Cuzzie

For a shop made one - Sandberg, Sandberg, Sandberg. or has been said - get a decent blank body like Mighty Mite, All Parts and create your own relic from scratch - best thing I did for my P

Sandbergs do their sig basses right - they are based on a standard model - but the pick up placement is slightly different and chosen by the artist, finish/ageing/vibration/heat treatment/neck profile etc - subtle but very real differences. The MarloweDK is an absolute stonking jazz bass and I think can work out cheaper than a ‘regular’ bass with the same treatments, plus they can often do the sig but in your colour choice

Defo bitsa - decent body - wood or Status graphite neck - choose your own rest of parts - it’ll be the one you like best

Imagine all the BN58 is (and they are very good) but better, clarity, punch, definition, responsiveness, articulation - pick or finger playing. They make me smile when I play them, and they will defo cut through nicely

Lindy’s and Lollar’s are very good, but they (in general) are more in the classic old school slightly softer P bass sound if you get my drift. I’ll give you another from left field if you want Seymour Duncan APB-1 - not oft used - but awesome pick ups

I have the 58’s - best things ever - no disrespect to the Bare knuckles 58s which are very good, but they are better even still. Jaime is good on email and he doesn’t hear the phone ring whilst working winding, but replies at the end of the day. Have a chat with him as he can tailor the wind you want from an existing model.

From the list Aguilar but Go check out Jaime at Creamery Pick ups in Manchester U.K. iMHO about the best pick ups out there

My amp gives me the sound I want, you can take a DI out so doesn’t need a traditional cab - the pedal version is close but no cigar - I would generally always use it

That a lush lot

Form Factor audio Bi 500/1000 Second Gen to solve the DI output being linked to master volume thing

Or and 8 or 12 string bass Now they are fun

Could be a go-er although I would always use the strings you feel comfortable with. Other thought - new band, new instruments and other players could be EQ tweak is all that is needed to let you shine - I know it’s the devil sometimes but if your guitars are very mid-focussed and heavy, then a bit more scoop out their range and get above and below them may make you stand out? no disrespect but we’re you locked in the the drummer exactly - that will always give the bass more punch oh and dunno if you use one, but another devils word - bit of compression?!

This is me thinking off the top of my head and could be absolute knackers - but by really forcing the strings are you actually taking away it’s ability to vibrate effectively? Digging in with pick or fingers? when I play between the two I have to have quite different settings due to the bass my sausages add to the note, plus with a pick I naturally play closer to the bridge

completely get you on that, but as a comparison (not punk and a guitar) look at Kim Thyall of Soundgarden - they have a heavy sound, but he uses really light strings like an 8 or 9 if remember right with a very light touch, but still delivers the hammer

Were you playing/digging too hard and causing the strings to move out the magnetic field of the pick ups pole pieces?