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Wich pickup do I have to choose ?


Franchement
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Hello fools :)

 

I'm gonna order a bass to a luthier but I don't know which pickup I have to choose.

I need just one passive pickup.

I like a round warm and powerful sound.

For examples  'Ebin' of Sublime or 'I will survive' of Cake.

But I'm playing Metal, with no effect, so I need something powerful that will easily pass the mix.

Does someone have an idea ?

Thanks and have a great day !

F.

 

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A good starting point would be to think of the types of pickup that you know get near the sound you like. What kind of basses and pickups do the bassists in the bands you like use - you mentioned Sublime and Cake...what do their bassists use ?

There's so many styles and makes of pickups available, it would help to narrow things down a bit !

After that I'd be thinking about choosing single-coil or humbucker in terms of picking up background noise.

 

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Hi Ahpook :)

They use P-bass most of time.

On my Warwick Streamer Stage 1 there is a P/J configuration, and I always play with the balance at noon (so 50/50 for the 2 pickups). That's why I wonder if there is a sort of pickup that would made this job...

I would prefer an humbucker to reduce parasitic noises.

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Hi Franchment :)

Ok, so it sounds like you're after a P-bass but with that  bit of extra definition that a P-J combination gives you.

My first thought would be to try something along the lines of a Musicman-style pickup, but perhaps not in the traditional bridge position.

I don't have much experience of the P-J setup, so perhaps see what other suggestions pop up - you've certainly narrowed the choice down a bit.

Has your luthier got any suggestions ?

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P + J pickups (or any 2 pickups really) combined together gives you a more scooped and growly tone. I'd always go for dual pickups for metal as I prefer that sound, but if having to go with just one, I'd have a MusicMan Stingray style humbucker. Maybe a Bigman or Big Blademan:

https://nordstrandaudio.com/collections/4-string-music-man-bass-pickups

But then I just check out those songs you mention and they are not my typical metal sound. I'd choose a Fender P for this:

 

Edited by dannybuoy
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5 hours ago, Franchement said:

Hello fools :)

 

I'm gonna order a bass to a luthier but I don't know which pickup I have to choose.

I need just one passive pickup.

I like a round warm and powerful sound.

For examples  'Ebin' of Sublime or 'I will survive' of Cake.

But I'm playing Metal, with no effect, so I need something powerful that will easily pass the mix.

Does someone have an idea ?

Thanks and have a great day !

F.

 

Cake - I will survive video shows the bass player playing a bass with a mudbucker and the tone seems to back this up, there is just something there in the lows that you just dont get with a P bass, sounds great , that being said I think this kind of tone will be lost in the mix easily in metal , I think if you want a warm sound but dont want to get lost in the mix you might need 2 pickups , one to provide the warmth and one to provide the mids, the Seymour Duncan SPB-2 will give you the warmth and the mids but dont expect anything remotely bright sounding from that pickup.

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@dannybuoy Yeah I have to go with just one pickup. Thanks for the advise, I'm gonna watch the Nordstrand's models. I think it's a good idea to look on the Soapbars side.

 

@shoulderpet As I said I have to go for just one pickup. I'm gonna watch the model that you suggest.

 

Thanks dudes !

If anyone have some other advices I will be glad !

Cheers :)

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17 hours ago, Franchement said:

@dannybuoy Yeah I have to go with just one pickup. Thanks for the advise, I'm gonna watch the Nordstrand's models. I think it's a good idea to look on the Soapbars side.

 

@shoulderpet As I said I have to go for just one pickup. I'm gonna watch the model that you suggest.

 

Thanks dudes !

If anyone have some other advices I will be glad !

Cheers :)

Ok, for metal I would normally recommend the Seymour Duncan Quarter pounder but if you are after warmth it may be a bit bright 

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The following may give you what you need


Creamery 58 P pick up 

Seymour Duncan custom shop 51 P hot stack

Seymour Duncan APB-1 (yes it’s active but the preamp is in the pick up and you use a passive tone knob)

Ulyate Tic-Tac

EMG GZR

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2 minutes ago, Franchement said:

Hi Cuzzie !

Thank you very much, I'm gonna watch that !

No worries

The 58 creamery is very very good and not just vintage, it will do rock.

The Seymour Duncan is found in the Custom Shop Fender Dusty Hill bass is you want to check samples - good old ZZ Top. I really like them with no effects - they just sit well in the mix, possibly finger style better than pick, but do either.

APB-1 has sound samples on the website, but in a band context dUg Pinnick of Kings X uses them and they are on his signature Schecter bass
 

EMG GZR - well that’s Geezer Butler

 

and another for the mix Schaller PBX

 

happy listening and researching!

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  • 3 weeks later...

Two options I have used.

Firstly the SimS Superquad pick ups - each pick up gives you the choice of P/J/H - if you go with a pair there are 15 variations.

 

The second option would be custom wound pick ups by Martin Herrick:

https://www.herrickpickups.com/

He'll make you whatever you want at a very competitive price. He built the coil pick ups in my Psilos bass.

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