Curtis Novak Precision Pickups Review (PB-90 and PB-CC)

#41
NKBassman said:
I can't speak for him, as my dealings with him were a couple years ago already, but hopefully he offers you the same deal he offered me... try the CC, and if you don't like it, exchange it for something else.
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Thanks for posting your experience with these pickups. I was wondering how a double P might sound with a set of PBV in the usual spot and a set of reverse PBCC just south of these in the bridge position? Passive with stacked V/V and tone.
 
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#42
Evanforbass said:
hey man, thanks for doing this a few years ago. It seems like you've landed on the PB-V. I have one as well and love it. Just got a second P to have as a more traditional spec with flats, and my other P i will keep as my main rock-focused bass with rounds--my PBV is currently on this and it of course sounds awesome with fingers or pick. Recorded 13 songs through an SVT with it and it was plenty aggressive. However I'm beginning to ponder moving the PBV over to the flats bass (other options I have are SPB1 and Fender 62orig), and possibly doing something a touch burlier in my rounds bass.. maybe the PB-CC or PB-Fat. Or this could be completely unnecessary. Basically I'm curious about your comparison of the PBV and CC and how they stack up in a more rock/punchy kind of context. thanks dude
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The PB-Fat didn't exist when I did all this, but from the description and pictures it seems to have the fatter/taler coil of the PB-CC but without the big bar magnets on the bottom. Looks cool! I'd be very curious to try those two back to back.

I had to go back and re-read some of my previous posts, but I think the PB-CC would suit you well. It had a fat low end but without the characteristic midrange emphasis of an overly hot pickup. I really liked it, but at the time I was wanting to move to a more traditional sound so I traded it for the PB-V. I never really did get a sound out of the PB-90 that I could work with.

But, since you already have the SPB1 and Fender 62 I'd try those first, just because they're already paid for lol. I seem to recall really liking the 62. Never tried the SPB1, but I do have an SPB4 Steve Harris pickup around here somewhere that I still need to try. Another suggestion, for "burly" rock tones it hard to beat the Dimarzio Model P.
 
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#43
5StringPocket said:
Thanks for posting your experience with these pickups. I was wondering how a double P might sound with a set of PBV in the usual spot and a set of reverse PBCC just south of these in the bridge position? Passive with stacked V/V and tone.
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I'm a big dual-P fan! I built myself one with two Dimarzio Model Ps a few years ago and that thing really ripped. Those pickups are a force of nature. I did mine with both pickups in the standard arrangement (w/ the EA coil closer to the neck), and the bridge pickup DG coil was very thin sounding being so close to the bridge. I think reverse is the way to go in the bridge, just not sure how that would sound together with a non-reverse middle pickup.

A PBCC would probably be a strong choice in the bridge position. The PB-V is very neutral sounding, just a nice classic P bass tone. PBCC had stronger output and fatter low end.
 
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#44
NKBassman said:
The PB-Fat didn't exist when I did all this, but from the description and pictures it seems to have the fatter/taler coil of the PB-CC but without the big bar magnets on the bottom. Looks cool! I'd be very curious to try those two back to back.

I had to go back and re-read some of my previous posts, but I think the PB-CC would suit you well. It had a fat low end but without the characteristic midrange emphasis of an overly hot pickup. I really liked it, but at the time I was wanting to move to a more traditional sound so I traded it for the PB-V. I never really did get a sound out of the PB-90 that I could work with.

But, since you already have the SPB1 and Fender 62 I'd try those first, just because they're already paid for lol. I seem to recall really liking the 62. Never tried the SPB1, but I do have an SPB4 Steve Harris pickup around here somewhere that I still need to try. Another suggestion, for "burly" rock tones it hard to beat the Dimarzio Model P.
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thanks my dude. I'm going to do a shootout recording between the pbv, spb1, and 62orig here in the next week or so. I'm sure the spb1 or 62 will be more than suitable for classic P tones. Of course, like many of us, I'm prone to unnecessary tinkering and modifying (and am kind of a Novak fanboy?) so I'll probably give in to the gas eventually ha
 
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#45
Evanforbass said:
thanks my dude. I'm going to do a shootout recording between the pbv, spb1, and 62orig here in the next week or so. I'm sure the spb1 or 62 will be more than suitable for classic P tones. Of course, like many of us, I'm prone to unnecessary tinkering and modifying (and am kind of a Novak fanboy?) so I'll probably give in to the gas eventually ha
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I’d like to hear this!
 
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#46
Evanforbass said:
thanks my dude. I'm going to do a shootout recording between the pbv, spb1, and 62orig here in the next week or so. I'm sure the spb1 or 62 will be more than suitable for classic P tones. Of course, like many of us, I'm prone to unnecessary tinkering and modifying (and am kind of a Novak fanboy?) so I'll probably give in to the gas eventually ha
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Please do! That'd be great.
And please post a link to your review here if you think of it.
 
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#50
Dont know if this is the right thread, but..

I have a MIM Fender P bass which I want to mod to PJ. Some years back I replaced the stock pickup with a PB-CC. CC. I was thinking about installing Seymour Duncan SJB. Does anyone know which of the SJBs will best compliment the PB-CC?
 
#52
Tajue17 said:
not to hijack but does anyone have an opinion on his 51 P bass pickups?
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I have a couple of them, but haven't ever installed them, now they're off in a storage bin somewhere. So I can't offer a review, but was very very hopeful. I got the
split coil humbucker in the single coil package" version, fwiw.
 
#53
Lotzi said:
Dont know if this is the right thread, but..

I have a MIM Fender P bass which I want to mod to PJ. Some years back I replaced the stock pickup with a PB-CC. CC. I was thinking about installing Seymour Duncan SJB. Does anyone know which of the SJBs will best compliment the PB-CC?
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I can’t help you with that, but I agree you should just ask Curtis himself. He was very helpful when I went through all these P pickups. Mind you, that was a while ago now.
 
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#56
I have a gorgeous and somewhat excessive "3 P" body with 3 P routes, resurrecting it for a different project than originally planned. I should email Curtis and ask how three PB-CCs would get along lol.
 
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