Replacement P-bass pickup

[Johnny Sunshine]

Hi everyone.

 

Just to preface by saying that i'm not a bass player and i know very little about bass guitars, so please bear with my lack of knowledge or experience.

 

The bass player in my band is looking to replace the pickup in his P-bass. He is looking for a pickup that will give him a good amount of punch in a rock setting, a full warm sound in a jazz setting, and a sweet, round sound for slap and funk.

 

Does such a pickup exist? His genre's are pretty much accross the board. Can one P-bass pickup do all of that?

 

If not, what other options does he have besides just buying a new/different bass.

[Zebra]

The first two things you listed are typical P style pickup attributes. The slap thing might be different. Others may disagree, but I don't think a P is the thing for slap, it just doesn't seem to do it.

What P bass does he have? If he wants to upgrade the pickup because the one he has now is lacking in those areas he listed above, then I suspect he's suffering from crappy bass syndrome, because a P should do two of the three things there fine already.

If he wants to upgrade the pickup because he wants it to do those things "better," then his choices can be rather simplified:

I believe most aftermarket P pickups are fundementally the same, just slight differences in character. A few pickups that might give actually DIFFERENT sounds may be the dimarzo model P and perhaps an EMG, but the EMG will be active.

[mrcrow]

Originally posted by Zebra The slap thing might be different. Others may disagree, but I don't think a P is the thing for slap, it just doesn't seem to do it.

i dont play slap but when i have tried it on my P the strings hit the pup....i tend to agree a P may not be the best for slap...i thought the stingray was the one...with its pup near the bridge..

 

i did use a s-d vintage pup and found it tighter on the bottom and more middle...but now i have put the original mia fender vintage pup back on and its just a bit muddier on the bottom and hasnt as much mid...marginal in some respects

 

if you dont pick...then your plucking hand can vary the tone quite a bit ...at times i play around the 12th fret and of course right back at my J pup...its a P/J i have...for the tighter and nasal funk sound...

 

the P can do this...as other basses can...but the slap thing...see Zebra's observation

 

[hawkhuff]

I too would agree that a P is probably not for slap. However, I recently installed a Seymour Duncan quarter pounder on my P bass and it can do all those other things.

 

For slap though he may want to think about installing a J bass pup down the by bridge.

 

My $0.02

[T. Alan Smith]

I own 2 MusicMan basses, and I slap like crazy on my P.

[Markee]

For cheap you throw in a DiMarzio P-model PU and really improve your all-round performance. You'd probably get by slapping if he technique is good but seriously, how much slapping does he do?

[el_duderino676]

 

Originally posted by Markee For cheap you throw in a DiMarzio P-model PU and really improve your all-round performance. You'd probably get by slapping if he technique is good but seriously, how much slapping does he do?

 

 

+1 I have a Schaller PBX pickup in my Yamaha BB300 which is almost exactly the same thing as a Model P and it rocks. And, it does sound good for slap. Adjustable polepieces really help.

[bville]

He may want to look at an active pick up. I own a Fender bass with an P/J configuration and the slap tones I get out of the P pick up are pretty good - of course, not Singray quality, but they work. Bartolini makes very good pick ups and he can order one to match the sound he's looking for.

 

regards

[KeroseneTrewthe]

Whatever you do, dont get the 62 Original Fender pup. Sucks bigtime. The sound is good when the thing worked. I got 2 bad ones in a row.

 

 

I was done with that and had MFriend send me a Dimarzio Model P instead. I should get it tonight or tomorrow.

[Apendecto]

I really like my Seymore Duncan Quarter Pounders for my Ps. You can get them here cheap as hell.

 

http://www.dguitarparts.com/seymour.htm

 

50 bucks for a huge difference in sound is worth it. But if you want to go a different route, they have really cheap prices on a lot of stuff.

 

Yo.

[KeroseneTrewthe]

 

Originally posted by Apendecto I really like my Seymore Duncan Quarter Pounders for my Ps. You can get them here cheap as hell. http://www.dguitarparts.com/seymour.htm 50 bucks for a huge difference in sound is worth it. But if you want to go a different route, they have really cheap prices on a lot of stuff. Yo.

 

 

 

The Quarter Pounder pups are definitely hot so they would probably be good for slap.

[Apendecto]

Yeah, mine sound good with slap-with a little eqing.

 

Yo.

[KeroseneTrewthe]

 

Originally posted by Apendecto Yeah, mine sound good with slap-with a little eqing. Yo.

 

 

 

I think that pup is naturally mid scooped a tad too.

[el_duderino676]

 

Originally posted by KeroseneTrewthe I think that pup is naturally mid scooped a tad too.

 

 

well, if you want scooped mids, get a Dimarzio Split P. Great sounding pickup with more bass and treble.

[KeroseneTrewthe]

 

Originally posted by el_duderino676 well, if you want scooped mids, get a Dimarzio Split P. Great sounding pickup with more bass and treble.

 

 

 

Not this cat. I like my mids. I have a Model P coming in on Thursday!

