Bass pickups other than jazz bass for fretless use.

[Col Mustard]

For me, the Fender J Bass P'up set has always the best, and all the others are also-rans.

But I changed this harsh opinion once I installed a Golden Age P-bass pickup in the
Squier Precision bass that I took on as a rescue project. I thought of the P-bass as a
one trick pony for a very long time. I was a Jazz Bass guy for decades.

But in that vary long time, many many advances were made in bass amps, and bass pedals
to the point that a single pickup bass now gives up very little in combination with anything.
Using modern equipment, a bassist using a single pickup instrument can cover many
different tones.

And THAT is my answer to the OP's question. Any decent bass p'up, mounted in any decent
body, attached to any decent neck and sporting any decent strings can now sound totally
awesome. The Golden Age P-Bass pickup from Stewmac is an excellent choice.

I was particularly interested in some of the posts above, because they show interesting combinations.
But I don't think anyone has to get too fancy. My humble P-bass project turned out great, and I really
played that bass on many stages large and small. I could have bought a fretless neck for it, but felt
no need. I like a fretted bass, and I already owned my dream fretless instrument.


Also, lately I've been intrigued by the Epiphone Jack Cassidy Signature bass. Supposedly, Cassidy was a
consultant during the development of the instrument and the electronics.. It's a special design pickup,
and if you could buy one of those p'ups and install it in the fretless bass of your dreams, you might
have something that would sound completely original.

 

[fretless]

For me, the Fender J Bass P'up set has always the best, and all the others are also-rans.

But I changed this harsh opinion once I installed a Golden Age P-bass pickup in the
Squier Precision bass that I took on as a rescue project. I thought of the P-bass as a
one trick pony for a very long time. I was a Jazz Bass guy for decades.

But in that vary long time, many many advances were made in bass amps, and bass pedals
to the point that a single pickup bass now gives up very little in combination with anything.
Using modern equipment, a bassist using a single pickup instrument can cover many
different tones.

And THAT is my answer to the OP's question. Any decent bass p'up, mounted in any decent
body, attached to any decent neck and sporting any decent strings can now sound totally
awesome. The Golden Age P-Bass pickup from Stewmac is an excellent choice.

I was particularly interested in some of the posts above, because they show interesting combinations.
But I don't think anyone has to get too fancy. My humble P-bass project turned out great, and I really
played that bass on many stages large and small. I could have bought a fretless neck for it, but felt
no need. I like a fretted bass, and I already owned my dream fretless instrument.
View attachment 37254

Also, lately I've been intrigued by the Epiphone Jack Cassidy Signature bass. Supposedly, Cassidy was a
consultant during the development of the instrument and the electronics.. It's a special design pickup,
and if you could buy one of those p'ups and install it in the fretless bass of your dreams, you might
have something that would sound completely original.

Thank you for a well thought out reply. Y'all have given me much to chew on and think about. Whatever I wind up doing, I assure you will be as well thought out. Thanks again!