essexbasscat Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 This one's probably been done before, so forgive me if I'm going over old ground. I'm seriously considering an alternative pickup for my P bass, but which one ? Aftermarket pickups (Wizards, Kent, SD, etc) describe pickups as 64's, 70's and on and on. My question is, what are the audible differences between different years of Fender's original manufacture ? are earlier ones noticably different from later models ? Also, does anyone recommend a particular brand of aftermarket pickup as being really representative of the original Fender for a given year ? Thanks for reading Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan2112 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 This is something I'd like to know too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 The "Original/Vintage" Precision pickup from Fender is very good. I had one in an MIM P-bass, and it certainly upped the game on that a fair bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted July 31, 2011 Author Share Posted July 31, 2011 [quote name='Lozz196' post='1322202' date='Jul 31 2011, 03:42 PM']The "Original/Vintage" Precision pickup from Fender is very good. I had one in an MIM P-bass, and it certainly upped the game on that a fair bit.[/quote] A Fender pickup(s) would be a great way to go. Are new pickups available from Fender to earlier specs across the years ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 (edited) Well I`m sure that there are different models - the Mike Dirnt Signature Precision has a Custom Shop 59 in it. The "Original" pickup was originally called the Original 1962 Pickup. This is the one that comes in the Pino Palladino Sig bass. In the American Vintage `57, the pickup is a '57 Precision Bass® Split Single-Coil Pickup. So there must be specific years/windings. Though how you find that out who knows - probably only by e-mailing Fender. Edited July 31, 2011 by Lozz196 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 I've found the "holy grail" of P-Bass pickup to be a Lollar, yes it's pricey, but when you hear it, you'll know where the extra cash went. Guaranteed satisfaction. I also have a Lindy Fralin single coil in my 51 Squier CV and that is the nuts too but the Lollar in the ordinary P-Bass is woooshiness, presence, warmth, attack and distinguished clear tone all in one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 PUPs are like everything else, choice is down to taste, style, budget etc etc. As GW says, Lollars are great, so are Lindy Fralins, but so are Seymour Duncans at a fraction of the price. Assuming your current PUPs are decent, IMO on Precision I don't think new/upgrade PUPs will ever give you the moment of clarity that a new amp or cab will (or even new strings to be honest), and trying out different brands can be expensive (I've bought and sold LFs, Lollars, and standard SDs in the last year only to end up with with stock Fender PUP in one Precision and a rather expensive SD Antiquity in the other without really being able to hear any difference). As for different years of Fender manufacture? There are way better guys than me on this forum to speak on this, but given Fender's QC, my opinion would be that few really reliable differences exist, certainly post mid-60s. If you asked "what's the safest bet for an upgrade", I'd say if you want retro, SD SPB-1 at around £55 (especially good with with flats), if you want a more general Fender-ish tone go for a stock Fender model, and if you want something more contemporary, possibly an SPB-3 although I find they don't cut through like the standard Fenders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted July 31, 2011 Share Posted July 31, 2011 [quote name='essexbasscat' post='1322156' date='Jul 31 2011, 06:19 AM']Aftermarket pickups (Wizards, Kent, SD, etc) describe pickups as 64's, 70's and on and on.[/quote] I don't think that's a reasonable way to describe pickups as it assumes all '64's shared a common spec which they didn't. I would look to the winders of your choice and ask what they mean by those years. Generally I find they will ascribe the same tonal differences claimed by the wood choices associated with those years which is illogical to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 [quote name='essexbasscat' post='1322156' date='Jul 31 2011, 02:19 PM']My question is, what are the audible differences between different years of Fender's original manufacture ? are earlier ones noticably different from later models ?[/quote] Weird, innit? Gigantic worldwide aftermarket guitar p/up industry. Loads of stuff and myth and money. PAF's and Nocasters and staggered polepieces and Filtertrons and Abigail Ybarra and scatterwinding and 'facemelting' and Alnico 3 vs Alnico 5 and Seth Lover CuNiFe Widrange H/B re-issues at £200 a pop for your Mex Tele. For bass? Vintage. Hot. A bit hotter. Different Fender years? Nobody cares but us Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 [quote name='Beedster' post='1322466' date='Jul 31 2011, 08:30 PM'].... I'd say if you want retro, SD SPB-1 at around £55 (especially good with with flats), if you want a more general Fender-ish tone go for a stock Fender model, and if you want something more contemporary, possibly an SPB-3 although I find they don't cut through like the standard Fenders.[/quote] +1 And my personal vote goes for the SPB-1 out of that selection.... I also have a penchant for Delano P's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 Lindy Fralin pickups are supposed to be [i]very[/i] vintage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassybill Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 There's some interesting comments here. Just how different can P pickups be, really? They're just magnets with wire wrapped round them. When you're playing "Disco Inferno" or your band's latest magnum opus on your next gig, who's going to know whether your pickups are wound to 10k or 12k? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 [quote name='bassybill' post='1322717' date='Jul 31 2011, 07:30 PM']When you're playing "Disco Inferno" or your band's latest magnum opus on your next gig, who's going to know whether your pickups are wound to 10k or 12k?[/quote] Bass Santa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 [quote name='bassybill' post='1322717' date='Aug 1 2011, 03:30 AM']There's some interesting comments here. Just how different can P pickups be, really? They're just magnets with wire wrapped round them. When you're playing "Disco Inferno" or your band's latest magnum opus on your next gig, who's going to know whether your pickups are wound to 10k or 12k?