The Precision Bass – lovingly known as the P Bass – was Leo Fender’s first electric bass design, introduced in 1951. Although it certainly wasn’t the first electric bass, the P Bass undoubtedly changed the way musicians thought about the instrument, and has become one of the most
popular bass models of all time (alongside Fender’s later Jazz Bass).
Legendary P Bass players include Sting, Roger Waters, James Jamerson, and Tony Franklin, while the instrument is also well represented in modern rock – Robert Trujillo, Matt Freeman (Rancid), Mike Dirnt (Green Day), Nate Mendel (Foo Fighters), and Iron Maiden’s Steve Harris are all enthusiastic P Bass devotees.
Unlike the
pickups on a Jazz Bass, P Basses only feature one split
single-coil pickup. But considering this minimalist design, the P Bass is actually one of the most versatile instruments ever created! There’s more on the pickup configuration in our guide below.
Whatever your reason for buying a new Precision Bass pickup, our chart highlighting some of the best P Bass pickups on the market today will give you a little inspiration, before our guide below will help you understand what makes a great P Bass pickup.
It’s worth noting that in our chart we only highlight pickups intended for four-string bass guitars, as opposed to
five-string basses.
The Top 5 Precision Bass Pickups:
What Makes a Good Precision Bass Pickup
The anatomy of a P Bass pickup is distinctive and pretty unique when compared to other modern pickups, as it’s essentially a single-coil that’s also a humbucker. You’ll find two small single-coils split to cater for two strings each. These two single-coils are wired in series, with one coil reverse-wound to cancel the dreaded 60-cycle hum.
As for the positioning, a P Bass pickup is located in the bridge/middle position, which is higher than the bridge pickup on a J Bass, but lower than its neck pickup.
Ultimately, a good P Bass pickup will give you a tight and meaty tone, with plenty of heft in the low-end, a strong mid-range, and bright clear highs – all of which retain their clarity as the volume and gain increase. A good pickup will also keep background noise very low, with little to no hum or excess noise.
How Do They Sound Compared to J Bass Pickups?
Considering there is just one of them, Precision Basses are very versatile in their tone and can be used in all styles of music to great effect. Compared to a Jazz Bass, a P Bass offers a fatter sound with a low/mid tone that’s tighter than the J Bass neck pickup and lower than the J Bass bridge pickup.
Due to its humbucking nature, a P Bass pickup is also quieter when it comes to background noise, making them particularly good for high volume and high gain styles.
Of course, each pickup manufacturer and model has its own unique tonal profile, and no two pickups sound identical (where would be the fun in that?!).
The video below takes a look at the differences in tone between Jazz and Precision Basses – check it out:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1hGL2OxFts
Why Change Your Pickups?
It doesn’t matter how cheap your bass is, if you change stock pickups to something with a little more punch, heat and quality, you can technically make a $150 Squier P Bass sound like a high-end American-made Fender P Bass!
While they are great for upgrading the tone and versatility of an affordable bass, adding a set of
quality pickups to an already decent bass can add a new edge – maybe increasing the overall output for heavier styles, or adding some vintage tone to a modern bass.
It’s worth remembering that pickups are sometimes complicated to fit, so it’s worth asking a local guitar professional to install them for you. This usually warrants a small fee, but it can be well worth it to avoid the potential hassle.
The Final Word
Hopefully our chart has given you a little inspiration when shopping around for a great P Bass pickup, although don’t take our word for it – go out and try them yourself.
Your tastes and aspirations are unique to you, so make sure you know exactly what you are buying before you part with your cash. Read some reviews, listen to audio samples, and – if possible – try out your favorite pickups first.
Also bear in mind that while changing the pickup can result in a great tonal enhancement, other aspects such as the amplifier, cables and pedals you use – as well as your technique – will make as big an impact on the overall sound.
All the best when hunting for your perfect P Bass pickup – and have fun playing!