JamesBass Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 I've currently got a Squire Afinity P bass in pieces in a hard case under my bed that I've been wanting to upgrade for ages but haven't had the time and money to do so. What replacement pick ups can people recommend, I'm looking for a nice classic P bass tone, I want some high end and mids for clarity and punch but I want it to rumble like a P should. The bass will be used as an all rounder and back up to my Ric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobVbass Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 If you can afford them I'd recommend Lindy Fralins - by far the best P sound I've ever come across Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Wouldn't that be like putting a V8 in an Austin Allegro Just joking. they are excellent pups, as are Wizards, Seymour Duncans and of course the proper fender pups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 The Seymour Duncan SPB-1 is as good as virtually anything out there, IMO .... and decently priced too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 My vote goes for the Aguilar AGP60. In fact I like it so much I'm putting one in my genuine '64 P bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted July 4, 2013 Author Share Posted July 4, 2013 I have looked at the Lindy Fralins, would love to hear them some more, especially in comparison to the others I'm looking at currently. On my list so far are the Lindy's, SD Antiquities, Fender Originals (Although I could have sworn they did a 60s Custom Shop P Pickup?) and I'm now about to look in to the Aquilar! Hopefully this bass will be unrecognisable after I'm done with it, I'm gonna put a maple neck on it, new bridge and sand it down and look to get it resprayed but maybe that'll cost too much, if it does I'll nab myself a second hand P bass and change the pickups! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 4, 2013 Share Posted July 4, 2013 Fender Original/Vintage. Has good upper mids and nice rounded highs, as opposed to shrill edgy highs, and has the famous lows/low-mid punch/rumble you expect from a Precision. Sounds a bit nasally on its own, but in the mix, well that`s where it does the job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grissle Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Fender '62 Originals, SD Spb-1 or Dimarzio model P are all very solid vintage sounding choices, really almost identical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 [quote name='Grissle' timestamp='1372988173' post='2132594'] Fender '62 Originals, SD Spb-1 or Dimarzio model P are all very solid vintage sounding choices, really almost identical. [/quote] IME the Model P is far from the "standard" vintage P sound. It has much higher output and really goosed mids with less highs and lows that the Fender original. I have also have an odd problem with the current Fender "original" P bass pickup. I have bought two of them and in both they were particularly sensitive to volume changes as you bent a note, bending the string nearer or further away from a pole-piece changing the volume noticeably. I've never had that before with any other pickup, but both these Fenders did it in a weird way in my particular installations. Also, IME, with a P bass the bass itself (woods, construction etc) has more impact on the tone than the pickup. To the OP .... if you're not hugely keen on the Affinity's tone as is, then I suspect a new pickup will not be the answer. You can only polish a turd, you can't actually change what it is. I'd personally spend my money on a different bass. I'm not saying you have to spend a load of money, but if the Affinity has a basic thin tone, for example, that will not change completely with a new pickup. I would play a load of cheap and mid-priced P's and pick the one that sounded and felt the best. Only then, would I consider a pickup upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 (edited) You can buy p bass pickups on eBay very cheaply. I got one out of a classic 50s model (a £700 model) for only £8. You can always sell tjhem on if you don't like them Edited July 5, 2013 by Geek99 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cocco Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I'd recommend Lindy Fralin. Got one in my Lakland. Amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alstocko Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 The Wizard "Trad" has been the best for me after trying Lindy Fralin, Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio, Fender and Wilkinson P pickups. It also helps that it's only £55 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1372982194' post='2132571'] Fender Original/Vintage. [/quote] +1 The original P-bass sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregBass Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I upgraded my Mexican P with a US original pickup that I bought on here - and the difference was stunning. +1 for the Fender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stinson Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 [quote name='alstocko' timestamp='1373013841' post='2132699'] The Wizard "Trad" has been the best for me after trying Lindy Fralin, Seymour Duncan, Dimarzio, Fender and Wilkinson P pickups. It also helps that it's only £55 [/quote] I would agree with this, really nice natural woody tone achieved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesBass Posted July 5, 2013 Author Share Posted July 5, 2013 [quote name='hamfist' timestamp='1373009716' post='2132650'] Also, IME, with a P bass the bass itself (woods, construction etc) has more impact on the tone than the pickup. To the OP .... if you're not hugely keen on the Affinity's tone as is, then I suspect a new pickup will not be the answer. You can only polish a turd, you can't actually change what it is. I'd personally spend my money on a different bass. I'm not saying you have to spend a load of money, but if the Affinity has a basic thin tone, for example, that will not change completely with a new pickup. I would play a load of cheap and mid-priced P's and pick the one that sounded and felt the best. Only then, would I consider a pickup upgrade. [/quote] Having begun to price up what I want to change about my affinity, I am better of just buying a MIM or a second hand MIA, the affinity on inspection needs a new neck, partly cause I never really liked the neck it came with, partly cause it's rosewood and not maple and mainly cause the neck is bent all out of shape, it's looking horrible, that'll teach me for not learning about set up and care when I was younger! Plus when I bought the bass it was only £120 no point polishing a turd as you say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 If the pickup of a bass represents less than 80% of the final sound output of an amplified electric bass then I'd be very surprised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 [quote name='JamesBass' timestamp='1372974423' post='2132466'] I have looked at the Lindy Fralins, would love to hear them some more, especially in comparison to the others I'm looking at currently. On my list so far are the Lindy's, SD Antiquities, Fender Originals (Although I could have sworn they did a 60s Custom Shop P Pickup?) and I'm now about to look in to the Aquilar! Hopefully this bass will be unrecognisable after I'm done with it, I'm gonna put a maple neck on it, new bridge and sand it down and look to get it resprayed but maybe that'll cost too much, if it does I'll nab myself a second hand P bass and change the pickups! [/quote] Ive got a Fralin in my Squier. This replaced a Fender Original 62, which in turn replaced a Wizard Thumper, that replced the stock pup. The Fralin costs the most, and i love it, but out of all the pups ive had in this bass the Fender seems to be the more "woody" and classic sounding sounding pup. The Fralin does have more highs, although i wouldn't say its a much more modern sounding pup. Its just a bit clearer and smoother to my ears. Im not going to get rid of the Fralin, but if i was starting again it would definitely be the Fender that i would go for. The Fralin is nice but not £120 nice IMO, at least not in this bass. Im also not going to get rid of the fender, but it is just sitting in a box at home at the moment so if you wanted to try it out for a few weeks let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 Don't know how much use this is, but here's a video of me with my Duck Dunn which has Fralins, the P pickup would have been soloed in this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZJhwuQf91E Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 My first Duck Dunn was what introduced me to Fralins. I wish i had kept that bass (and the other two i got afterwards lol). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alstocko Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 [quote name='stinson' timestamp='1373016536' post='2132740'] I would agree with this, really nice natural woody tone achieved. [/quote] Are you an evertonian too? My glasses are in the car... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_5 Posted July 5, 2013 Share Posted July 5, 2013 I swear by GFS pickups - nmo matter which model you buy they are always great sounding pups that punch WAY above their price point. http://www.guitarfetish.com/GFS-PB-Pro-P-Bass-style-pickups-Sweet-Alnico-Vintage-Tone_p_333.html Don't be fooled by the price - they are superb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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