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Growly / Fender custom shop pickups


GazWills
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So I got myself a new (well, second hand) bass this week, a Fender AV57 reissue. I love the bass, it plays really well.

When I bought the bass I also tried a ’64 custom shop P bass (still on the Mansons website, Lake Placid Blue, awesome bass) – and the tone of this bass was amazing (but so was the price!). It didn’t sound too different from my AV57, but it had a real growl to it. I’ve heard people talk about a growly sound from a P-bass before but this was the first time I’d really ever heard it, and it’s the sound I want!

So, I’m wondering what the best pickups would be to replace the stock fenders to try for a more growly tone? The pickups on the ’64 were (I imagine) Fender custom shop, and had raised pole pieces, which were bevelled. There are custom shop jazz pickups on the fender site, but no precisions.

Any recommendations would be helpful… I’ve not contacted fender direct, but I imagine they wouldn’t supply these pickups individually??

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I`d e-mail Fender and ask them exactly what pickup they use in that model, and once I knew, contact a good Fender stockist, and ask them to order one in.

Although, from what I`ve read, Andy at Wizard is very good at replicating pickups, so that may be an easier, and less expensive route.

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[quote name='GazWills' post='1114038' date='Feb 3 2011, 03:57 PM']So I got myself a new (well, second hand) bass this week, a Fender AV57 reissue. I love the bass, it plays really well.

When I bought the bass I also tried a ’64 custom shop P bass (still on the Mansons website, Lake Placid Blue, awesome bass) – and the tone of this bass was amazing (but so was the price!). It didn’t sound too different from my AV57, but it had a real growl to it. I’ve heard people talk about a growly sound from a P-bass before but this was the first time I’d really ever heard it, and it’s the sound I want!

So, I’m wondering what the best pickups would be to replace the stock fenders to try for a more growly tone? The pickups on the ’64 were (I imagine) Fender custom shop, and had raised pole pieces, which were bevelled. There are custom shop jazz pickups on the fender site, but no precisions.

Any recommendations would be helpful… I’ve not contacted fender direct, but I imagine they wouldn’t supply these pickups individually??[/quote]

What strings are you using & hasn't your AV'57 pick up got raised pole pieces under the A string?

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[quote name='KiOgon' post='1114892' date='Feb 4 2011, 08:12 AM']What strings are you using & hasn't your AV'57 pick up got raised pole pieces under the A string?[/quote]

not sure what strings are on it right now, any recommendations (been happily using ddarios on my JV)?

and no, the pole pieces are all flat - i took the neck off to see the age and it's a 2005, don't know if there was a period the poles were flat, or not??

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[quote name='Lozz196' post='1114885' date='Feb 4 2011, 07:50 AM']I`d e-mail Fender and ask them exactly what pickup they use in that model, and once I knew, contact a good Fender stockist, and ask them to order one in.

Although, from what I`ve read, Andy at Wizard is very good at replicating pickups, so that may be an easier, and less expensive route.[/quote]

yeah, been thinking of emailing fender.

i've emailed mansons to ask if they could get the pickups, as they ordered the bass as a custom spec i think, no response yet

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[quote name='GazWills' post='1115054' date='Feb 4 2011, 10:59 AM']and no, the pole pieces are all flat - i took the neck off to see the age and it's a 2005, don't know if there was a period the poles were flat, or not??[/quote]

As far as I know - all the AV '57s should have raised polepiecess under the A string, it's a distinguishing feature of that Pup :) Mine's 2009 neck date, worth checking it's the original?

"The original single-coil pickup was replaced in 1957 with a new split-coil pickup with staggered polepieces," from Fender.

Cheerz, John
Edit: Not easy to photo' :)

Edited by KiOgon
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[quote name='GazWills' post='1115056' date='Feb 4 2011, 11:00 AM']i've emailed mansons to ask if they could get the pickups, as they ordered the bass as a custom spec i think, no response yet[/quote]

If Mansons sold it as 'all original' & it turns out it hasn't got the right pick up, I'd be banging on their counter :)

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[quote name='GazWills' post='1115258' date='Feb 4 2011, 01:41 PM']cheers - but not sure what you mean... check the pickup is original - how would i do that?[/quote]
Well for a start - if it don't look like mine pictured - I'd be asking questions :) I wouldn't want to spend out on a Wizard or other until you know exactly what you've got.

I've had a wanted ad going for a week or so, I'm thinking of fitting a DiMarzio DP127 White to mine, (just because I fancy it), but I'd certainly keep the original.

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[quote name='KiOgon' post='1115279' date='Feb 4 2011, 01:52 PM']Well for a start - if it don't look like mine pictured - I'd be asking questions :) I wouldn't want to spend out on a Wizard or other until you know exactly what you've got.

I've had a wanted ad going for a week or so, I'm thinking of fitting a DiMarzio DP127 White to mine, (just because I fancy it), but I'd certainly keep the original.[/quote]

hmmm, after looking at the pcikups closely on yours, they have raised, beveled pole pieces, the pickups on mine seem to be flat/flush to the casing... defintely not the same as yours. they don't sound bad, they sound very good, just i'd rather the more growly tone on the 64 i played.

it was second hand, so no reason that the pickups hadn't been changed in the previous 5 years...

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[quote name='KiOgon' post='1115279' date='Feb 4 2011, 01:52 PM']I wouldn't want to spend out on a Wizard or other until you know exactly what you've got.[/quote]

Point I was making - if you don't know what pick up is in it - it might already be a Wizard :) OK not likely but _ _ _ _ _

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[quote name='KiOgon' post='1115409' date='Feb 4 2011, 03:00 PM']Point I was making - if you don't know what pick up is in it - it might already be a Wizard :) OK not likely but _ _ _ _ _[/quote]

But how do you find out what pickups you have in your bass if they’re not stock?? I imagine it’s nigh on impossible… :)

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+10 for the Wizard,I,ve got a thumper in mine,very high output.14k ohms loadsa presence and pushes the front of the amp nicely and you can pull back on the volume a bit and it goes nice and smooth with little drop in volume and the same with the tone.
Andy is very good to talk with and can give you what you want at a good price and very fast turnaround.
Top guy,give him a phone.

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