DiMarzio Relentless PJ vs Sixties PJ - Harley Benton Stang Showdown! - LowEndLobster Tone Shootout

[@zyxwfish]

The beard grew back quickly. The 60’s pj pickups sound great.

[@LowEndLobster]

XD it's a blessing and a curse

[@marksanders8066]

Monk

[@robjgolde3221]

Did not expect to like the Sixties PJ more than the Relentless, yet here we are. Both sets are amazing, but the Sixties work so well with that vintage, short scale vibe and the LaBellas

[@stevebadachmusic]

that's how I felt as well. Came here expecting to like the Relentless a lot more,

[@joshuamorris3951]

Same, 110% agree! I came thinking the Relentless pickups were going to be the champion, and now, I think I might have changed my mind to putting the Sixties in my PJ basses.

[@tommarsh554]

I came to this review expecting to think the relentless would be my preferred buy but I come out wanting the 60's set for my Fretless PJ.

[@richgsimisker6286]

I've had a Relentless P on my shopping list for ages - came for the looks, stayed for the sonics! But to my surprise, this shootout has highlighted how the Sixties P might be more the sound I'm after, as a pick player. I would never have considered a 'retro/vintage' type of pickup if it weren't for this excellent work you do. Thanks!

[@carlmontney7916]

Color me surprised. The 60's pups sounded amazing. My favorite for sure.

[@LowEndLobster]

Prob my favorite DiMarzio set

[@TurtleCabbage]

Somehow you've managed to make a video for whatever I'm interested in 3 times in a row

[@LowEndLobster]

The call is coming from inside the house

[@chrismorris3897]

Tone shootouts are some of my favorites! This is one I've been waiting for!

[@stan_likes_single_coils]

Sixties set rocks! Thank you for this, one of the most useful videos out there! Rock on!

[@michaelkeefer4293]

I think overall I preferred the Sixties PJ set, but both sounded fanfreakintastic!

[@Facu_Roldan]

Great video as always! I just wish this comparison between those two sets was made using a long scale bass with rounds. I think the character of any pickup is more evident using roundwound strings rather than flats, and in 34" scale basses. Specially the relentless set, those have a lot of low end and output that I'm not sure it pairs well with the tone of a short scale with flats. For this particular set up, the sixties are better IMO.

[@glenndjubilee]

My '75 P bass has a EMG PJ combo in it that was set up for fretless. I have replaced that neck with a fretted roasted maple Fender P neck. I want to replace the pick-ups for fun and see what I can come up with. These sound great especially the vintage ones. Thanks!

[@LowEndLobster]

The Sixties P IMO is THE P pickup for a 4 string. I absolutely adore it with flats or rounds!

[@Waggel86]

I prefer the 60's in this case. The high output and massive low-end of the Relentless probably isn't a great combination with the thumpiness of a shortscale with flats. Some EQ tweaks might help. Or some wiring tweaks. I know both pickups are in series (system series), are the coils of each pickup in series as well (local series)? That would explain the massive output and low-end.

[@MadJackF1]

For finger style, the Sixties sounded wonderful. The cooler, more articulate midrange tone was on point. For pick play, the Relentless was awesome. The hotter darker tone was punching through with a fuller sound.

[@Wombatmetal]

Return of the Beard. I've put in a relentless set in a Charvel (I know, your fsavorite bass) with a Darkglass Tone Capsule and it rocks. Good vid

[@eldorado5319]

The alnico-5 Sixties pickups are my piece of cake 🍰

[@wtcornet]

Thanks again for another great indepth video. To my old ears the 60 P/J set rocks.

[@MattVolke]

I have the Gotoh version. I added a Wilde pj set, used the input Jack for a master tone, put a volume control for each pickup, and moved the Jack to the side of the body. Love it!

[@ea7065]

Always enjoy your videos lobster. Sixties sound good to me. Sorry to go off topic. Relative newbie here 1). Can you do a quick video on basic maintenance and storage? A lot of the stuff out there is sponsored offering products I suspect we might not necessarily need. So I reach out to a trusted source to get some peace of mind. How do you clean your basses? What products do you use, if any. Do certain surfaces and finishes need specialized care? Are humidity packs essential if the bass is stored in the case for extended periods of time? That kind of thing. 2). How to do a basic set up. Thanks.

[@LowEndLobster]

Thank you and great idea! I like that a lot.

[@nickpicc]

That sixties set sounded stellar

[@paulbrend8354]

Awesome comparison, thanks gain Lobster!

