Bass Pickup Comparison |

Today ‪@patrickhunter‬ explains and compares different types of bass pickups! Which fits your style best or sounds best in your opinion? Leave a comment below!
Gear used: tho.mn/wcjpn
Make sure to subscribe to Patrick's channel too! / patrickhunter
Recorded in Presonus Studio One: bit.ly/S1Pro6
Recorded and mixed with Universal Audio: tho.mn/uadx1
Monitors optimised through Sonarworks: tho.mn/sonar
Interesting bits and pieces:
0:00 - Intro
0:12 - Bass Pickups!
0:39 - What Is A Pickup?
1:08 - What Are We Doing Today?
1:23 - The 4 Different Kinds Of Pickups We'll Be Looking At
1:30 - What Are Single Coil Pickups?
1:46 - What Are Split Coil Pickups?
2:07 - What Are Humbuckers?
2:17 - What Are Soapbars?
2:45 - Explaining Today's Comparison
3:11 - The 10 Basses We'll Be Using
4:00 - Today's Tone
4:11 - Test 1: Fingerstyle Playing
6:10 - Test 2: Pick Playing
8:10 - Outro
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[@poppasquat8483]

I really appreciate that you played pickstyle the way bassists who actually play with pick do! So many times you see videos of guitarists reviewing a bass and playing it with pick but completely palm muted

[@klaymeister]

It's fun because soapbars are essentially the other kinds of pickups just hidden under black plastic.

[@ricardojmestre]

Right! It's weird to consider them as a different category.

[@braindead9916]

i mean it makes sense to mention them! i was wondering what they were when i was researching what i should get as my first bass when i saw the schecter omen 4

[@earthling273]

I love the way the Sterling sounds

[@guylikesguitar]

Dingwall and Fishman pickups really sound clear, defined and punchy. The only thing missing in this video were some Nordstrand pickups imo.

[@schmaler68]

Just my words, and I missed the Lace Pickups too.

[@luigi.zanini]

and the Stingray is not clear, defined and punchy? 🙂

[@Eugensson]

Also no real Bartolini’s here.

[@guylikesguitar]

@@Eugensson True!

[@elijahcastillo6]

Same here. I love the Dingwall FD3-N pickups.

[@freq9939]

Those Rickenbacker singles sound unique compared to the others in my opinion. Just had a certain quirky midrange and high end.

[@waspguitars]

Don't forget about the influence of the scale length on the sound

[@reddevil944]

Plus they feel great to play since the neck width doesn’t really change at the higher frets

[@timbuk1126]

A Precision bass played with a pick is my favorite sound.

[@therealeikichionizuka]

especially when it’s RIGHT over the p pickup

[@ianlarrimore8]

Thanks so much for putting all these together and playing the exact same thing on each to limit the variables--super helpful!

[@sid6p0int7]

OMG dude this comparison vid is awesome! The transitions are perfect and it actually helped me figure out what bass sound I want to go for. That Sterling has a growl to it.

[@shipsahoy1793]

How to make one bass feel and sound like 3 different ones? Roundwounds, Flatwounds, Tapewounds. 😉

[@riogrande163]

Exactly, more bassists need to hear this!

[@roberttower8059]

Very interesting hearing all these different types back-to-back! P bass is my jam, but I'm definitely into that HB hollow body sound.

[@Gubgubgoober]

I love when Patrick gets screen time I love his personality and I always learn something new from his videos!

[@VivaSepulchre]

I bet he's married, bro 😂

[@richsackett3423]

@@VivaSepulchre I'll bet he isn't. 🤣🤣

[@randygomez9595]

Here's an idea for a future video: do a comparison of different types bridge pickups and different types of neck pickups. Like, music man style bridge pickup vs jazz bass bridge pickup. Or mudbucker neck pickup vs split neck pickup.

[@rique_.leal.]

Im planning on getting a bass and this vid really helped me find my preference. Thank you!!!

[@mikaelchristensen9249]

I generally prefer single coils in a J-jazz but I really want one a Musicman style humbucker 😁

[@mauriciobenitez8623]

I'm in love with Bartolini sound 😍😍😍

[@fnargler]

They're very underrated.

[@CoenBijpost]

Wow, the precision is something I didn’t know I needed! I went for a jazz bass, because that seemed more versatile, which might be true, but that p-bass pickup just has some magic in it, it seems! Of course for amazing clarity I’d love a dingwall or fishman loaded bass for sure.

[@Iofflight78]

Same here. My first bass was a jazz but I fell for the P sound.

[@SeedOilFitnessOfficial]

PJ basses exist for this

[@doug5yuiop]

Nice. Flat vs round wound strings made more difference than the pickups!

