P bass pickups...?

stickyfiddle

I'm back here again...  

Building a new P, partly based on lessons learned from my current one and partly just because I really want a white one. 

I have a regular Lollar split P pickup in my current bass, and not necessarily looking for anything different, but interested to see if anyone has any first-hand experience of Lollar vs Fralin, SD Antiquity, Aguilar, etc? If anything I wouldn't mind a smidge more output and upper mids, but I don't want something completely different like a quarterpounder or P90

This will be using TI flats almost exclusively, I think. 

fretmeister

By far my favourite is the Aguilar AG4P. It's a 1960s recreation.

It sounds great with a nice mid range bump as all good P pickups should have and it tolerates being exceptionally close to the strings for a strong output. Unlike many others the pole pieces are slightly lower than the plastic cover so there's no annoying string on pole clicking that others have.

I've got them in 2 basses and I've had them in previous basses too. Whenever I get a precision type that I want to keep passive, that pickup goes in.

stickyfiddle

I knew you’d say that. It’s definitely a good contender and probably my first choice if I don’t go Lollar. 

Novak also has a bunch of nice looking stuff. I'm also still very tempted to chuck a thunderbird pickup on something at some point but that can wait for now..

https://www.curtisnovak.com/product-category/bass/p-bass/

fretmeister

Well I do also really like the EMG PX.

It has more headroom than the standard version, but sounds like a great P should. Just with quite a bit more output.
That one is always my choice for a PJ set up... but always with the EMG active balance control to solve insertion loss.

Funkfingers

stickyfiddle said:

I don't want something completely different like a quarterpounder 

Good because that's a beefburger. You would need to pair it with a Greasebucket tone control.

I have experience of some of the pickups on your wish list. I suggest that you add Nordstrand and DiMarzio to it.

The differences between the brands may prove extremely subtle - depending on your amplification.

Extra output is DiMarzio's calling card. The DP146 Will Power Middle delivers a strong Rock sound. This has been superseded by the Relentless model. 

I agree with fretmeister about the merits of active replacement pickups. I also agree about the "rightness" of Fender 62-64 era pickup specifications. c. 11k, A5, adjust height to taste, get on with it.

Creed_Clicks

Is the Tonerider any good?

stickyfiddle

Creed_Clicks said:

Is the Tonerider any good?

I don't know but instinct says they'll be very good for the money, if not on the same level as the handwired guys

roberty

I'm really happy with my @OilCityPickups Hardman. I'm a bit of a brute though

PhilKing

I have a BK 62 P-Bass in my 1965 Precision.  Having had older Precisions in the past, the 65 was lacking in the sound, but the BK is perfect and has the tone of the older basses I had.  It has all the thunder and grunt you need, with the clarity and fullness that is the P-Bass sound.

UnclePsychosis

I'm no expert by any means, but I had a Vintera that someone had put an Aguilar P in and it sounded phenomenal. 

impmann

PhilKing said:

I have a BK 62 P-Bass in my 1965 Precision.  Having had older Precisions in the past, the 65 was lacking in the sound, but the BK is perfect and has the tone of the older basses I had.  It has all the thunder and grunt you need, with the clarity and fullness that is the P-Bass sound.

BK don't seem to do a 62 any more- they do a 58 or 65, according to the website. 

philbass64

I have several BKs and the '65 or '58 are great depending on your preference. The '65 is brighter the '58 more soulful if that's the right word. Both are excellent.

Funkfingers

impmann said:

BK don't seem to do a 62 any more 

Fender made a '63 model for the AV Series. I'm not sure whether they carried it on for the AO series.

FWIIW, my AV'63 arrived with a '58 style (raised A poles) pickup. I transferred that to my beaten up Squier Silver Series and treated the Fender AV to a Duncan Antiquity.

PhilKing said:

… all the thunder and grunt you need, with the clarity and fullness that is the P-Bass sound.

Love this description.

I have several active bass guitars but it is always nice to return to the simplicity of a P Bass with flatwound strings. Plug in and play it in the certain knowledge that it will sound right.

fretmeister

I've been playing my EMG-X loaded P today and I'm actually thinking of putting the same pickup in my Sandberg shortie as well.

It has the Aguilar in it at the moment, but there's something I am really enjoying about the output and headroom of the P-X.

Funkfingers

I hope that Fishman will see sense and offer their Mike Inez signature soapbar pickup in a P Bass format.

elstoof

Another vote for Aguilar AG4P

Rocker

As someone who plays a USA Fender Precision, what do you guys get from the EMG-X and the Aguilar AG4P that the stock pickups don't give?  Thanks.

fretmeister

The EMG-X is higher output, has higher headroom and seems to have more harmonic content. A more complex sound. I think they have a more piano like sound quality. It is also pretty much immune from interference in a way that even the best passive split coil P pickups aren't. 

The AG4P is entirely the opposite. It's a recreation of the original split coil P bass pickups using the same construction with a view to get that older sound where mids were more important than true bass (not that the amps of the time could cope with true bass at high volume). It's a less complex, more fundamental sound, with more mids than a current standard pickup.

Modern USA P pickups are in the middle really. Fender custom shop vintage P pickups are closer to the Aguilar than the stock modern P pickups. The current pickups are really based on the 1970s ones when players were starting to demand higher outputs and a more aggressive tone.

It should be noted though that with a good understanding of EQ and use of the bass tone control / LPF a modern passive P pickup can sound very close indeed to a 1960s recreation. 

String choice (Steels / nickels / flats / rounds / grounds / tapes) will still have a big impact, as will the amp and speaker choice.

And as always - the audience won't notice or care. But if the player is more satisfied that usually leads to a better performance.

stickyfiddle

Ironically since starting this thread I think I'm no longer looking. I'm moving to full time guitar in my band so will transfer my existing Lollar to the new build and put something more thumpy (Guild repro?) in my old sunburst. Should be fun