Best Bass Guitar Pickups

If you are a beginner or allow yourself a pro, you should know about the best bass guitar pickups.

They are a common topic in any kind of discussion about sound. A guitar pickup is one of the most important tools of your guitar, and it has an important impact on the tone which will be produced by your guitar.

A guitar pickup is an important contributor to the produced sound by your bass guitar, but the question is: 

What are bass guitar pickups? 

Bass guitar pickups are the most important tools of the whole guitar that produce sound with the help of an amplifier. Pick up has a magnetic part. That magnetic part will help the amplifier to catch the vibration of the string and then this magnetic field turns the vibrations into an electric current.

Best Bass pickups are undoubtedly the superheroes in the world of bassists. The type of bass guitar, strings, and amplifiers obviously make an important impact on the sound and tone of the guitar, various kinds of pickups play a more important role. 

But there are many options available on the market for bassists. Bassists always look forward to buying the best bass pickups, so in my article, I have highlighted the important factors so that the new buyers won’t face any problems while buying the best bass guitar pickups. 

Reviews of best bass pickups

In this part, I will present a comprehensive guide which is focusing on the best bass guitar pickups easily available on the market nowadays.

Fender Custom Shop ’62 p Bass Guitar  

This is my top choice in my buying guide. If you want to upgrade your bass then chase these bass pickups, this is the best choice you can find on the market.

This product is easy to install, it delivers warm and vintage tones with high clarity. They will transform your bass into a high-quality musical instrument, and the produced sound is powerful.

This pickup has five magnets, and that enamel-coated magnet wire combines perfectly with the cloth-covered wires which will give you the fullest lows, and clear sound at the ends.

Product Specification: 

Pros

  • Easy to install
  • Strong, clear notes
  • Truly brings the strings to life
  • Warm, vintage tones with no humming

Cons

  • Requires attentive setup
  • Might seem too bright with bright strings

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EMG Geezer Butler Signature PJ Bass Guitar Pickup Set

This passive pickup is extremely easy to install. With an excellent frequency response, it delivers high-quality sound and that too at an affordable price. This product is perfectly a Geezer Butler classic from the 1970s.

That pick up will enhance the quality and the clarity of bass-line vintage tones. It’s easy to use and install in no time. This pickup is an excellent set that delivers a quality sound and eliminates the hum with poor-quality stock options.

If you are searching for a quick and easy to install pickup set then this is perfect for you. The solderless system is one of the best assets of these pickups.

This pickup is on my list because of the high quality of its sounds. They are strong enough to bring some texture into your bass tones. 

Product Specification: 

Pros

  • Deep and tight lows
  • High output passive pickups
  • Easy to install and solderless
  • Alnico V pole and custom wound coils

Cons

  • Volume knob could be improved
  • Faulty instructions 

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Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound P-Bass Pickup

This product truly stands out for its fantastic ratio between quality and price. 

This is my best choice in terms of bass pickups. Because of the affordability, these pickups are great for bassists who are looking for maximum output and a comprehensive frequency range. They come with more low ends, and they are great for funk, blues, and jazz music.

Whether you are looking for an extended frequency range this is the best choice for you. 

Overall, it never compromises on quality!

Product Specification: 

Pros

  • Affordable 
  • Clear tones
  • Great passive P pickups
  • Easy to install

Cons

  • Quality control

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Nordstrand Big Split 5 String Bass Pickup Set

Without an average price tag, there are no cons to be highlighted with this pickup– the sound quality is very impressive, with clear tones. These pickups can enhance the quality of your bass guitar with double the effectiveness of other options in its price range.

This pickup gives you fuller, bigger tones. It also reduces the hum to zero. It improves your bass dramatically, it requires a larger investment than other choices on this list. But for sure, it is one of the best choices on the market.

Though this pickup is at a higher price range, if your budget allows you, you will notice the change. 

Product Specification: 

Pros

  • Bright highs
  • Assertive lows
  • Crystal clear articulation
  • Amazing design 

Cons

  • Expensive

 

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Fender Custom Shop ’60s Jazz Bass Pickups

These pickups are quieter than the others, noiseless, and come with well-balanced tones. They combine modern technology. They come with more output and bass for the best experience. 

Being a beginner or a pro, you must have heard of Fender’s reputation and quality. They will deliver you an improved version of the classic single coils used in the ‘60s.

So? Are you planning to update your instrument? Then this will definitely be worth the price. There is no hum and the sounds are balanced, and they are created in the typical vintage fashion. I am suggesting you give it a try.

Product Specification: 

Pros

  • Hum-canceling properties
  • Vintage tones 
  • Brings variation in tones
  • Great for different play styles

Cons

  • Needs soldering
  • Quality control issues

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Lace USAB Ultra Slim Acoustic Bass

This pick up has created the USAB Ultra Slim Acoustic Bass Pickup Black specifically for the bass guitar. It is one of the best pickups for bass guitars. This pickup has a slimmer profile. The Lace USAB’s single design works for 4 or 5 string bass guitars. 