[@egroegmcdonald9870]

If I'm being honest, I have to say that when I turned away from the screen and just listened to my 5.1 speakers. Other than some clank and a slight variation in mud or treble and I do mean slight. There wasn't a whole lot of difference. I say that as a bass player of almost 20 years. Where the biggest difference comes from, I suspect, is in speakers, then amp and eq setting (to maximize the slight variations).

[@satanssurfer5965]

Have to agree, not much difference in the pickups apart from the price.

[@budizen3104]

I've been playing for over 50 years. I play a variety of basses, mostly five strings these days. What makes the difference in tone primarily is your technique with strings a close second. You can go down the rabbit hole of "tonewood" and "bridge mass" but that's mostly hype. A lot of players use a variety of foot pedals, so you might as well forget about the sound of the bass itself. Once the signal leaves the jack, anyone can do anything with your tone. Also, I mostly play basses with preamps. Those will make a HUGE difference in tone. I just got done replacing a Fender oem preamp in a Fender bass with a superb DarkGlass Tone Capsule. Made all the difference in the world. Prior to that I had played with pickup height, and tried three different types of strings. Height did not affect tone that much, strings made some difference but not enough. The better preamp turned the bass into a keeper and the Fender preamp into a boat anchor.

[@pgpete]

I agree. in this particular video there wasnt much tonal variation - other videos on youtube (eg Famous Bass guitars sound comparison ) demonstrate more tonal variation.

[@johnsausage]

I think it's hard to compare anyway when the sound is shaped so much by the amp/cab (sim?).. it strips away a lot of treble. Also strings were not identical and of course the pickup position matters too. I think only the basses with the soap bar pickups had a distinguished sound, but I don't know if it comes from the pickups or just the strings and pickup position :D. But still it's a nice video to have a comparison with the same riff/playing styles!

[@BrianPellerin]

Brilliant way to think about it

[@manualdor5605]

I like the Fishman. 🥰 Thx for that video. I was exactly searching for a comparison between a Dingwall and a Spector with Fishmans in it. 😜👌

[@harper6883]

wow this made it super clear! thank you!

[@MsCellobass]

I had just acquired the mustang shortscale fender and has its small split pickups. I was thinking of having them changed but after hearing the comparison between the mustang the pj I’ve decided to leave it as it is. Thnx 0:01

[@krats8212]

The mustang sounds so cool. I usually don’t like p bass as much but that was nice

[@ezbass]

It's a shame that all the strings weren't the all same, the Fender flatwounds on the JMJ are a very dull string compared to roundwounds. Same goes for the bass Vl.

[@abc123gpl]

precision and dingwall. cheers from germany

[@jeff5069]

Wow I play a jazz but the p bass to me really stood out.

[@HectorGallegosmusic]

Pbass (splits) all the way. No doubt. That Ricken with the pick, though. Wow!!! That sounded awesome.

[@alexestrada1788]

😊 I think all the basses acquitted themselves quite well. I'm biased though, having a 4003 myself.

[@Dennis_Karle]

After seeing Glen Frickers video about the 10 different guitars and pickups. The only thing I change about my setup would be the speakers in my cabinet.

[@RyanonBasss]

I think my favorite was the ibanez ehb, clarity is good and the tone was full. That was pre-amp turned off?

[@Emrys345_Guitar]

I liked that music man humbucker

[@samsonlovesyou]

Thanks for playing with a pick. Not enough reviewers show how a bass sounds with one. Love the Squire P-Bass using a pick. Are those the original pickups?

[@zacharyroush1207]

I wish it was mentioned if the pickups were soloed on the multi-pickup basses. Also the strings make a huge difference, so I think that’s worth mentioning in each sound clip. The basses with flats sound very different to the ones with rounds, just because of that difference, let alone the pickup(s).

[@enriquelopez9803]

I agree with you. It looked like more than one pickup was on on some of the basses in these examples . It would not be an apples to apples comparison as some basses only had one middle pickup. That would be like comparing the middle pick up on a Strat to the combined pick ups of a telecaster. One has nothing to do with the other.

[@VatroCramer]

You could demonstrate what the Häussel Pickups in a Human Base Bass sound like. Because I am considering buying my next Human Base with Häussel Pickups (of course if I like the sound!). Also it's not only the tone on 12'o clock that is interesting - also how much tonal spectrum is possible (which of course is also a matter of the electronics). I prefer split coils and soapbars (humbucker with the ability to split to singlecoils) - and my active basses have to have also a passive mode which should not differ too much from the active mode tonewise...

[@backingtracksminusbass]

Were the same type of strings used on all basses?

[@redactedxx4219]

So the sounds I want are for cutting through distortion. The stingray humbuckers, the dingwall and the Spector sounded the best for what I want. Surprised the Ibanez didn't produce what I was looking for but I'm going stingray because cost mostly. That Spector was great though.

