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Post subject: *** JUST HOW DIFFERENT DO THEY SOUND? ***
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:04 am
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Here's a couple of questions for all you real 'P' bass aficionados out there and something that I'm sure a lot of 'P' bass owners would like to know, too.

I guess it comes back, largely, to choice of pick-ups, again, but from a slightly different perspective.

I've got a 2009/10 MIA Standard 'P', with stock pick-ups.

Whenever the issue of replacement pups comes up, just about everyone says that an 'upgrade' was the best thing they ever did. Everyone seems to have their own, personal favourite, be it Lindy Fralin, SD, Norstrad (?), Fender's own '62 (or Original as they only now seem to do), etc.

No matter what anyone might say, it is quite a big move to consider taking apart a brand new bass and sticking something else in, unheard.

First question really is: Is there a noticeably sound difference between a current generation, stock MIA Standard 'P' and both the '57 and '62 American Re-issue models?

Assuming you've got, say, La Bella F/S flats on each.

If there is, how exactly would the sound of each of these three 'P' basses differ from each other?

Second question is: the general consensus seems to be that all of these 'after-market' pups give a noticeable 'improvement' over the stock ones.

How exactly? In other words, as an example, if I were to get some Lindy Fralins, just how 'different' would the sound of my bass then be?

Thanks guys.

First question:


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Post subject: Re: *** JUST HOW DIFFERENT DO THEY SOUND? ***
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:52 am
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Can't personally answer your first question, so I'll leave that for someone like BrotherDave, for instance.

Your second question will be subjective and open to individual interpretation. Each person 'hears' tone just a bit differently. This is based upon any damage that the inner ear and eardrum have had over the years by listening to 100DB concerts, firearms target practice without hearing protection, and so on. From personal experience, I have never used any pickups on any of my many Fender basses since the early 1960's other than what came with them as a factory install. If you are using a high quality amp and cabinet with E.Q. controls or even an effects pedal, the pickup configuration is less important than a proper control setup as to what sounds good to YOU and your hearing quality.

I have owned one P-bass (Mike Dirnt - Green Day - Artist Series P-Bass) that had the custom shop '59 P-bass pickup and the Leo Quan B-A II bridge. With the amp controls left set in one place, I could tell NO DIFFERENCE between that custom shop P-bass and either of my MIM P-basses that I compared it to. In fact, I traded in the Mike Dirnt P-Bass on a Ibanez GSR200 because it just 'felt' better ergonomically than the Mike Dirnt Artist series bass with the slab body.

Like a lot of well established bassists here at the forum always say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Unless a pickup physically goes bad, leave it alone and use your amp to customize your sound. If a pickup does go bad and you want to experiment, do some in-depth pickup research on after market styles as to specifications, output levels, frequency response, mounting dimensions and get some personal testimonies from folks who are using whichever style you may consider purchasing - before you lay out the cash, just to find out that the factory stock pickup was just as good as the aftermarket type for your personal needs.

I have been playing bass since the early 1960's and I have never had a pickup go bad in all those years. Just lucky? Maybe, but keeping the surfaces clean on the pickup(s), strings and bridge after every gig prolongs the life of these components and may save you some money in the long run.

I just noticed that our colleague frwpb posted a couple thoughts while I was typing this. His advice of leaving things as-is is a good example of personal experience and how individual styles and individual hearing will be the determining factor in the ultimate success of your own personal bass sound, more so than adding bells and whistles.

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Post subject: Re: *** JUST HOW DIFFERENT DO THEY SOUND? ***
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 5:24 am
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frwpb wrote:
+ PaducahLuke; Some players buy a particular type, or series of bass to get a certain sound. I couldn't see changing a pup on a bass that the mfg. has spent time on, putting it all together. That pup was selected for that type, or series of bass for it's optimum sound. At least I'm hoping they don't pull a paper out of a hat to decide which pup for a series of basses.



Exactly !!

Like we sometimes say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it"...LOL... :)



(P/S: FRWPB: please check your message inbox - just sent you some info...thanks.)


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Post subject: Re: *** JUST HOW DIFFERENT DO THEY SOUND? ***
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 2:50 pm
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REDLAWMAN wrote:
First question really is: Is there a noticeably sound difference between a current generation, stock MIA Standard 'P' and both the '57 and '62 American Re-issue models?

Assuming you've got, say, La Bella F/S flats on each.

If there is, how exactly would the sound of each of these three 'P' basses differ from each other?


I own one of each of these (although my American Standard is a five string) and they all wear flatwounds. To my ear the '57 pickup has a little more midrange than the '62 or AS which is perhaps due to the raised A-poles. The '62 and AS are similar and not quite as buttery as the '57, but the '62 sounds warmer and rounder to me than the AS. All three get that classic P-bass low-mid tone but there are subtle differences in tone.

REDLAWMAN wrote:
Second question is: the general consensus seems to be that all of these 'after-market' pups give a noticeable 'improvement' over the stock ones.

How exactly? In other words, as an example, if I were to get some Lindy Fralins, just how 'different' would the sound of my bass then be?



"Better tone" is subjective. As you can imagine, Fender spends a bit of time on their pickups because they want their basses to sound a certain way, and obviously they want them to sound good. Some people love edgy, brittle tone but I prefer Jamerson or McCartney warm, round tone. I like the classic Fender Precision tone from the stock pickups just fine on all three basses.


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Post subject: Re: *** JUST HOW DIFFERENT DO THEY SOUND? ***
Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2011 4:00 pm
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I've had a Squier II P with a Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound, a MIM Fender FSR ditto, a Classic 50s ditto, and an AV '57 P with the original pickup. All of them sounded terrific, with the Squier at the bottom, the FSR next, and the Classic '50s and the '57 close together at the top. They all sound like Precisions, and that's a GOOD thing. Some amps bring out their characteristics a little more (Fender Bassman 400, Mesa/Boogie Walkabout Scout) and some a little less (Ampeg B100R, Genz-Benz Shuttle 3.0-10T) but a little EQ and they become more equal. I'm not sure changing pickups is that dramatic a difference. Changing from round wounds or GHS ground wound rounds to TI Jazz Flats had a much bigger effect on tone, at least to my ear.

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Post subject: Re: *** JUST HOW DIFFERENT DO THEY SOUND? ***
Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 11:29 am
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Many thanks, once again, everyone: as always, lots of information and plenty of food for thought.


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