How close does is a Sandberg PM to emulating a P & a MM?

[Delberthot]

I've just finished playing tonight and something that I have been toying with for some time might be the best way forward for me.

I've been playing for the past couple of months with my 80s E Series Fender MIJ Precision




and have just received this as a trade for my gold Warmoth




I absolutely love the tone of the bridge pickup on the G&L and the Fender P bass sound.


I've searched here and can't find the answer so - will a Sandberg California PM give me an authentic P bass tone and a G&L / MM humbucker tone?

I've also looked into the Fender P bass delixe but the concensus seems to be that the Sandberg is a better bass

[JD1]

I've a PM 5. The P bass sound is quite close - maybe a bit tighter but not quite as fat. MM sound slightly less so - its less agressive and more burpy for figerstyle - but hints at a MM tone. Proably a combination of the bridge pup being being further back than on a MM and the Glock pre amp instead of the MM one. Nonetheless good sounds and versatile.

[niceguyhomer]

I had one for a while - superb basses. It certainly does a nice tight P sound and there's definitely a MM sound in the back pup but IMO, it doesn't emulate either sound exactly.

I'd definitely recommend one - I had mine at the same time as a Sadowsky PJ and I preferred the Sandberg in every department.

[JD1]

Should have added there's some live sound clips at dwband.co.uk. Mind you its DI'd off the desk and I've more top and mid boosted than I'd normally like - to try and cut through all the the keys, brass and guitar. Nonetheless might give you an idea. Most is fingerstyle favouring the bridge pup. Slap is 50/50 and the couple where I'm using a pick (Malice and Riot) are 2/3 neck pup.

[Delberthot]

[quote name='JD1' post='629251' date='Oct 18 2009, 08:49 AM']I've a PM 5. The P bass sound is quite close - maybe a bit tighter but not quite as fat. MM sound slightly less so - its less agressive and more burpy for figerstyle - but hints at a MM tone. Proably a combination of the bridge pup being being further back than on a MM and the Glock pre amp instead of the MM one. Nonetheless good sounds and versatile.[/quote]



I think it might be the burpy sound I'm after come to think of it. I had a Corvette 5 string $$ and like the sound of that bridge pickup as well.

Is there a bass with a stacked J pickup that would give me the same effect?


I'm kind of contemplating getting myself a Wamoth body made and get myself a MIJ/CIJ/MIa Fender neck to go with it- - that way i can specify it exactly how I want. If I don;t like it I can always sell the parts off

[Lfalex v1.1]

Maybe try out a Fender MIA Precision Deluxe? Last one I played was really good, naff Fender EQ notwithstanding.

True, it doesn't capture the MM aspect, but nor does the P/MM Sandberg really.
The last Sandberg P/MM I played I expected the world of, and it really didn't deliver. It was really cold, though, and I don't think many instruments had a fair crack of the whip that day...

[mike257]

I tried my JM4 against my Stingray when I first picked it up. It does a pretty reasonable approximation of an MM humbucker sound, but lacked a little 'something' that my Stingray had - although that may be down to my bad habit of 'everything on eleven' with the 3EQ on the 'ray.

What I can vouch for is the build quality and the playablility of the Sandberg, it's absolutely flawless, beautiful to look at, and screams at me to play it constantly.

[OutToPlayJazz]

If the £1400 California PM "Extreme" model is anything to go by, it'll bury both of the aforementioned basses. I don't know if the lesser models are different sounding, but everytime I go to Electro, I have to play that PM. It is simply amazing sounding!