[@AtomizedSound]

The split coil ones and the MM Hums definitely had the most bite and growl to me which I like. The soapbar ones was a close second though

[@WilDBeestMF]

All of your basses sound really good, man. I cant go past the sound of a picked Jazz with a fresh set of rounds.

[@toddplaysbass]

That P bass sounds fantastic. 🤘🎸

[@areareare9953]

I liked the Seymour Duncan 1/4 pound, nice and punchy....I found the alnicos muddy. Not sure I'm sold on the soap bars either. Time and place I suppose.

[@aaronbane969]

My favorite kind of pickup is my truck. Lol! On a more serious note. I just picked up a Schecter Omen Elite-5 bass with humbuckers. It sounds pretty good.

[@cosmicgaming5392]

Amazing

[@1953phillips]

@ 0:43 (when you say the word "magnet" .... please tell me what pickup is that on the screen left??? - split-coil inline. I guess maybe Jazz Bass, but is that what they look like without a cover or is it some other type pickup. thanks!!

[@cliffhendrickson4749]

Where's the Gibson EB-3 Mudbucker/Mini-Humbucker?

[@sheldonnicholl3599]

I have always had a preference for humbucker style soabars (e.g., EMG 40DC). I really liked the Ibanez and Spectors here. However, I was surprised by how much I liked Mustang. I like the scooped sound of P-style pickups, but the Mustang was even smoother. As near as I can tell you used both pickups when you had a multi-pickup design bass. That's my preference too. I would have liked to have seen a multiple P-pickup bass like a BC Rich (Wave, Beast, Mockingbird), as well. Overall, good job. Thanks!

[@mechmancannon]

Thanks

[@michaelaiello9525]

Had a 60's Mustang and a 60's Newport that I never should have let go of in my naive youth. So I'm trying to restore my Jazz to stock, letting go of Bartolini's. a BAII bridge and a fretless neck. I'm actually surfing for Jazz Bass pickups, but I had to listen to the Mustang because someday a Vintera is within the realm of possibility. Still love the Stang short scale tone better than my Jazz, but maybe after I return the Jazz back to closer to stock, I will fall in love again. I'm literally investing in this project because the one piece ASH body and keys are the only original parts left. I actually don't know if the body is 60's, 70's, or 80's?! It was fully stripped in the early 80's when I got it by some knuckleheaded kid! Can you guess who?

[@maoa-cdh1389]

What a bass buffet! 🤤

[@fedortikhonov8199]

Sterling MM blows my mind, super gucci sound

[@zennor_man]

As a wannabe bassist I found this very helpful as the choices are so wide & varied. To my untutored ears the Barts on the Ibanez sounded best & those vintage humbuckers easily the worst! Quite surprised that the Rick sounded awful yet my bass hero Leon Sylvers played one…..I suppose it’s all in the fingers! Great post Patrick!

[@riogrande163]

Strings matter, Ricks even more so! If memory serves, Leon Sylvers had flatwounds on his Rick-

[@ianslee4765]

@@riogrande163 imo playing a ric or even a hollow body without flat or tapewounds is kinda not great... hell even flamicno bass strings on a hollowbody gives better tone than round lol

[@johnrefe]

interesting, I enjoyed the first bass the most, maybe cause I use similar for the songs I like. And that's why it is important to try the instruments myself, because when using a pick, there was more changes in different pickups, but when played with fingers, most of them for me sounded too dull, or too low or something and did not like them at all, apart from the first and Dingwall

[@marcionobrega5117]

Gostei demais do vídeo 📹

[@Thurgor_Supreme]

For a $1k+ bass, it kind of amazes me how bad the Bartolinis are. Nasally and muddy at the same time

[@ogloc6308]

tbh i kinda like bartos

[@fnargler]

I like bartolinis. They're kinda like more versatile P bass pickups in the way that they can pull off the crunchy tones.

[@travelermystery63]

The jazz the precision, the Sterling, and the ibenez sounded best to my ears, so ya passive ,is the precision, jazz ,not sure if the bongo is passive ,or the active ibenez soap bars ,

[@mkeyer4849]

0:49: "... that picks up the vibration physically ..." -- the standard pickups in electric guitars and basses work by magnetic effects, only piezo pickups (usually found in acoustic instruments) capture the vibration.

[@eklypse69]

Honestly, I prever the split coil & Music Man humbuckers best. But the single coil Duncans and Dingwalls sound good too.

[@TenFalconsMusic]

Was that Rick even plugged in? 😂 So quiet and ineffectual.

[@lucybarney1]

Precision with a pick for rock is imho the best

[@PooNinja]

Clean up ya grooves with some soap bar blues 🤘🏽

[@richsackett3423]

That sweet sweet Thomann money amirite, Patrick.

