DiMarzio Split P

Passive, dual-blade humbucking design with powerful ceramic magnets; 19.16 ohm

I replaced the original pickup in an inexpensive SX Vintage Series P-Bass (excellent quality for only $110). I was searching for a quieter pickup with more headroom and output. I also replaced the controls with a 500k ohm CTS volume pot, Switchcraft jack, and HAS-Sound/CTS tone control with Orange Drop capacitor.

The output went WAY UP compared to the original pickup. That's what happens when you install a 19.16 ohm pickup. Combined with my favorite strings, Thomastik-Infeld Jazz Rounds, the sound is PERFECT and it really cuts through the mix when necessary. My band members love the tone...just like a classic P-Bass but with more output and clarity.

I've been playing for 20+ years and have found THE best P-Bass pickup. DiMarzio definitely produces the best quality ceramic bass pickups...much better than any Alnico V custom pickup I've tried. If you are searching for a P-Bass pickup with excellent clarity, punch and HIGH output, look no further....this is it!

Single coil or humbucking? Humbucker (dual)
Active or passive? Passive
Impedance or other specs? 19.16 Ohms

Stock P-bass size. Enhanced frequency range.

What model guitar or bass did you install this in? Jay Turser JTB-550QMT
What position is it in? Middle
What pickup are you replacing? Stock
Other pickups installed on the instrument? Carvin H50N
Any artists using this pickup? Unknown
Reason for changing the pickup? Stock PU has no lowend or definition (was made for a 4-string anyway)

The JTB-550 is a 5-string bass with a P-J PU configuration. I looked everywhere for a stock sized PU that would pick up all the strings. Because the Split-P uses blade pole pieces and has a wide frequecy range it fit the bill perfectly. No mods to the bass and it sounds great. Would highly recomend it for any 5-string using a P-bass PU.

What's the output level like? Much higher than stock
What amps and effects are you using it with? Ashdown MAG300R, Steelsound 2X12 using Ashdown 12s, Presonus Bluemax Compressor, Nady bass wireless
Tone - Bassy, middy, muddy, trebly, balanced? Very well ballanced not Muddy at all-picks up the low-B nicely
What style of music do you play? Is this a good match? All that I've tried
For which positions is this pickup suitable? Any

Like I said above, It has a great sound-punchy, clear, full range.

If it was destroyed or stolen, would you buy it again or get something else? I would replace it with the same PU
How long have you been playing? 30+ years
What other gear do you own? Anothe JTB-550 with EMGs-Doesnt sound near as well as this one. Hondo Flame P-bass
What do you love about it?Nice punchy clear sound that includes my B-string
What do you hate? Nothing
Did you compare it to other products?No other product (that I could find)would do the same thing.
Why did you choose this one? Blade pole pieces
Anything you wish it had? Magic dust that would make me play better (although the sound does inspire me, so I guess that counts)
Are you satisfied with this pickup or still searching for that sound? I'm pretty satisfied, but I am always looking for that Nirvana of sound
Anything else you'd like to share?

Humbucking, passive PU's

96 Fender American Standard P-Bass.

The output level went way up! These little monsters gave me almost the double the output, comparing with the stock ones....
I'm "running" them on a Fender BXR 200 combo, with a 15" "woofer".... or course it'd be better on a 4x10 1x15 system, like GK... but it rocks the the living hell on the fender allready....!!!
The tone is much more "macho" than the original PU's, but I recomend installing 500K pots, for more clarity and definition... With the original pots it sounds a little muddy... like "underneath"....

These babies were made for destruction!! They mean bad business..!!!
You can play very softly with it, but if you go a little "heavier" on your fingers, these fellas raise the voice of your bass!!!!
PUNCH is the midle name of it!!!
THEY KICK ASS!!!

Humbucking, passive.

Installed into Ibanez SR400 which has P/J config.. Replaced stock Ibanez split p pickup. Also installed the Dimarzio Jazz in the rear. Wanted to get a punchier sound with enhanced low end and more growl.