[@lixisoftdigital6792]

I was seriously considering getting a set of the Relentless, now not so much. To my ears the Sixties set sound superior in every style. Great comparison, I have an original 62 and 64 Pbass and that’s the sound I expect to hear !

[@samuelbrainsample]

60s for me. I guess the J is a single-coil. No mention of any hum.

[@LowEndLobster]

Both J's are humbuckers here

[@MonserratFoster]

I've been looking for pickups to upgrade my short scale bass for a while. I came across the relentless ones today but after this video I kind of like the vintage ones more. Sadly neither PJ set (and neither single even P or J from the vintage) can be found on my usual online music shops in Europe. I wonder why.

[@LowEndLobster]

Ah bummer! Yeah DiMarzio doesn't distribute in EU from what I understand. You'd be better off reaching out to a US retailer or the manufacturer directly and see if they'd ship. Alternatively if you have any friends over here you can see if they can buy and ship to you.

[@MonserratFoster]

@@LowEndLobster yeah, the Taxes are going to be costly. But the idea of asking a friend is great. I'll reach out to my concert buddies to check if they can bring a set next time they come to Europe (lucky for me it's at least once a year).

[@ktokathleenturneroverdrive5664]

The Sixties PJs for the win!!

[@liamtahaney713]

Tell your people at DiMarzio to make these 5 string. YESTERDAY!

[@debhart4302]

I prefer the Relentless PJ. Thanks for the comparison.

[@lucastperez]

This blue guy is crushing it, loved it.

[@marlen2801]

Great tone comparison!!!!! Both sounding greaaaat....awesome Pickups...In the mix a love the bassy tone of the Relentless...But what's the deal between the 500k pot for the relentless P (more powerful pick up) and the 250k for the 60s P...🤷🏽‍♂️🤷🏽‍♂️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣...Thank you like every your vids 🦀🦀🦀🦀🦀

[@nedvigbendeguz]

I was hoping to like the Sixties. I love vintage tone (motown, etc..)! But in this comparison it just sounded much weaker than the other one... Probably a lot depends on amp, eq, compressor, and so on, so you can sculpt the tone. But I was kind of hoping for a deep woody vintage tone from these. Anyway loving the housing design. A long needed design upgrade in my opinion. Thinking about buying a pair for my J. I was thinking about converting it to a PJ (loving P) but not sure anymore...

[@Dieqx]

BEEEEAAAAARD! And old intro with the Kitty! Yay!

[@LowEndLobster]

Hehe this was filmed back in like January ;P

[@Dieqx]

@@LowEndLobster noooooooooooooooo

[@iamgribs]

Honestly the 60s P had a woody tone to it that was pure ear candy. very nice hi end sparkle too,lovely sound. Reminds me of emg gzr to an extent. Relentless are crazy sounding, but I'm not sure i like them in this particular bass. I liked how they sounded in the fgn double P better -that bass was a fucking WEAPON. They do live up to their name, for better or worse. There is nothing subtle about them, which is perfect for rock and metal. However ,treble cut they sound smooth and sweet so they can do that too. With a pick, both sound just great. Slap was nice for both but i think the treble response for the 60s set was better in that particular application.

[@Crumpet_Central_]

It's only been 3 days Lobster! How does your beard grow back that fast?! Great video by the way

[@bizibetiko9778]

I have a relentless P in one of my favorite P bass, but in this comparison, I think I like the 60's pickups better. I just wish they made the 60's jazz pickups in a 5 string set. My Sire V7 5 string is begging for a pair of those.

[@iamgribs]

It perplexes me that they don't make their Ps in 5 string. Or the Model J. I would be interested to hear their take on Mm and soapbar too.

[@Kaljanderi]

My favourite tone was the sixties p soloed. Great playing again! Which song is that you play in the fingerstyle samples? I want to learn to play it. edit: I learned it by ear from this video. It's fun to play : )

[@Leo_Gunn]

Hate to say it as a huge Billy Sheehan fan, but the 60's just sound better to me...

[@ampthebassplayer]

Man, I probably shoulda sent you my Mustang instead of the P bass. Woulda fit in perfectly with these two!

[@timothywright5369]

Hey Lobster, I know it might be an expensive move but have you considered a Dunable review?

[@ChaelaThompson]

I love the relentless set... im so torn between the billysheehan relentless and the one in this demo for my 2009 mexican p bass that needs a little tlc

[@johndelong9230]

I put the Billy S. Relentless in my MIM P bass. Sounds outstanding, can't go wrong with them.

