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Post by johneppstein on Feb 17, 2019 12:21:40 GMT -6
Aren't P-J guitars "wound wrong"/out of phase or something? Am maybe looking for a P, does anyone have any experience with the current Fender Player Series P? They are reasonably priced. Don't care how it looks, but it has to feel and sound right/like the real thing. Would be happy to change pickup on it for a Fralin. Yes, if you use a standard Jazz pickup. Th P pickup is a "side by side" humbucking array (reverse wound coils and opposite polarity magnets), whereas a normal jazz pickup is a single coil. That means that with both pickups on half of the humbucking effect is cancelled so it gets noisy. Howvever if you use a J pickup that is constructed with side by side coils you don't have that problem.
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Post by Gustav on Feb 17, 2019 12:29:37 GMT -6
My personal experience with the quarter pounders on an old P bass were horrible. I ended up having the original pick-ups refurbed instead. No other reference to offer - just wanted to add a "no"-vote for the QP. I have played some very cheap basses that just needed better pickups and electronics. The caveat here is if the instrument sounds good acoustically and is not to heavy. Also - some cheapos benefit greatly by adding some good tuning mechanisms. Gustav
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 12:43:09 GMT -6
John K, what is it that your bass is lacking? Most likely my playing But it seems flabby and not punchy at all
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 12:48:38 GMT -6
Would you suggest bothering with swapping pickups or just investing in a better instrument? Playability is not paramount for me because I’m not a bassist - just play the bass. (If that makes any sense) but I have found in many cases that a lot of the problems you have when you “go cheap” magically get solved when you buy the real thing. You have the Squier Fiesta Red 60s vibe, right? I’ve seen that bass compared to Pino Palladino’s custom shop model. It’s legendary in the Squier line, and currently unobtanium. Put some good pickups and electronics on it! Yeah that’s the one. Honestly, it probably just is my playing or lack thereof. I’m going to buy some quarter pounder’s to put in and I’ll report back.
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Post by stormymondays on Feb 17, 2019 12:53:38 GMT -6
IMO the electronics are super important. Order the kit from StewMac with CTS pots and sprague cap.
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Post by christopher on Feb 17, 2019 13:17:39 GMT -6
Here’s the specs I found:
Body: Basswood Finish: Gloss Polyester Neck: 1-Piece Maple, Modern C-shaped Fingerboard: Rosewood, 9.5" (241mm) Frets: 20, Vintage Style Scale Length: 34" (864mm) Nut Width: 1.650" (42mm) Nut Material: Synthetic Bone Position Inlays: White dot Hardware: Chrome Tuning Keys: Open gear tuning machines Bridge: HiMass, 4-saddle bridge Middle pickup: Custom Split Single-Coil Precision Bass® Controls: Volume, Tone Strings: (.045, .065, .080, .100) Nickel Plated Steel
Most cheap fenders are ceramic pickups, which are equivalent to a $39 LDC, that’s how non-pro they are. So that and electronics are first thing. Fralin are the best for warmth and magic, awesome company. The other makers are also great though.
Basswood and poly = absorbent soft attack and body tone, not a lot of overtones. But it can work ok with good pickups and etc, I’d say metaphorically at least in AT2035 territory? Maybe better..
Bridge.. modern fender like to use cheap soft metal a lot, which absorbs energy and doesn’t transfer to the body. May not be worth upgrading anyway with a basswood body. Allparts had good affordable vintage quality bridges at least last I checked 5 years ago. Bodies with strings through the body will transfer most energy. Common mod. Again the body might not vibrate much though.
Nut.. this transfers energy to the neck. Stock synthetic nut probably will absorb energy again, reducing overtones. The neck on cheap fender are fine, so upgrading to bone will help get some tone off the neck. blanks are cheap, but you’d need to know how to cut it and setup the bass for best action. On the other hand, keep your composite nut and attempt DIY, and if you can’t do it, just put the stock one back on.
(I worked for Keith Holland for a short time. He’s been building and repairing guitars since the early 80s, I saw almost every kind of dream instrument and mod come through there.)
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Post by lcr on Feb 17, 2019 13:48:38 GMT -6
Maybe a Omega bad ass bridge copy along with pickups?
