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Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

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  • Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

    Which school do you follow for -say- moderate heavy metal styles.

    Precision bass - think Iron Maiden und Black Sabbath. More low-mids driven sounds, more agile.

    Or fuller humbucker sounds, EMG or passive. Lower, fuller.
    14
    Precision bass
    35.71%
    5
    Humbucker or EMGs
    50.00%
    7
    Other (explain yourself!)
    14.29%
    2
    Last edited by uOpt; 06-11-2013, 05:03 PM.

  • #2
    Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

    I've got all 3 - P, J, and Humbucker/Bar-style. Which one I use depends on the individual track I'm working on, or the song I'm playing along with. If I want more low-end, I'll take the P or Bar. If I need staccato 8th notes for a pounding rhythm, I go with the J ala Judas Priest.
    Originally posted by Brown Note
    I'm soooooo jealous about the WR-1. It's the perfect guitar; fantastic to play, balances well even when seated and *great* reach for the upper frets. The sound is bright tight and very articulate. In summary it could only be more awesome if it had b00bs and was on fire!
    My Blog

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    • #3
      Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

      It really depends on the style. For modern metal with tight tones, it's really hard to beat EMG humbuckers or a good set of Jazz pickups. Pbass pickups tend to be farty on the low end with faster styles/more gain and instead of sounding punchy like they normally do they just sound mushy and sloppy.
      www.JeffDunne.com

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      • #4
        Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

        I like my Stingray, but a Jazz Bass does well with metal, too.
        Schecter ATX Blackjack C7 BKP Painkiller (B) and Abraxas (N)
        Hagstrom Hj800 Jazzbox stock pickups
        Fender Jazz Bass EMG MJ Set
        Music Man SUB Ray5 stock pickups
        Line 6 Helix
        Dunlop Strings and Picks

        The opinions expressed above are my own and do not reflect normal levels of sanity.

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        • #5
          Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

          yeah, depends on the style. sometimes you want something thick and warm, especially with very technical stuff, or stuff where the guitar tone is necessarily thinner.

          but with more classic stuff, stoner stuff, doom and thrash, it's hard to beat the P-bass sound.

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          • #6
            Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

            PJs are my favorite. Can do everything.

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            • #7
              Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

              It must have a tight punchy low end...so humbucker.
              It must have a personality to blend...so single

              Paging PJ....or any SH bass with balls.

              It could also be 2 humbuckers with blade magnets.
              Originally posted by longcat
              either way...cracker-y goodness.

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              • #8
                Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

                A friend of mine back in '88 had a Jackson with piezos under the bridge. Sounded great, but the piezos were known to crack from the vibrations.
                Originally posted by Brown Note
                I'm soooooo jealous about the WR-1. It's the perfect guitar; fantastic to play, balances well even when seated and *great* reach for the upper frets. The sound is bright tight and very articulate. In summary it could only be more awesome if it had b00bs and was on fire!
                My Blog

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

                  Humbuckers got the beef.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

                    I say either as long as they're active.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Heavy Metal Bass - Precision or humbucker?

                      Actives allow better tonal control through the boost/cut of frequencies. I think that neck through basses with hardwood bodies, heavy bridges and brass nuts make better metal basses. They have better clarity, tone and timbre than bolt-on neck basses with softer tonewood bodies. I would argue that construction is probably more important than the pickup style whether P, J or soapbar.
                      Last edited by idsnowdog; 08-30-2013, 05:47 PM.

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