[@johnnyb357]

60’s for the win

[@maksimlukyanov8641]

Hello! Where did you buy the white pickguard?

[@klaymeister]

0:55

[@nathanminert3119]

I just don't like that these basses don't have a way to toggle the pickups without mods. Everything else about them seems pretty nice. Those Dimarzio pickups sound good.

[@ThorRavnsborg]

These little basses are so awesome. Too bad both colors are currently sold out from Thomann. The tested pickups from Dimarzio are without a doubt the best looking bass pickups out there and I actually think a lot of people buy them for that reason alone. Great to hear both sets compared sonically and of course they sound nice too. I like the extra bass from the Relentless set but the sixties have a lot more clarity and they seem more versatile. I think you can use the tone knob more with these. In comparison the Relentless set becomes muffled much quicker so I think I would hesitate to use the tone control with these.

[@atquinn1975]

The Sixties PJs sound awesome

[@paultraynorbsc627]

Thanks for sharing lobster 🦞 🎶🎵🎸🇬🇧

[@doj8763]

I like the 60's pj's the best.

[@AAAA-lt9hq]

I never really understood the popularity behind DiMarzio's bass pickups or Seymour Duncan's Quarter Pounders. The DiMarzios always sounded too hot and pushed in the mids--like Lemmy's Ric with 500k pots through a Marshall tone. The QPs were too scooped and muddy. I actually found them better for bass heavy styles like hip hop. I play death metal, and there's this marketing idea that more aggressive forms of music need higher output pickups that are hugely scooped with lots of low and high end, or, conversely, aggressively pushed mids (usually the bass and guitars are notched out to make room for each other in a mix). But aggressive music = high output isn't so. What one needs is a clear, balanced pickup that sits well in a mix. A boomy low end is great, but it works for slower tempos and simpler lines that emphasize tone over technicality. Mid-forward basses sound more like guitars and can be a little thin in a mix. So, I had much better luck going with a Fender 62 Original P/J reissue. They were very clean and balanced from string to string, and any output the vintage wind lacked I could make up with the amp, ideally something clean like a Fender with a Sansamp adding a bit of grit. So, to this day for metal bass I use the lowest wind/output I can find that does the job because of clarity. Otherwise I just end up using a filter or shelf to tighten up the low end at high tempos. It's easier to boost a clean pickup than to clean up a hot one. That said, these are really nice looking pickups. I'm just fairly sure that, considering DiMarzio's strange voicing preferences even with their lowest output Model P and J, I would probably need to run them in parallel to get the clarity and output where I want for mixing. I can't speak on live bass since I'm a guitarist who records his own bass, but I'm betting I would just turn up the amp instead of getting hotter pickups or adjusting active tone controls on a bass. Consider that EMGs are some of the most recorded active bass pickups in history and their output is really not that high. The EMG HZ line without the active preamp is actually downright quiet and low powered, but very clear. Additionally, lows and highs on EMGs seem to be rolled off, making the tone narrower, more consistent, and easier to mix (whereas DiMarzio mids and output are boosted). Need proof that EMGs are low output? Play them in a DAW with input meter, even in 24 volts, vs. something like a Duncan Distortion. I averaged about a 6 db difference in favor of the Duncans if you consider output to be 1) volume/loudness and 2) how much the pickup distorts a clean signal without any other gear contributing to the signal chain. So I'd try lower output pickups, guys. Higher output pickups made sense in the 70s when we had lower gain amps, but not so much these days.

[@emilornkloo349]

I thought the relentless sounded better solo, but the 60’s sounded better in the mix. I guess I’ll take the cheaper one 😅

[@klaymeister]

I think Relentless with rounds. Sixties with flats

[@TheDarkKnight73]

Both good can't pic.

[@revlewisrees9880]

Just chuck the 60s electronics in the purple bass and I’ll bite your arm off!!

[@ileutur6863]

This comparison proves my theory that high output P pickups just don't sound that good. I modded a Squier jaguar with a dimarzio set a while ago and it sounded just like this relentless set, woofy and undefined

[@ronviejo4994]

Please send one of each set to the following address. I will personally put each one to the test and return the set I find inferior. With the money for the one I keep, of course.........eventually. I promise.

[@jonmatthews4254]

A1

[@jorgewarthon7821]

And sixties sounds less vitange lol

[@λιμινιλ]

Great video. Thanks for your vision and effort. 🦞

[@warburgaby]

SIXTIES