1965 Pbass looking for pickups. Hard to find what would you replace with

M

Michel Berandi

Feb 22, 2017
31
3
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#1
hello boys and girls

Can’t seem to find original 65 pickups for Pbass. What new pickups would be appropriate and sounding great for that bass. Are those new pure vintage 62 or 63 good? Or even belong in a 65 Pbass. What would you do? It’s my first Pbass so kinda of ignorant on the subject thank you kindly for any suggestions. Cheers
 
#2
Michel Berandi said:
hello boys and girls

Can’t seem to find original 65 pickups for Pbass. What new pickups would be appropriate and sounding great for that bass. Are those new pure vintage 62 or 63 good? Or even belong in a 65 Pbass. What would you do? It’s my first Pbass so kinda of ignorant on the subject thank you kindly for any suggestions. Cheers
Click to expand...

Hi
This is my post sometime ago.
#47
 
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#5
Michel Berandi said:
hello boys and girls

Can’t seem to find original 65 pickups for Pbass. What new pickups would be appropriate and sounding great for that bass. Are those new pure vintage 62 or 63 good? Or even belong in a 65 Pbass. What would you do? It’s my first Pbass so kinda of ignorant on the subject thank you kindly for any suggestions. Cheers
Click to expand...

Why are you trying to find a new PU? If you have a broken original '65 PU it can be rewound.
 
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#11
There is a guy named John K on this board who has tons of experience with Pre CBS Fenders.
I know that the Duncan SPB-1 is on his list as great choices.
I have one in a 73 P' that sounds pretty close to my 60'
 
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#12
Jim C said:
There is a guy named John K on this board who has tons of experience with Pre CBS Fenders.
I know that the Duncan SPB-1 is on his list as great choices.
I have one in a 73 P' that sounds pretty close to my 60'
Click to expand...
Hi Jim,

Yes I know, which bugs me in a way as With there is something in that bass or current pick ups that makes this bass very bright, it’s taking me a bit of guards. Yet there are moments when I like the sounds very much. Back and forth. Some in this thread of mine mentioned this company in England (Kein’s Pickups) that specializes in Fender and they have come out with a 1965 pickups named 65’pickup. Comes in crème color or black. About 85 pounds ($118). Kinda intrigue
 
#13
I've played a number of Pre CBS P's and I don't recall any of them being especially bright.
Perhaps you like the feel of an older instrument but not the sound; certainly nothing wrong with that.

I am not at all familiar with Klein pups.
I have seen a number of pups that were the critics darlings come and go without much fanfare.
Thankfully, these items are not that expensive and have a decent resale value as you venture on your quest for the right tone!
 
#15
The EMG Geezer Butler P pickup is a dead ringer for a '63 Fender P bass pickup. They used Bobby Vega's various '63 P bass pickups and analyzed them for the model standard.. I'm using them in my Am Std P bass with labella Flats and they are excellent, they sound like my original '65 P bass pickup. I used the Duncan Tony Franklin model too and the EMG is better to my ears.
 
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#16
Jim C said:
I've played a number of Pre CBS P's and I don't recall any of them being especially bright.
Perhaps you like the feel of an older instrument but not the sound; certainly nothing wrong with that.

I am not at all familiar with Klein pups.
I have seen a number of pups that were the critics darlings come and go without much fanfare.
Thankfully, these items are not that expensive and have a decent resale value as you venture on your quest for the right tone!
Click to expand...
Thank you
Jim C said:
I've played a number of Pre CBS P's and I don't recall any of them being especially bright.
Perhaps you like the feel of an older instrument but not the sound; certainly nothing wrong with that.

I am not at all familiar with Klein pups.
I have seen a number of pups that were the critics darlings come and go without much fanfare.
Thankfully, these items are not that expensive and have a decent resale value as you venture on your quest for the right tone!
Click to expand...
hi Jim, same here I played a few precision before but somehow this one is so bright. I took it to an expert and the meter numbers of the pickups where high like 11.75. That is why the bass is bright and I’m looking for another pickups in it. First I’ve looked for real 65 pickups but I can’t find any or they are in the $800 range which is absurd to me
 
#18
Michel Berandi said:
Thank you

hi Jim, same here I played a few precision before but somehow this one is so bright. I took it to an expert and the meter numbers of the pickups where high like 11.75. That is why the bass is bright and I’m looking for another pickups in it. First I’ve looked for real 65 pickups but I can’t find any or they are in the $800 range which is absurd to me
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure that 11.75K is out of line considering the tolerances at that time
Here's a thread with a few details.
DC Resistance of 60's Precision pickups (not impedence!)
Are you certain they are original
 
#20
Here is some more info from Duncan
I think he has done a ton of research on recreating vintage tone
His vintage pups are wound to 11K DC resistance
Hot P-Bass

I have a vague memory that (all thing being equal) the higher the output (greater resistance) the less high end a Pup will have.
 
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