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EMG GZR v. Aguilar AG4-P60 v. ?


franzbassist
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Hi folks

Does anyone have experience of both of these pickups? I like both from what I can hear in Youtube reviews, but I'd like a BC opinion of both if possible.

I ask as my American Specials have the "American Standard Alnico Split Single-Coil" in them, which is a decent enough pickup, but I find it a touch indistinct at times.

Happy to consider other pickups as well, but I want something that sounds "traditional" and had really good separation and balance between the strings.

Thanks

Gareth

Edited by walbassist
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Gareth, it might be worth you going down the custom route. I know Jaime at the Creamery, www.creamery-pickups.co.uk makes a hand wound 65 P pickup that costs about £80 as opposed to the £110 of an Aguilar. Though I still can't decide which I want to go for to put in my MIM and my parts build I'm planning on doing!

As for the Gzr, there's a super thread over on TalkBass worth checking out, http://www.talkbass.com/threads/geezer-butler-signature-pick-ups.1046730/

Let us know what you finally decide, I'm really interested to hear whatever it is you choose!

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I have the Aguilar in my Nate Mendel, it's a truly wonderful, open sounding pickup.

It was (as mentioned) a dear do.

But it's brought the bass to life, and instead of riding the tone control with a Duncan quarter pounder, I leave the tone control on full and it's not brash, harsh or overbearing.

Depends what you're after though.
http://instagram.com/p/ynmvE6uQbX/
http://instagram.com/p/ynXqXVOQRT/

Edited by AndyTravis
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I replaced the pickups on my American Special with these: [url="http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_vintage_pbass_pickup.htm"]http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_vintage_pbass_pickup.htm[/url]

It's the second time I do this mod to a Precision and it turned my good but indistinct sounding P-Basses into vintage monsters! I'm not sure if other pickups out there costing twice the price can out P-Bass the one that's supposed to be the real thing. Of course... It's all subjective and this is my experience.

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I have the AG4-P60 that sometimes lives in my Nate Mendel (although not at the minute as I switched it out for the quarter pounder for a fuzz pedal demo video).

It's a great pickup and worth every penny. Like Andy said, really open and not brash at all. Has loads of vintage character and as someone who thinks that the pickups in Am Specials lack character (like the OP), I think you'd really like the Aguilar pickup.

If you buy it and don't like it, it'll be gone in NO time if you put it up for sale on here!

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[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1426019828' post='2713571']
I have the AG4-P60 that sometimes lives in my Nate Mendel (although not at the minute as I switched it out for the quarter pounder for a fuzz pedal demo video).

It's a great pickup and worth every penny. Like Andy said, really open and not brash at all. Has loads of vintage character and as someone who thinks that the pickups in Am Specials lack character (like the OP), I think you'd really like the Aguilar pickup.

If you buy it and don't like it, it'll be gone in NO time if you put it up for sale on here!
[/quote]

Did you keep the greasebucket with the aggie pickup?

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[quote name='Guinness21' timestamp='1426025684' post='2713662']


Did you keep the greasebucket with the aggie pickup?
[/quote]

The Nate Mendel doesn't have a greasebucket, it has a Quarter pounder, which I have kept in addition to the AG4-P60 and switch between the two.

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I always think EMG pickups have a distinctive sound so you're hearing the pickup rather than the bass itself. I haven't been able to try a GZR though so maybe this one is different.

I have heard the Aguilar in everything from an original 64P through to a very modern American Standard and it sounded really nice every time.

I'm a bit of an Aguilar fanboi though so maybe I'm overly biased, they just never seem to make a bad sounding product (maybe the Agro is an exception - never really got on with that!).

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