[/quote] Well, I guess that all other things being equal, with a few modifications in EQ and gain most P-PUPs could be made to sound pretty much the same, especially from the POV of the audience (e.g., to get what I think of as my 'go-to Precision tone' I need roll off the highs and push the mids a bit if I'm using an SPB-3, something I don't need to do with an SPB-1). The same is true of most equipment, with a few tweaks a Precision can do the classic Ric tone and a Markbass head can do a passable Ampeg. I guess the OPs question is one of core tone, or mid/starting point; that is, if you want a strong mid presence in your sound you'd probably want to start with a PUP that doesn't at least compromise that objective (i.e. choosing a PUP with a more scooped profile), in the same sense as if you want a strong Ampeg sound you would be best going to Ampeg gear and not Markbass. Does that make sense Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 1, 2011 Share Posted August 1, 2011 [quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1322683' date='Aug 1 2011, 12:46 AM']I don't think that's a reasonable way to describe pickups as it assumes all '64's shared a common spec which they didn't.[/quote] +1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted August 1, 2011 Author Share Posted August 1, 2011 [quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1322683' date='Aug 1 2011, 12:46 AM']I don't think that's a reasonable way to describe pickups as it assumes all '64's shared a common spec which they didn't. I would look to the winders of your choice and ask what they mean by those years. Generally I find they will ascribe the same tonal differences claimed by the wood choices associated with those years which is illogical to me.[/quote] Hmmm. Something I hadn't considered here, as I admit I did hold the assumption that Fender pickups of certain periods would be made to the specs of that time. Popular opinion seems to rate quality control as a bit of a wildcard here. VGS - you say that 64's were made to different specs. Can you give more info here please ? I'd genuinely like to know more. Reflecting a bit further on this topic, I now realise the whole idea of evolving pickup specs over time has been fostered by aftermarket manufacturers offering pickups to the specs of this or that year i.e Wizard 64's or 70's (that may not be exact, but I hope you get the point). Did Fender change specs over time ? for the same model P ? did specs change for different models ? Can anyone comment on QC on Fender pickup manufacture ? and the effects on the sounds generated as a result ? Oh- Skanks - you're so right. The range of aftermarket pickups is bewildering Thanks for all your replies so far everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vibrating G String Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='essexbasscat' post='1323463' date='Aug 1 2011, 12:20 PM']VGS - you say that 64's were made to different specs. Can you give more info here please ? I'd genuinely like to know more.[/quote] I was more referring to how loose the specs were in the old days and how much they varied from one example to the other. Originally they didn't count winds or care about wrap patterns. That kind of thing that is now marketed to the people who can hear that extra wrap and are willing to pay for it. Also Fender would change specs at anytime for many reasons. It's not like they made a spec and stuck with it all year. These dates should be considered rough generalizations of an average or preferred example IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='Vibrating G String' post='1323798' date='Aug 2 2011, 04:15 AM']I was more referring to how loose the specs were in the old days and how much they varied from one example to the other. Originally they didn't count winds or care about wrap patterns. That kind of thing that is now marketed to the people who can hear that extra wrap and are willing to pay for it. Also Fender would change specs at anytime for many reasons. It's not like they made a spec and stuck with it all year. These dates should be considered rough generalizations of an average or preferred example IMO.[/quote] +1, the whole Reissue marketing machine has given the impression that, for example, '62 was somehow superior to '61 or '63, or '75 to '74 or '76, which is quite simply not the case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 For a vintage 'look' that has some nice wear-in marking the Duncan Antiquities are nice and not crazy money. However I have heard that the SPB vintage ones sound more like an original 60's Fender. The Duncan site is full of useful stuff including a tone comparison chart: [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones[/url] Irritatingly it doesn't include the Antiquities here. I did speak to someone last year who fitted one of Jimmy Coppolo's hand made P pickups in a Fender '62 USA and he said it 'transformed' the bass. I think they are about £125 - £150 in the UK. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='molan' post='1324006' date='Aug 2 2011, 11:24 AM']For a vintage 'look' that has some nice wear-in marking the Duncan Antiquities are nice and not crazy money. However I have heard that the SPB vintage ones sound more like an original 60's Fender. The Duncan site is full of useful stuff including a tone comparison chart: [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/comparetones[/url] Irritatingly it doesn't include the Antiquities here. I did speak to someone last year who fitted one of Jimmy Coppolo's hand made P pickups in a Fender '62 USA and he said it 'transformed' the bass. I think they are about £125 - £150 in the UK.[/quote] +1 , SD Antiquities are a step up from the SPB-1s, although the latter are also pretty good PUPs. Re transforming a bass, yes, can happen with a new PUP, but of course, the transformation inn question is as much a function of the old PUP as the new! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 There are probably small differences between hours of manufacture, let alone years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 [quote name='neepheid' post='1324022' date='Aug 2 2011, 11:34 AM']There are probably small differences between hours of manufacture, let alone years.[/quote] Exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 I really don't get the Fender market. Surely a '62 RI pup should be made to recreate what an original circa '62 pup sounds like [b]today[/b] (taking into account magnetic degradation etc. etc.). That would make far more sense to me, especially if you are attempting to recreate a vintage instrument. I mean what's the point of playing a "new sounding" vintage instrument? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essexbasscat Posted August 2, 2011 Author Share Posted August 2, 2011 So the love seems to be for Lollars, SD Antiques, SPB1's and Fender originals. Thanks folks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted August 2, 2011 Share Posted August 2, 2011 In some other threads i have seen a lot of love for Wizard pickups. Being in the same boat as you i am watching this thread but think i am gonna go stock Fender as i want the bass to sound like a Fender Precision. I am figuring that Fender pickups will give the most authentic Fender sound with other brands being a variation of the stock sound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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