Amazing punch, with a very driven sound when wide open. Run through a Boss GT6B (highly recommend!), and into PA. I've experienced no muddiness, just pure low end and nice highs, with balanced mids. I play contemporary Christian (David Crowder, Chris Tomlin, etc) Very good match for this style of music.

Would buy again in a minute. Played bass 15 years. Also own an Ibanez SR506. Read reviews and Dimarzio website for info before purchasing. Site did a good job of describing pickup. This pickup would not fit into the pickup cavity without enlarging it on both sides to compensate for the extra length.

Passive humbucking bass pickup

Installed DiMarzio Split-P into a late-80's Cort "Slammer" 4-string "short" (31") scale electric bass named "Bart." Bart is similar to but smaller than a Fender P-Bass in that it has 1 "middle position" pickup rout roughly centered between the bridge and the bottom of the neck. The split-P replaced a stock P-style no-name pick-up that has been "ok" for over 17 years but has always lacked detail and was noisy in a bad way. DiMarzio recommends use of a 500k pot and although I've purchased the new pots, it sounds very cool with the stock 250K pots-note: Lower Pot value tends to reduce highs, by using the 250K pots I lose some top end from what would be present with 500k--all that being said there is still more crisp top end now than with the origional P/U. Still plan to replace the pots and evaluate the sound but am loving the round, "rubbery" "Bass-up-in-you-face" sound now emanating from this little beast (Note: "Bart" is shorter than most Les Paul-style guitars- ansd is a lightweight little basswood body...) is awe-inspiring. There are no other pickups. Rumour has it Billy Sheehan may have used one of these during the David Lee Roth pahse of his career--usually Billy is listed/quoted as using other DiMarzio Bass Pickups-currently I don't know anyone "famous" using this exact model But White Zombie's bass player used a bass with pickups that appear to be this model. There was no particular reason to switch-just cleaning and re-adjusting and came to the conclusion that a new, higher end pickup couldn't hurt. The results are well beyond my expectations-this pickup has added tremendous depth, definition and harmonic overtones (and harmonics-previously only the 7th and 12th fret open "natural" harmonics rang out-now there are happing harmonics on 1st, 3rd, 5th and 9th frets. Artificial harmonics 7 and 12 frets above fretted pitch ring out like no other bass, let alone this one) to the Bart's "voice." Couldn't be happier... Bart had been largely goign unused except for sentimental moments and to sometimes take advantage of the reach the short scale allows. He is now better sounding than the full-size Dean, Ibanez, Applause and Epiphone basses that had been getting more "game time" of late. Really made a poor player into a gem...Bart is now a serious, sweet-sounding contender...even compared to

The pickup is advertised as bringing out more bottom and top end. It seems like an accurate description that produces a wide open sound with spectacular clarity. It has worked well with a 60watt 15-inch woofer-equipped Ibanez bass amp but mainly goes through a Digitech BNX3 floor processor before hitting a Behringer mixing board which adds some vintage (1989) Zoom effects processing from a 9002 multi-effects which is used mainly for delay but also for cool lo-fi octave-down "harmonizing." Had to fight tendency to turn it down...sounds very full and present without excessive gain..hard to phrase this...I guess I was hearing sounds that would have been too hot for the M-Audio recorder with the old setup that were well within the sweet range for recording. Marvelous full, present clarity. Seems "Hot" but not oppresively so-can push amps to distortion but most of range is very musical and full without being over-powered, though a direct box it was just sweet pure bass-based-bliss. Can't imagine an application it would be "bad" for-might call for a volume or tone knob nudge up or down but a really nice pickup that can cover a wide variety of sounds..stays audible even through layers of dense processing...(not many bass players have 4-5 layers of delay... but for those that do, this is your pickup....)

