Fender P Bass Lyte pickup replacement

[Silaxian]

I am looking to change out the pickups in my Fender P Bass Lyte. This bass is equipped with factory Fender pickups, split p/u at the neck and a humbucker at the bridge (both active). I have decided on Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound neck pickups, but I am having difficulty choosing a replacement for the bridge pickup. I am looking for fatter bottom end than I am getting with my current setup and more punch in the high end (I get plenty of volume from my high end, but it sounds "thin" to me). If anyone can offer any suggestions I would appreciate it.

[Byakhee00]

Is that a jazz bass size pup in the bridge? Also, what type of music do you play, etc.

[Silaxian]

The bridge pickup is a soapbar type, which is really the root of my dilemma in choosing a replacement. Does SD even make a soapbar type bass p/up that will fit unmodified on a P-Bass Lyte ? I use this bass for hard rock (as in not metal), with some punk/funk overtones. Thanks for your reply.

[Lewguitar]

If it's a Jazz Bass size pickup, I'd go with a 1/4 pounder Jazz and a 1/4 pounder P bass pickup. Lew

[Byakhee00]

If it's a Jazz Bass size pickup, I'd go with a 1/4 pounder Jazz and a 1/4 pounder P bass pickup. Lew

I've seen p bass lytes with a Jazz bass bridge pup, and a soapbar bridge pup. The jazz bass bridges are the newer ones, i think.

[Silaxian]

If it's a Jazz Bass size pickup, I'd go with a 1/4 pounder Jazz and a 1/4 pounder P bass pickup. Lew

That's the problem, it's not a conventionally sized J Bass p/up ... it's a soapbar type.

[Byakhee00]

well, you could measure the dimentions on that pup, to see if duncan makes one that would fit. Duncan soapbars are a bit lacking. as in, there aren't too many diffrent varieties - EMG 5 and 6 string, and bartolini 5 and 6 string. I know the custom shop *could* make you a direct replacement, but that can get expensive. you could try checking out the bartolini website, to see if any of their pups would fit www.bartolini.net. same with emg www.emgpickups.com

somewhere fender decided that for bass, no one would ever want to replace their pups, so they used some goofy shapes and sizes. Back a few years, i was looking at the soapbar p bass lytes, and decided they weren't for me, due to a lack of a direct replacement. Then there is the drastic option - route for a new pup

Also, i don't particularly care for the QP in alder/ash, and i'd use the Hot instead. because finding a pup that balances well with the QP (that isn't another QP) can be a bit tricky, and it seems from what you said earlier that you're having that problem. If you replace the bridge pup with an active pup of some sort, then you would be able to essentially give it anything you'd need, provided you had some sort of EQ system fot the bridge pup.

[Silaxian]

Also, i don't particularly care for the QP in alder/ash, and i'd use the Hot instead. because finding a pup that balances well with the QP (that isn't another QP) can be a bit tricky, and it seems from what you said earlier that you're having that problem.

I haven't actually had the problem directly, as I haven't replaced either of the stock p/ups yet ... but that is an interesting observation and something I will definitely consider.

[/QUOTE]If you replace the bridge pup with an active pup of some sort, then you would be able to essentially give it anything you'd need, provided you had some sort of EQ system for the bridge pup.
[/QUOTE]


Yeah, I was afraid of that. The stock p/up's are active, so any replacement I install will also be active. I was hoping to avoid an onboard EQ but it might be inevitable.

Thanks. It looks like I am going to have to shop around quite a bit before I come up with a working solution .