[bbl]

 

Originally posted by Apendecto I really like my Seymore Duncan Quarter Pounders for my Ps. You can get them here cheap as hell. http://www.dguitarparts.com/seymour.htm 50 bucks for a huge difference in sound is worth it. But if you want to go a different route, they have really cheap prices on a lot of stuff. Yo.

 

 

How about the Seymour Duncan Hot P-Bass pickups (SBP-2)? Anyone use them?

 

IIRC, a Bass Player review said they're not as hot as the QPs, but they liked the tone better.

[el_duderino676]

 

Originally posted by KeroseneTrewthe Not this cat. I like my mids. I have a Model P coming in on Thursday!

 

 

I do too sometimes. The Schaller PBX in the Yamaha is almost exactly the same as a Dimarzio model P and I love it. the only reason I don't have the real thing is because an asshat on ebay lied to me and said it was a Dimarzio.

 

I do have a Split P in my Frankencision though. It is a decent pickup, it has instances that it is good for, I just use my Yamaha more.

[Geddy'sFavHeadache]

if you're having trouble with the strings hitting the pups, then

 

a) you have your pups too high

b) your action isn't low enough

c) a & b

d) you're slapping too hard

e) a, b, & d

 

i slap all the time, have a P/J configuration and hav3ent' had that trouble, only when i beat the crap out of my bass, which really isn't good, cause it tears up the fretts and break strings, and couldn't be good for the pups.

 

you also might want to try a heavier gauge that will tighten the strings up, if they're too loose anyway.

[sunburstbasser]

Its not impossible to get a good slap tone on a P pickup.

 

But its difficult for a single pickup to do everything.

 

I like Kent Armstrong pickups quite a bit myself. Wound pretty hot. The J's sound not unlike Lindy Fralins.

[J.]

Bill Lawrence P-46

www.billlawrence.com

[Johnny Sunshine]

Thank you for your suggestions guys, this is all very helpful.

 

Coming at this from a guitar player's perspective, jazz pickups for guitar are traditionally very low output pickups. Many of you have mentioned hotter pickups in your suggestions. Is it different with bass pickups? I imagine a hotter pickup would give you more drive in a rock setting, but what about using the P-bass in jazz? Going from what i know about guitar pickups, something "vintage" wound, or lower out-put would work well for a more classic rock tone as well as jazz, but for slap, who knows?

 

It may very well be that he is suffering from, as you put it, "crappy bass syndrome." He plays a standard fender p-bass, and is looking to make it into a more playable, better sounding instrument by replacing the pickup, and perhaps getting a new neck from Warmoth. I know with guitars, replacing the neck can make a huge difference in playability, and i imagine it is the same with basses.

 

Thank you so much for all your suggestions, please keep 'em coming!

[el_duderino676]

 

Originally posted by Johnny Sunshine Thank you for your suggestions guys, this is all very helpful. Coming at this from a guitar player's perspective, jazz pickups for guitar are traditionally very low output pickups. Many of you have mentioned hotter pickups in your suggestions. Is it different with bass pickups? I imagine a hotter pickup would give you more drive in a rock setting, but what about using the P-bass in jazz? Going from what i know about guitar pickups, something "vintage" wound, or lower out-put would work well for a more classic rock tone as well as jazz, but for slap, who knows? It may very well be that he is suffering from, as you put it, "crappy bass syndrome." He plays a standard fender p-bass, and is looking to make it into a more playable, better sounding instrument by replacing the pickup, and perhaps getting a new neck from Warmoth. I know with guitars, replacing the neck can make a huge difference in playability, and i imagine it is the same with basses. Thank you so much for all your suggestions, please keep 'em coming!

 

 

well, if he wants to make it more playable, I would suggest a new bridge before changing the pickups because a bridge will affect the tone more than changing the pickups. Look for a high mass bridge. I would suggest a Leo quan Badass II, or a Gotoh of some sort

[Craig Vecchione]

 

Originally posted by KeroseneTrewthe Whatever you do, dont get the 62 Original Fender pup. Sucks bigtime. The sound is good when the thing worked. I got 2 bad ones in a row. I was done with that and had MFriend send me a Dimarzio Model P instead. I should get it tonight or tomorrow.

 

 

I thought you found a blob of solder shorting one of the wires?

[KeroseneTrewthe]

 

Originally posted by Craigv I thought you found a blob of solder shorting one of the wires?

 

 

 

Thats right. A blob of solder feel out of the pickup cavity and I after I put it all back together it worked great. Then in a matter of seconds it didnt. I tapped on the pickup and the same thing was happening. I completely redid all the joints to avoid a cold solder joint. Still the same thing.

 

I took the piece of crap out and put in my MIM stock pup and its worked fine since the switch. So it was definitely the pup. That was 2 in a row and I told MF to send me a Dimarzio model p instead which should be here today or tomorrow.

 

We'll see how that one sounds. Suppose to be a nice mid range sounding pup.

[pbass_groovin]

I've got a SD Basslines SP-3 Quarter Pounder in my pbass & I love it. It's got the punch. Installed it myself. The wires were kinda soldered poorly so I resoldered them.