5 string Precision

[Chris Horton]

As you may know , I love precision bass guitars.
I have the GAS attack.

I have been thinking about the Fender Precision 5 deluxe bass a fair bit. I have never played one but it is something I like the look of.

Looking on the web it got me thinking about the pickups etc on the deluxe which then led me onto thinking .........if I built a 5 string precision bass what pickup configuration and electronics would I go for ???

I would obviously want the traditional precision tone & pickups with the option of both passive and active switching.
I have owned stingray 5 basses in the past (which i really like) Do I also look at fitting a stingray 5 style pickup ??
I own a Sadowsky NYC & MTD 535 which are both fitted with soap bar pickups which is a tone that I really like.

I guess my pickup thoughts so far sway towards fitting the traditional P bass along with the soap bar pickup.

What other pickup and electronic options would people recommend checking out if I were to put a bass together ?

What are your thoughts?
Chris

Edited May 27, 2013 by Chris Horton

[JTUK]

A simple PJ config as a 5st would work well for me..
I don't see any point in going for a humbucker option myself....as I think
the HB would overpower the sound of the P bass pickup.

[Chris Horton]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1369661029' post='2091282']
A simple PJ config as a 5st would work well for me..
I don't see any point in going for a humbucker option myself....as I think
the HB would overpower the sound of the P bass pickup.
[/quote]



Good thought ,
What about a soap bar config ? It could give lots of versatile usable tones

[Chris Horton]

I love the tones and electronics on my MTD 535 which is fitted as standard with bartolini electronics & pickups.
I just had a quick look on the Bartolini website and found the electronics & pickups.
They make a P bass pickup set for a 5 string bass. They also sell soap bar pickups as a pair or you can buy them individually.

If the pickups were bought from the same manufacturer would it make it easier when putting the bass together ?

[Lozz196]

For anyone that loves Precisions, it has to be a regular P pickup, from there I`d look to add possibly a tap-able humbucker, at the bridge, so that the traditional P/J sound can be obtained, but also Stingray type tones.

[Ghost_Bass]

Are you trying to re-invent the wheel?





P.S. - This is just another sad excuse for me to show my Sandberg around,

[NJE]

I have been day dreaming about a custom spec 5 string precision for weeks now and came to the conclusion that I would want a really classic tone from the precision pickup and then a bridge pickup of some kind to give a bit more flexibility and to give that tight barky type tone of a Jazz.

I would plump for a set of Nordstrand pickups, NP5 and then either a Fat Stack or Dual Coils at the bridge. Big tone from the bridge pickup but its a little smaller and less cluttered on the bass than a MM5 pickup IMO.

On top of those I would perhaps look at some kind of John East preamp, perhaps a modified P-Retro.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1369672863' post='2091445']
Are you trying to re-invent the wheel?





P.S. - This is just another sad excuse for me to show my Sandberg around,
[/quote]
I like that!

[JTUK]

[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1369662869' post='2091310']
Good thought ,
What about a soap bar config ? It could give lots of versatile usable tones
[/quote]

My thinking would be a P-bass and J sound....which means you can put the pickups in the 'correct' places.
A MM is another beast so it would be another bass...

Looking at the Sandberg pic...that MM HB seems quite a way back..??

Sims have a multi pickup config which does it all... but it is a big block- which it has to be- so the sound produced is very correct
as the magnets are in the exact places for the sounds the pickup is trying to emulate.

[Ghost_Bass]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1369739120' post='2092088']
My thinking would be a P-bass and J sound....which means you can put the pickups in the 'correct' places.
A MM is another beast so it would be another bass...

Looking at the Sandberg pic...that MM HB seems quite a way back..??

Sims have a multi pickup config which does it all... but it is a big block- which it has to be- so the sound produced is very correct
as the magnets are in the exact places for the sounds the pickup is trying to emulate.
[/quote]

Yep, don't look at this bass as a P/MM it's more of a P/J but with more on the P and more on the J . Great vintage vibe, the glock pre is very versatile and controled. I love this bass as much as i love the TRB or the Smith, i put it up there with the others in terms of build quality. These germans are flawless

[Chris Horton]

[quote name='Ghost_Bass' timestamp='1369672863' post='2091445']
Are you trying to re-invent the wheel?





P.S. - This is just another sad excuse for me to show my Sandberg around,
[/quote]





you may be right ,
It could be an attempt at re-inventing the wheel.
I am just kind of floating the idea out there to see what options are avalible i guess.


P.S , your sandberg looks very nice

[Chris Horton]

has anyone played a bass with traditional P bass pickups in the normal place but also with a humbucker or soap bar nearer to the neck ?

[Chris Horton]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1369739120' post='2092088']
Sims have a multi pickup config which does it all... but it is a big block- which it has to be- so the sound produced is very correct
as the magnets are in the exact places for the sounds the pickup is trying to emulate.
[/quote]





The sims pickups look very interesting !
[url="http://www.simscustom.com/pickups/index.html"]http://www.simscustom.com/pickups/index.html[/url]

[JTUK]

[quote name='Chris Horton' timestamp='1369744772' post='2092189']
The sims pickups look very interesting !
[url="http://www.simscustom.com/pickups/index.html"]http://www.simscusto...kups/index.html[/url]
[/quote]

I've played the Enfield type basses and they do indeed produce a whole multitude
of sounds and it's all to do with the placements and magnets and switching/tap options, IIRC.

It is fair to say that they do do great P-Bass, J and MM sounds easily and for starters..and that is what
I believe Martin had in mind when he designed the whole thing.

The range of options was quite staggering when he dialed them all in.. but I found it all a bit bewildering to
know what switch/config does what with my little demo....but they are certainly all in there..

[TRBboy]

With the MM pup being so far back on the Sandbergs, it is as ghostbass says, more like a p/j on steroids. The MM actually works out to be more "in balance" with the p pup than a j would, and obviously you've got no worries about hum. You still get that great Bridge pup sound, but without any of the negatives, or weakness sometimes associated with a j pup.

[chris_b]

Chris, I'd look at a Lakland P bass, rather than getting a Fender and immediately messing it about by changing the pickups.

[chris_b]

What's your budget?

A Lull P5 tops the lot in my opinion.

[bigsmokebass]

I think if your after a 5 string precision, it has to be a 5 string precision and one that fits that would be the Lâklands- if you can get hold of one!

35": ideal for 5 string, Precision pickup: all you need and your usual Lakland bass features, what more would you ask for?

Anything more or less and I don't think you're in the market for a "5 string precision" ^_^

BSB

[Chris Horton]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1369788893' post='2092831']
Chris, I'd look at a Lakland P bass, rather than getting a Fender and immediately messing it about by changing the pickups.
[/quote]



Hi Chris,
The whole 5 string precision idea was started buy a guy in our church who builds beautiful guitars & basses.
One day he asked me what bass would I have if I had a totally custom build done for me.
I had never really thought about the idea until now.
It got me thinking about things I like about my current basses and what would fit to a custom bass.

[Horizontalste]

I wanna try one of these, cheap as chips and a good looking bass. Can't find one locally to try though.
[url="http://www.schecterguitars.com/Products/Bass/Diamond-P-Custom-5.aspx"]http://www.schecterguitars.com/Products/Bass/Diamond-P-Custom-5.aspx[/url]