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Post by johneppstein on Feb 17, 2019 14:17:59 GMT -6
The price difference between the Fralin P-J set and the Quarter Pounder isn't really that great, especially when you understand that the Duncan lacks the humbucking J pickup and will have noise in the J and P-J positions. Also, you don't really need the extra high output of the Duncan and the increased string pull of the oversized magnets. In most cases I've found that I don't really care for extra hot pickups - they tend to sacrifice tone for output. The extra 50-60 bucks ain't that much compared to what you get for it.
BTW, don't forget to check it your bass has the brass shielding plates under the pickups - a lot of cheap Fenders and Squiers omit these. If they're not there you should spend the extra 5 or 10 bucks each and get some, or cut your own out of brass shim stock from the hardware store. Most replacement pickup sets do not include them. Not certain if the Fralins do or not.
If yopu're replacing ceramic pickups you will probably need additional rubber foam (stiff weatherstripping foam) for "spring" support behind the pickups, as the cavities will be extra deep to accommoidate the ceramic magnets.
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Post by lcr on Feb 17, 2019 14:21:34 GMT -6
Yep, the PJ bass I have was purchased used with PJ quarters in it and I swapped the J for a humcancelling Dimarzio that I also grabbed used. I really like the config.
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Post by lcr on Feb 17, 2019 14:23:21 GMT -6
I just looked it up. Dimarzio DP148 Ultra Jazz.
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 14:56:28 GMT -6
Here we go. God help this poor thing with my soldering skillz lol.
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Post by ragan on Feb 17, 2019 15:07:16 GMT -6
Here we go. God help this poor thing with my soldering skillz lol. View AttachmentYou got this, dude.
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Post by guitfiddler on Feb 17, 2019 15:33:01 GMT -6
I am searching for a nice p-bass. I like the ability to have passive or active options in one bass.
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Post by soundintheround on Feb 17, 2019 16:21:55 GMT -6
Well I've tried the fender 'vintage' re-issue ones but wasn't impressed. Sounded about the same as stock more of less to me. Very modern.
Since then I bought 2 old basses from the 70's. Nothing super sought after and cost around $300 each, sound great!
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Post by reddirt on Feb 17, 2019 16:50:55 GMT -6
Most of it is in the synergy between the body and neck timbers and even more importantly your fingers. The difference between squire and custom shop pick ups is not a ball breaker IME Cheers, Ross
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 17:26:34 GMT -6
So - got them in there. Definitely better. Way less fart and flab. And very balanced...Looking forward to using it in a mix.
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 17:40:58 GMT -6
Ha - this is funny. Somehow, I had the HPF engaged on my Apollo channel and didn't realize it. Holy crap. Yeah - biiiig difference now.
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Post by jcoutu1 on Feb 17, 2019 17:43:32 GMT -6
So - got them in there. Definitely better. Way less fart and flab. And very balanced...Looking forward to using it in a mix. What pickups did you buy?
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 17:54:40 GMT -6
Wow...the balance between strings is so much better. Really a great improvement.
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 17:55:38 GMT -6
Seymore Duncan SPB-3 Quarter Pounders
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Post by lcr on Feb 17, 2019 18:04:48 GMT -6
Yeah, it might not be what all the cool kids are using but I like the 1/4’s in a P. Glad you like it! Try some heavy strings!
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 18:47:24 GMT -6
Yeah, it might not be what all the cool kids are using but I like the 1/4’s in a P. Glad you like it! Try some heavy strings! Yep just put some on.
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Post by Johnkenn on Feb 17, 2019 18:47:46 GMT -6
And I just bought those because I didn’t want to wait. I’m not a good waiter
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Post by johneppstein on Feb 17, 2019 20:26:40 GMT -6
I am searching for a nice p-bass. I like the ability to have passive or active options in one bass. I have a fairly intense dislike for active basses unless they're in the hands of somebody who is both a very good player and has enough studio chops to understand that the active electronics can do things that might sound good to you while you play or in solo but cause problems on the recording that are extremely difficult to impossible to correct.
There's really nothing that active electronics in the bass can do that you can't do with the console.
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Post by lcr on Feb 17, 2019 23:54:02 GMT -6
Less is more with a active bass pickups. Little tweaks can sometimes be good,
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