P Bass pickup options

[simon1964]

I'm really pleased with the feel of my CIJ 70s Precision, but I think the tone lacks a bit. The classic P bass tone is there, but it can be a bit muddy, especially in the bottom end. I guess I'm really looking for the Precision tone, but with a bit more versatility and a tighter overall tone.

Options I'm considering are:

Active EMGs

Adding a J Pickup at the bridge

Sticking with the stock pickups, but adding a pre-amp

I'd be interested in any views or recommendations - especially any experience with EMG Ps.

Edited September 4, 2007 by simon1964

[Beedster]

[quote name='simon1964' post='55113' date='Sep 4 2007, 09:19 AM']I'm really pleased with the feel of my CIJ 70s Precision, but I think the tone lacks a bit. The classic P bass tone is there, but it can be a bit muddy, especially in the bottom end. I guess I'm really looking for the Precision tone, but with a bit more versatility and a tighter overall tone.

Options I'm considering are:

Active EMGs

Adding a J Pickup at the bridge

Sticking with the stock pickups, but adding a pre-amp

I'd be interested in any views or recommendations - especially any experience with EMG Ps.[/quote]

Poor tone is not always, or even usually, the result of poor PUPs, not in the first instance anyway. The best PUP in the world will still sound crap on a bass with a crap bridge and crap strings. Change the cheapest things first.

1. New strings (even a single E string to see if a different make or gauge does the trick re the 'muddiness')
2. BADASS bridge, looks sh*t on an old bass but makes a huge difference to tone and intonation
3. P-PUP, get a Wizard, SD or similar. Read the reviews to see which most suits your style.
4. J-PUP at bridge. For versatility, a good, although quite expensive idea. A good J-PUP won't make crap strings sound good.
5. Active EQ. A sad thing to do to any Precision IMHO. The classic PBass sound was NOT derived through an active EQ! Some basses just sound better passive.

Chris

Edited September 4, 2007 by Beedster

[simon1964]

[quote name='Beedster' post='55197' date='Sep 4 2007, 12:27 PM']Poor tone is not always, or even usually, the result of poor PUPs, not in the first instance anyway. The best PUP in the world will still sound crap on a bass with a crap bridge and crap strings. Change the cheapest things first.

1. New strings (even a single E string to see if a different make or gauge does the trick re the 'muddiness')
2. BADASS bridge, looks sh*t on an old bass but makes a huge difference to tone and intonation
3. P-PUP, get a Wizard, SD or similar. Read the reviews to see which most suits your style.
4. J-PUP at bridge. For versatility, a good, although quite expensive idea. A good J-PUP won't make crap strings sound good.
5. Active EQ. A sad thing to do to any Precision IMHO. The classic PBass sound was NOT derived through an active EQ! Some basses just sound better passive.

Chris[/quote]

Thanks Chris. Some good thoughts there. The strings are new Ernie Ball Slinkys 45 - 100, same as I use on my Jazz and Warwick. I'd like to avoid active for the reasons you say - the Warwick can give me those sounds.

I've got a Gotoh Bridge on it at the moment, which is bit chunkier than the standard bridge, but the Badass may be the way to go. I'll give that a try.

Edited September 4, 2007 by simon1964