The pickup’s sensitive nature guarantees the signal will increase. 

Finally, bass guitars with the Lace Sensor USAB will produce a clean, clear tone with a punchy midrange. 

Product Specification: 

Pros

  • Easy to install 
  • Powerful addition 
  • Great output 
  • Variation

Cons

  • A buzzing sound

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Buying Guide

It’s very tough to choose the best bass guitar pickups from so many options. But it can be easy big you have an idea about how to choose a bass guitar pickup.

Here are three key points that you need to consider when you are planning to buy the best bass guitar pickup:

Quality

The quality of a guitar pickup is the most important feature a bassist should focus on. It depends on your needs, some have higher frequencies and higher output. However, hum cancellation properties and clarity of the tones are most important to a high-quality pickup. 

Budget

Next, consider your budget carefully. Remember that most of my top choices are quite budget-friendly. If you can afford the best pickup and you are a professional, it is wise to go for that option. Otherwise, you can go for a low-budget alternative. My list has high-end features at affordable price ranges. 

Preference

Finally, remember that pickups define the sound coming out of your bass guitar. If you are not sure about your playing style or preferences then you can ask others to find out some of their recommendations. 

Types of Bass Guitar Pickups

Here is a brief introduction to product variants and some concerns for every type:

Single-Coil Pickups

The single-coil variant ability that there is one coil around the magnetic aspect of the pickup. They are clear, bright, and usual to the ‘60s. They have pretty hum, so many producers have developed extended variations that have noise cancellation properties. J Pickups is the most famous variant of the single-coil alternative – regularly used in jazz.

Split-Coil Pickups

The title is pretty suggestive – a coil is split, and every aspect is put under two bass strings. It is frequent in the ‘50s and generally used through rock gamers due to the clear fats sounds they create.

Dual Coil Pickups

Also acknowledged as humbuckers, they are used by way of those who no longer experience the buzzing noise precise to single-coil pickups. They produce fat, prosperous sounds and are a must-have if you revel in vintage, old-school sounds.

Soap Bar Pickups

They are regularly hooked up on basses with a minimum of 5 strings. Players frequently pick them out due to the fact they are long-lasting: they are sealed, so they do not now get in contact with sweat, dust, or debris, which means that they do not degrade quickly.

How to Install a Bass Guitar Pickup

It is now not pretty as effortless as one would possibly think, however putting in guitar pickups can be nonetheless accomplished via anyone. Here’s the step-by-step information on how to do it.

Make certain you have got entry to Phillips head screwdrivers and a soldering gun.

If this is your first time, you can take notes and a picture of the cutting-edge pickups – altering the peak has a massive impact on tones.

  • Remove the cover of your guitar
  • Remove the strings – you can both preserve the identical ones or take the benefit of this opportunity to region new strings as well.
  • De-solder the contemporary pickups’ wiring and put off the pickups
  • Install the new pickups
  • Figure out the wiring – test out the pickups’ practice manual
  • Test your new guitar pickups

Make positive your guitar is continually protected – for instance, that your soldering gun does no longer slip and depart a mark on your instrument. Also, continue to be away from the fumes of the soldering iron; it is no longer encouraged to breathe them in. This may be less complicated if you have a ventilated working region 

FAQ

Q: How will a bass pickup work?

A: Pickups are made of a magnet and around it a copper wire is coiled. If the vibrations of a bass string will disturb the magnetic field of the magnet then small voltage fluctuations in the copper coil are produced. After that fluctuations are transmitted to the bass amp, amplified, and translated into sound.

Q: Is AP bass pickup a humbucker?

A: Yes of course. The “split coil” pickup is a humbucking, noise-canceling design. These have been standard on the Fender Precision Bass since the early 1960s.

Q: What is the difference between P and J Bass pickups?

A: The “P Bass” has split-coil pickups that will give your bass a classic, solid bass sound. It has a slightly tapered neck that gets smaller up near the headstock. On the other hand, The J Bass has a much more obvious taper – which makes it easier to hit fast complex changes in the lower register.

Q: Can you use guitar pickups on a bass?

A: Yes, you can. But guitar pickups will mostly emphasize mid-range, for a thicker tone, while bass pickups generally emphasize more treble, to get a better “slap bass” sound. A guitar pickup will work, but this is a big reason why it wouldn’t be considered the ideal.

Conclusion

Pickups are incredibly varied, and they completely depend on your taste as well. This is an important decision for you. You have to consider that pickups are the greatest contributor to the strings, and then the rest of the guitar tools. If possible, make sure that you try out a few of my recommendations, as they make for great pickups and you might not know which option is right for you until you try it out.

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