P-Bass Pickup

[tkingen]

I bought an MIJ Precision used and it came with the Dimarzio Model P pickup split pair. The tone is pretty growley and hotter than my girlfriends 70's P Bass that have the stock pup pair.

Since I'm more into vintage tones and don't need to pop and slap, I'm considering swapping out to either the Duncan SPB-1 or Fender (I think they may be called either Vintage or Original 62 P?). Do any of you more experienced guys have an opinion about these pups?

Btw, I'm actually a guitar player who only plays bass for home recordings - blues, jazz, country and Americana type stuff. I just need a toneful, solid bass sound to hold down the bottom. I'll probably never play bass live.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!

 

[scrubs]

I know very little about bass pickups, but just about every bass player I've asked about this says Bartolini make the best/smoothest sounding bass pickups. If I ever get around to dropping a new set in my Squier, it will be from Bartolini.

 

[Light]

Bartolini's ARE great bass pickups, and their my favorite for most stuff, but if you want a more vintage sound, they are not the way to go. I dislike both the Seymour Duncan and Fender bass pickups (actually, I just dislike all the modern Fender pickups, but that's a different issue). I usually like Dimarzio bass pickups (their J bass models are top notch), but if you are still looking for something more vintage sounding, get one from LINDY FRALIN. Lindy makes the best damn vintage style pickups on the market, bar none. He's best known for his Strat pickups, but everything he makes is fantastic. It will cost a little more than a Seymour Duncan, but not a lot, and it will give you the sound you are after.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[jdier]

Bartolini's ARE great bass pickups, and their my favorite for most stuff, but if you want a more vintage sound, they are not the way to go. I dislike both the Seymour Duncan and Fender bass pickups (actually, I just dislike all the modern Fender pickups, but that's a different issue). I usually like Dimarzio bass pickups (their J bass models are top notch), but if you are still looking for something more vintage sounding, get one from LINDY FRALIN. Lindy makes the best damn vintage style pickups on the market, bar none. He's best known for his Strat pickups, but everything he makes is fantastic. It will cost a little more than a Seymour Duncan, but not a lot, and it will give you the sound you are after.

I agree with this guy for the most part. If the Dimarzio's are too hot, Seymour Duncans are going to be about the same, maybe a little less hot if you go for the vintage pair.

I really do not like the sound of the modern fenders, they sound hollow to me. I prefer Dimarzio. I have a P bass with some Bartolini's which I love, but they are really a mellow round sound, very un like your traditional p bass.

I might suggest that you roll back the volume a bit on the bass and see if that takes some of the growl out (it will.)

Otherwise check out these: http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bassesdescr.shtml#VintageforPBassreg
They will have a little less power than the Dimarzio.

You know, you might be able to post a FT link in the marketplace section here saying " My Dimarzio P Bass pick ups for your MIM or MIA Fender stock pick ups." Replacing fenders with Dimarzio's is a pretty standard upgrade that people do.

Again, try rolling off some volume and it will likely get you right where you want to be, and it will not cost you a dime.

 

[tkingen]

Hey guys, thanks for your input. I decided to do a little tweaking and lowered the Dimarzio's considerably closer to the body. Big difference in reducing the barky aggressiveness and volume. The bass is much closer to a vintage sound now.
I'm thinking the Dimarzio's probably aren't all that much different from the Fender's and Duncans. If they still bug me in the future I'll take Light's suggestion and get the Fralin's, or maybe even look into the Bartolini's.
Thanks!