guitar-pickups/

Can you get 5 string Tonerider pickups?

[ezbass]

1 minute ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Can you get 5 string Tonerider pickups?

Dunno, worth an email I'd have thought.*

 

 

*TBH I'd forgotten about the 5 string stipulation 

[Angel]

2 hours ago, ezbass said:

A set of Wilkinson’s will set you back £86. Folk seem to have a good opinion of basses fitted with these.

https://www.jhs.co.uk/brands/wilkinson/wilkinson-pickups

A set of Toneriders are sub £70 and, again, these have received some love on BC.

https://www.northwestguitars.co.uk/bass-guitar-pickups/

Thanks for the suggestions but they are all 4 string!

[yorks5stringer]

Why don't you get one of these and mod it?  The bodies are very heavy so maybe  chamber it and a veneer over the top. Reshape the headstock too?

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hot_rod_5_bass.htm

Edited May 17, 2020 by yorks5stringer

[ezbass]

56 minutes ago, Angel said:

Thanks for the suggestions but they are all 4 string!

Yeah, I got carried away ☹️

[Angel]

1 hour ago, yorks5stringer said:

Why don't you get one of these and mod it?  The bodies are very heavy so maybe  chamber it and a veneer over the top. Reshape the headstock too?

https://www.thomann.de/gb/harley_benton_hot_rod_5_bass.htm

It's an idea, but I'm making the body and neck from scratch, I've already created templates!

[yorks5stringer]

9 hours ago, Angel said:

It's an idea, but I'm making the body and neck from scratch, I've already created templates!

Then use all the hardware and pickups from the HB and sell the body and neck bare on here?

[No. 8 Wire]

Have you checked out the EMG PJ5 Set? About £150 but does come with a solderless loom etc, so saves you a little bit in the electronics department.

[Angel]

1 hour ago, No. 8 Wire said:

Have you checked out the EMG PJ5 Set? About £150 but does come with a solderless loom etc, so saves you a little bit in the electronics department.

I was hoping to avoid active pickups as I'm using the J retro.

[No. 8 Wire]

6 minutes ago, Angel said:

I was hoping to avoid active pickups as I'm using the J retro.

I drew a blank when I was looking around for a set too.  The problem seems to be the P pickup, not many 5 string options for that, especially in the budget ranges.

[Angel]

1 hour ago, No. 8 Wire said:

Have you checked out the EMG PJ5 Set? About £150 but does come with a solderless loom etc, so saves you a little bit in the electronics department.

Actually, on reflection the EMG route might be the easiest option. I don't need to use the J Retro, it's in another bass at the moment. Thanks for that thought!

[No. 8 Wire]

15 minutes ago, Angel said:

Actually, on reflection the EMG route might be the easiest option. I don't need to use the J Retro, it's in another bass at the moment. Thanks for that thought!

This is actually the thought I had.  I have a pj5 bass with a j retro, I don't particularly like the pickups, although the J retro helps.  I wanted to use the j retro elsewhere and was looking at perhaps the emg set as a replacement.  Lack of time and money has shelved that though!

Just as an aside, the is one annoying thing about the j retro for a pj.  In passive mode, you can't solo the P pickup.  You either have both, or solo J.  So I've wired my pickups back to front so the P can be soloed.

[Paulhauser]

2 hours ago, Angel said:

I was hoping to avoid active pickups as I'm using the J retro.

John East preamps work very well with active pickups, I have one paired with 5 string EMG PJ's.

[Angel]

8 hours ago, Paulhauser said:

John East preamps work very well with active pickups, I have one paired with 5 string EMG PJ's.

I can get my head around how that would work as the EMG have special pots, so how would you connect to the J Retro?

[Paulhauser]

53 minutes ago, Angel said:

I can get my head around how that would work as the EMG have special pots, so how would you connect to the J Retro?

Angel, I'm in no way an expert, I'm just saying that this constellation is working for me technically.

The bass in question is a Spector Euro5 and I bought it used with the JE preamp already in there and the EMG 40DC's, too. I changed these to  EMG 40J and 40P (basically PJ's in soapbar housing) but since these pickups have the quick connect pins it was a 5 min job. 
BTW the preamp is not a J retro it is a deluxe with mid controls and active passive switch etc. but the point is that it works with EMG pickups.

 

[Angel]

22 hours ago, Paulhauser said:

Angel, I'm in no way an expert, I'm just saying that this constellation is working for me technically.

The bass in question is a Spector Euro5 and I bought it used with the JE preamp already in there and the EMG 40DC's, too. I changed these to  EMG 40J and 40P (basically PJ's in soapbar housing) but since these pickups have the quick connect pins it was a 5 min job. 
BTW the preamp is not a J retro it is a deluxe with mid controls and active passive switch etc. but the point is that it works with EMG pickups.

 

OK, thanks. Something to think about