FWIW my G&L LB-100 is the clearest note for note on every fret of any P bass I've played. I owned a Squier VM P5 in the past and I don't recall any particular issues but distance may have clouded the memory a bit.
It's the opposite of the motor effect (pass a current through a conductor in a field and you generate a force). The generator effect bassically says in that if you apply a force (pick or pluck the string) to a conductor in a field (pickup magnets) you generate a current.
The bigger the force (string excursion) the larger the current. The placement is crucial as string vibration is quite complex as if you get a node over the pickup at that particlur frequency you get virtually no signal from the pickup.
That's the simple version iirc.
Very lovely indeed. I presume that the brushed metal pickup covers are there to help you locate the bass were you ever to put it down on a darkened stage?
Here's few that jumped into my head:
What's Going On? (Surely one of the best)
Zombie (not sure if this is actually a protest song or just a strong lyric)
Sunday Bloody Sunday
Two Tribes
Glad To Be Gay
Best purchase probably the LAG Collection Jazz bass that I found in the dark recesses of ebay for a few hundred squids. Turns out these were boutique basses back in the late 80s/early 90s.
Less good was an SBMM SB14 that I just didn't get on with.
I used to own an mid 70s Antoria Jazz. Was black but had it refinished to natural. The body was an unusual butchers block sandwich. Cracking bass though,
I have a 32" scale ACG P that compares tone-wise to my Fender P bass, but has an asymmetric neck with 24 frets and is lighter by a fair margin resulting in it being gigged relentlessly displacing my other firm favourite gigging bass my ACG J Type. Token bass pic:
I have a PF500 as my backup amp that every so often becomes my gigging amp. What can I say, a good little amp has proved solid and reliable for the 2 possibly 3 years that I have owned it (bought pre-loved) so had some use in its life.