If this pickup were stolen and somehow they took the trouble of uninstalling it I would immediately get another to install. Am strongly considering replacing all P-bass style pickups to this model (my other basses are mostly J-Bass configuration). I started playing Bass in June of '83-adds up to 23 years but it doesn't feel that long...Bart has always been a lovable, accessible "beater bass" that has responded well to any TLC but adding this pickup has made him more of an instrument than a "knockaround" pal...I chose this model for the blade-style polepeices because I wasn't confident "regular" polepeices would line up correctly. I have no complaints concerns or issues-DiMarzio seems to have earned the reputation they have for doing awesome things with magnetsand a few hundred turns or or so of wire. I don't mean to sound obnoxious but if this pickup can make a solid bass machine from a light, basswood short-scale it is bound to make a better-quality instrument really come to life. Fat, sassy brilliant sound with no battery-failure woes...you really can't fault it.

Pickup features: humbucking, passive
Impedence or other specs: go to Dimarzio website for specs

Model of guitar or bass: frankenstein from various parts
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: ? Allparts maybe?
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): alternative, blues, folk, hard rock
Reason for pickup change: I was rebuilding my bass, refinishing, etc., and the original pickup was not good enough to suit me.

Perceived output level: This pickup puts out the juice. If you get this pickup, be sure that you have a good rig to handle it, otherwise you won't be getting its full potential.
Tone: With the tone control maxed, the tone is very crisp. With the tone control completely down, the tone becomes punchy with a slight touch of mud, not enough to amount to anything though.
Sonic evaluation: When I first installed this pickup, I was disappointed because it sounded horrible through the tiny 8 inch speaker on my Peavey Microbass, but after I got my Ampeg BA-115, I realized how good this pickup is.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: I play mostly hard rock and folk rock, and this pickup, with the right amp, is a very nice fit. It really opens up when you add a slight amount of distortion.

Comments: If I parted with this pickup, I would definitely order another one right away. I have been playing for about 2 years and this is the best pickup I have used yet. I don't really have any gripes about this pickup. I have no reason to replace it, but I would like to add a Dimarzio Model One to add a little definition to my sound and to add a little more bottom end when the tone is maxed.

Pickup features: Humbucking Precision style
Impedence or other specs: Wired straight to the output jack. No knobs! haha

Model of guitar or bass: Fretless Reverend Rumblefish XL bass
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: Stock Jazz style
Other pickups on guitar: nope
Artists using this pickup: Billy Sheehan
You musical style(s): Rock and Roll
Reason for pickup change: Wanted more puch and don't like the sound of Jazz Bass pickups

Perceived output level: LOUD AS HELL!
Tone: Thick bass, strong mids, clear and prowd highs
Sonic evaluation: Im using a fretless reverend bass with a Huges & Hettner 200 watt combo.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: The pickup is very useful for rock it really cuts thought the mix!

Comments: Ive been playing for about five years now and ive own my bass for about 3 years. I love the bass to DEATH and i really put my balls on the the line on having it routed for different pickups that ive never heard before. But that heroing act was well worth it. Ever sence I de-fretted this bass I was searching for some thing to bring back the sustain and punch. So one day i was listing to skyscraper by david lee roth and i love the sound of billy sheehan's tone on all of the tracks. So i did alittle research and i found dimarzio. I once put in a Kent Armstrong lipstick tube for the neck, but it was very wimpy. I only bought the damn thing because it was pretty! I'm very satisfied with this pickup and i have found my sound!

Pickup features: Humbucking
Impedence or other specs: don't care

Model of guitar or bass: Fender Mexican P-Bass
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: none
Artists using this pickup: I don't know
You musical style(s): Rock
Reason for pickup change: The stock pickup in the Mexican P-Bass is crap.

Perceived output level: This pickup is loud as hell. A lot louder than the stock pickup, anyway.
Tone: I like the tone. It's got the low P-Bass growl with out any of the mud.
Sonic evaluation:
Okay, I'm using the pickup in the Fender Mexican P-Bass, and running through a GK 2x10 combo amp, no effects.
I really like the tone. It gives me a nice, round sound that is a lot like the legendary P-Bass, but with substantially higher output.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: This is a good rock pickup.

Comments:
I would definitely buy this pickup again. It's got a great tone without having to pay out the ass for it.