70s p bass

[Geek99]

Is the pickup in a real 70s p the same as the one in a 60s p ? Do they sound a like?
Can anyone advise which fender or aftermarket pickup would sound most like a real 70s p ?
Given alder nitro body with maple neck
Planning a build ....
Thanks

Edited April 15, 2013 by Geek99

[Lozz196]

From what I was told by a Basschatter when I bought my 77 - not the Basschatter I bought it from btw - the pickups on 70s ones were wound to have a scooped sound, unlike the 60s which were fuller & thumpier sounding.

It may be worth a call to Wizard Pickups - they seem to know their stuff, and will probably be able to provide one that fits the bill.

[Fat Rich]

The Marcus Miller signature Jazz claims to have a 60s spec pickup in the bridge and a 70s spec in the neck (or is it the other way round?) so I guess there was a difference in the Jazz pickups. Don't know about the Precision though.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Fat Rich

[Junkyard Rocket]

Late 70s pickups sound nothing like 60s pickups. I heard that CBS used whatever wire they could source as cheaply as possible even if it wasn't the correct diameter for the spec. Probably a result of putting bean-counters in charge of buying - which must also be the reason for using the heavy northern ash normally used to make baseball bats instead of much lighter swamp ash. The original pickup in mine sounded terrible and the body weighs more than Eric Pickles.

[MrFingers]

There is no such thing as "the sixties pickup", since there are the black bobbin pickups with Formvar coated wire and slightly bigger magnets (until 03/1964) and the greybobbin with Enamel coated wire with smaller magnets (1964 onwards). A 1966 pickup should be virtually identical to a 1977 pickup, except maybe the amounts of windings, those varied since it was done by hand (sixties) or by an inaccurate machine (seventies), and the use of "whatever we can find" wire in the later seventies.

What's a major soundchanger is the bass itself. An alder body with a HUGE maple neck with rosewood fretboard (sixties) sounds very different than an ash bodied with a thinner all-maple neck (seventies).

Edited April 15, 2013 by MrFingers

[Geek99]

i was after making a 73. Andy at Wizard says his Trad model should sound like a late 60s early 70s pickup (although I hear what is being said about variabliity of components and manufacture). Anyone got any wisdom to share on what Andy is saying ?
from my perspective close is probably ok - im not [b]that[/b] much of a purist.

[MrFingers]

grey bobbin, Alnico II magnets, enamel wire and wound around 12K.

[discreet]

For the record my 76P had a very mid-scooped sound, though the low end was immense. My Custom P has a Seymour Duncan SPB-1 in it, and IMHO most definitely has 'that' P-Bass sound. YYMV, of course.

Edited April 15, 2013 by discreet

[Geek99]

Thanks - think its between the wizard trad and Duncan spb1

Aiming for the sound on the Joshua tree which to me, along with John mcvies sound, is the definitive p bass sound

Edited April 15, 2013 by Geek99

[molan]

They aren't released yet but the new Aggie P looks cool

http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_pickups_AG4PHOT.htm

I have their mid 60's P pickup and really like it. They seem to be really going after the pickup market now and every one of their pickups seems to get really good reviews

[Geek99]

thanks - dont know how expensive they are.

[Paul S]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1366030792' post='2047440']
Thanks - think its between the wizard trad and Duncan spb1
[/quote]

I plumped for the Wizard Trad when these two slugged it out on my P.Bass. The Wizard sounded 'woodier' to me, which was the particular sound I had in my head that I wanted. Then again the SPB-1 sounded exactly like the pup in a late 90s P. Bass I had the loan of for a while - it all depends upon what you want. I'd suggest trying both and see for yourself - you'll move on the surplus one easily enough as folks on here always want nice P. pups.

[Geek99]

Thanks
Want sound like John mcvie in dreams off rumours album

[Fat Rich]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1366039084' post='2047582']
Thanks
Want sound like John mcvie in dreams off rumours album
[/quote]

Trying to replicate a specific sound is very difficult, there are so many variables and the pickups play a fairly small part in that.

I reckon it's going to be more about your playing style, the type of strings, amp / compression settings. Other stuff like body material, bridge, pickups etc. has a pretty small effect in the grand scheme of things

[Lozz196]

Spot on Rich. I can set an amp so that I`ve got the most killing Bruce Foxton tone, but my natural way of playing makes it sound much deeper, far less trebly and biting. Playing style is one of the biggest factors on tone, though having the right gear gear in the first place will be a help to achieve a dream sound.

[iiipopes]

[sub][size=5]Part of the '70's "scooped" tone was due to the heavy ash wood used, as well as the inconsistency of CBS. There is one person who will know, who has rewound more pickups than most of the new guys make: Mr. Seymour Duncan. He can tell you exactly what really happened, as opposed to what is on the pdf's of the spec sheets that are easily available on line.[/size][/sub]

[Geek99]

I want it for a replica project - sunburst and maple 73 p in alder and nitro

When I mentioned John mcvie I was just trying to give a general idea of what I wanted soundwise
It doesn't have to be perfect

[lojo]

This is interesting , where do wizard thumpers, or Big fit into the Fender era ?