Bass pickups - EMG DC, CS, P

[neptunian]

Hi. What are your thoughts on the EMG DC pickups in the bridge? Does anyone have a EMG CS there? How about a EMG P4 or P5 in the neck?

I have stock SB-4 pups in my ESP LTD B-304FM with the preamp removed (because it was hissy) and 2 volume knobs. Blending them doesn't work too well for some reason. I'd like to upgrade to some actives, hopefully for clearer more balanced sound and better blending ability. Will it be worth it?

 

[Lasse Lammert]

I'm using a pj set in my ESP bass...love them

 

[EOC]

I use Cs in my spector euro 5lx. Great pick ups, lots of variety since you can use them as dual o single coil. DCs are a little bit brighter and just dual coil.

 

[Rex Rocker]

^CS's are only dual coils as well. It's the TW's that have the dual single/humbucker mode.

 

[Deuteronomy]

Bartolini all the way for me

 

[neptunian]

Thanks for the feedback so far. I may go for a 35PX4 in the neck, 35TWX in the bridge. X series supposedly has lower output but greater headroom, sort of like an 18V mod but only needing 9V. The 35TWX is like a CS (dual) and J (single) in one with a pull knob to switch. From what clips I could find, the P/J combo is exactly the tone I'm looking for. If I didn't have a bass already, I'd have gotten a Fender. But $220 for a pair of new pups is something too...

 

[EOC]

^CS's are only dual coils as well. It's the TW's that have the dual single/humbucker mode.

Yeah you are right! i have the tw. mental lapsus...my bad

 

[Ermz]

I compared the DC and CS in my Euro 5LX and preferred the CS. The DCs are overly scooped for me, and it feels like you lose some elements of tone and clang as a result. Mine are the TWs but the preamp we replaced with can't do the coil-splitting, which is fine because you don't really gain anything by going to single coil mode.

 

[egan.]

It would help to know what tone you're after. Actives aren't the answer to all tones. That said, the EMG PJ combo is great. I consider that to be the classic Spector sound even though the put DC's and CS's in most of their 5's. I'd err on the bright side since the bass is mahogany (personally I consider all EMG's on the bright side).

 

[neptunian]

It would help to know what tone you're after. Actives aren't the answer to all tones. That said, the EMG PJ combo is great.

Tone along the lines of these:

(Bass @ 0:40, 1:30, 2:40, 8:00)



(Bass @ 0:28, 4:10, 5:00)



​

First one is with a Yamaha BB, second with a Fender American Precision.

Since my bass has a soapbar neck pickup, and EMG has a P style split coil in soap bar form factor, that's what drew me to look into EMG to begin with.

Then I heard this: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=616136&content=music (comparison of 35TW in dual coil config, to 35 J) -- the "35J: Funk Bridge" clip there sounds more open and less congested than the "35TW: Funk Bridge" ... I've been EQ'ing out those nasal mids a LOT, so maybe a J would get me there at the source.

So putting those together, a P neck and J Bridge seems like what I should go for. TW gives the option of having a regular bridge sound as well in dual coil mode, which would be a bonus.

 

[neptunian]

I compared the DC and CS in my Euro 5LX and preferred the CS. The DCs are overly scooped for me, and it feels like you lose some elements of tone and clang as a result. Mine are the TWs but the preamp we replaced with can't do the coil-splitting, which is fine because you don't really gain anything by going to single coil mode.

Cool, so you're running the CS in both bridge and neck, blended?

 

[egan.]

Then I heard this: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/default.cfm?bandID=616136&content=music (comparison of 35TW in dual coil config, to 35 J) -- the "35J: Funk Bridge" clip there sounds more open and less congested than the "35TW: Funk Bridge" ... I've been EQ'ing out those nasal mids a LOT, so maybe a J would get me there at the source.

So putting those together, a P neck and J Bridge seems like what I should go for. TW gives the option of having a regular bridge sound as well in dual coil mode, which would be a bonus.

I wouldn't get too hung up on the solo'd bridge tone as for most metal stuff it's more about how the pups play together. That said, I think the PJ would be a great option.

 

[plague_rider]

I'm going to have to look for that thread Ermz...

I've got a set of 40DCs in my Ltd B-305 and I love them...