[@ibrahemkhames2298]

The square p bass and fender jazz they are the best to me

[@Shred_The_Weapon]

I must admit that I’ve given little-to-no consideration as of June 2024 of a bass being fitted with P90s. For my part, I’ve owned one Epiphone P-bass duplicate (which I no longer own), a Fender above J-bass, a Squier Vintage Modified Bass Six and a custom Carvin fretless fitted with (what appear to be) single-coil EMGs. I’ve yet to own a bass with humbuckers, Even though the split coil is supposed to be like one, and also the pickups on the ones I own today are said to humbuck when you use them together. I have been deliberating getting a Spirit by Steinberger 5-string later this year.

[@BrileyNeyenhuis]

They all sound great. Even the squiers . I kinda hate how uninspired modern bass designs are. They all just look like slightly different variations of Ibanez sound gear basses, maybe with cool wood figuring if you’re lucky. Even then, your bass still looks like everyone else’s.

[@Desirsar]

Not dimed? Not all in the middle?

[@thatpuglovingidiot6705]

Great examples. Though to some it may not sound like there's a huge difference between them solo, they can sit very differently in mixes with other instruments. I usually prefer playing a jazz bass, which can sound great on a recording but playing live it's my least favourite as it takes me a bit more work to get right in the mix. Humbuckers are less work but I've always found split coils work so well in any situation they're almost ready to just plug in and play.

[@themongrel94]

Stingray single Humbucker wins for me.

[@henriquecanalle2630]

to summarize...all you need is a P Bass...Glad to Help!!! :)

[@ryv2582]

Dingwall & Spector sounds like beasts that can't wait to break out the cage

[@epicmage82]

My ear likes the fishman pickups the most out of these.

[@hyperluminalreality1]

Sounds like the Bass VI has flatwounds. Just like John Lennon used on Helter Skelter. BTW...The isolated bass is here on YT. Sloppy punk bass.

[@M.Holland]

Owning two fender Jazzbasses(American deluxe V and a Marcus Miller) and a Precision bass (Nate Mendel) as well a Sterling Ray35 and. The Five strings get used the most, depending on the gig of course. My favourite is the Marcus Miller Jazzbass right now, even if it get used not that much. My least favourite, but best recording one is the Precision Bass. Guess what, I love them all. :D Great video! My next purchase will be the same Spector Dimension. ;)

[@bigfuzzztv787]

THOSE BARTOLINI PICKUPS ALL DAY,...

[@adonistaxi2681]

I prefer humbuckers. I like soapbars and single coils. Split coils are my least favorite.

[@lizziebirch2871]

Was that soapbars on the Ibanez? And do you know which configuration? 🙂

[@markgreen950]

I'm not sure how they are configured without looking it up but they are MK1 Bartolini if that helps you.

[@lizziebirch2871]

@@markgreen950 it does. And here I thought M1's were no longer made.

[@edgeofsanity9111]

Split coil rules, humbucker runner up

[@alpa4736]

Pbass ❤

[@theraditz]

I liked P-Bass 😃

[@slurpbeats]

p bass supremacy

[@user-ux4se3om9k]

bartolini bh2 rocks

[@Barberhearts]

P bass and the stingray

[@AnonosaurusRex1]

4:15. 4:45. 6:40

[@LXIXBK]

Reverse p bass pick ups !!

[@obsoletemachinery]

I can't believe how bad the squier VI sounded... like it had 9 year old tape wounds with the tone rolled back

[@user-yw8fo6pn3l]

I hated p bass pickup until i had my gear stolen lossed all my gear ive been unwell at 44 yrs old i barely make any money here south west of chicago sucks no work. I used to be a roofer. Im not making shit for money i got a cheap cmi p bass. Its ok

[@Fuxerz]

The rickenbacker sounds best

[@noisezis]

Так себе сравнение. Зря усилитель использовал. Надо было в линию напрямую.

[@RealGengarTV]

Bad comparison video. You guys are comparing not just pickups but basses too. 1. Remove human element, we need a programmed machine that plucks notes at exact velocity. 2. Remove variables like wood type. Mount the pickup in the designated spot to where it is on the bass it originated from measured from the bridge on a sacrificial bass. 3. Remove variables like electronics. You need to quick connect the barrel plug directly to the pickup, no pots. 4. Remove variables like string types. Just use one bass, one set of strings.

[@Pesso86]

I have to be honest, what's the point of this comparison if you don't put the sounds into a real mix? Nobody should care that much about how their bass sounds on its own. What you need to know is how it sounds together with other instruments and what pick-up help you cut through in different genres. It's a much longer and complex video, but that would be really useful