who makes the best “65” p bass pickup??

[bon viesta]

i’m trying to pick out a p bass pickup for my replica 65 parts p bass, and there are many many options of very accurate “1965” or generally 60s style p bass pickups. you got:

arcane 65 experience (my suspected winner currently)
bareknuckles 1965 split coil
creamery 1965 pickup
klein epic 62 pickup (second choice)

anyone have any opinions on any of those pickups? i’m trying to basically put in something that’s as close as possible to what may have been put in a p bass in 1965. klein is in the list just because they’re extremely accurate to the year 1962 and i believe fender pickups were the same up until the later part of 1965. my neck has clay dots, so let’s just say it’s trying to cop the early part of the year.

 

[bon viesta]

as for the sound i’m looking for, that young rascals/james jamerson/klaus voorman/chuck rainey/overall 60s session bassist sound. so… just the fat 60s p bass sound.

 

[Laurent]

Arcane Experience 65 pickup is my favorite out of your list.

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Well, in 1965, a Fender Precision pickup would he grey bobbin with either the last of the Formvar wire or the beginning of the purple plain enamel. The Seymour Duncan Antiquity 2 pickup fits the bill and sounds great. Klein are also great.

 

[themarshall]

Why is ‘65 a thing? Isn’t that first of the CBS?

 

[bon viesta]

Arcane Experience 65 pickup is my favorite out of your list.

it’s funny because i’ve seen listings where someone is selling a grey bobbin version of this pickup, even though they’re advertised (officially shown) as being black bobbin. custom order maybe??

 

[bon viesta]

Why is ‘65 a thing? Isn’t that first of the CBS?

not sure exactly, but i suspect that’s it’s because it’s the first era of grey bobbin pickups and perhaps that’s appealing to a big group of people.

 

[Hundred proof]

I would just call Lindy Fralin and tell him what you’re going for.

 

[Artman]

Look into the Fender Pure Vintage 63. It’s all about that Jamerson sound, and don’t forget the flats.

 

[andare]

Why is ‘65 a thing? Isn’t that first of the CBS?

I wanted to ask the same question about every year, really. I understand some years (or shall we say vintages) are "firsts":

• 1951 - first production year
• 1954 - first redesign with belly cut and arm bevel
• 1957 - introduction of the current split P design
• 1959 - first rosewood fretboard (slab)
• 1963 - first veneer rosewood fretboard
• 1965 - CBS acquisition

So why are there 1962 P basses? Is it because they're the last year of the slab fretboards?