Finding the ideal bass guitar pickup can be a daunting task. To make it easier, we’ve put together this list of the top budget bass guitar pickups so that you can make an informed decision.
These pickups are perfect for a variety of genres, such as jazz and blues, metal, and even rock music. Furthermore, they boast great durability and require no technical knowledge to install without issue.
Price
Bass guitar pickups are an integral part of a bass guitar, having a significant effect on sound. Players often opt to replace these when upgrading their instrument for better playability and quality sound.
However, it can be challenging to decide which pickups are ideal for your playing style. That is why it is essential to read reviews and customer feedback before making a purchase.
Bass guitar pickup prices can vary considerably based on the brand, model and materials used to craft them. This is largely due to the extra complexity involved in crafting bass guitars.
Furthermore, the size and number of strings on a bass guitar affect its cost. On average, five-string basses tend to be the least expensive option.
On the other hand, a six-string bass guitar may be more expensive due to its more intricate production techniques that demand higher-grade materials.
Due to this, many people opt to save money on bass guitar pickups and only buy them when they truly need them. This is an effective way to save cash while still getting a high-quality product.
Another option is to purchase cheap bass guitar pickups from lesser-known brands. They usually come with positive reviews and can be had for a lower cost than brand-name products.
Beginners might want to start with a bass pickup that offers plenty of tone control so they can customize their sound. These pickups usually produce bright, full chords and an evenly balanced treble-bass sound.
They feature a significant midrange, which can be helpful when playing high notes. Furthermore, the mids help amplify your bass tone in live settings.
If you need a bass pickup with plenty of power, the DiMarzio DP122 is an excellent option. It features a powerful ceramic magnet for high-gain tones with plenty of low-end definition and midrange growl. You can purchase this pickup in either single-coil or dual-coil versions and in various colors such as black or cream-colored covers.
Pickup style
Selecting the correct pickup is essential if you want to maximize your bass guitar’s sound. There are various types of pickups, some even tailored specifically for certain music genres. No matter if you need a single coil or humbucker, there’s sure to be a pickup that meets your requirements.
The pickup style refers to the coil used by magnetic bass pickups to convert an electric signal from vibrating strings into sound that can be plugged into an amplifier. In a typical magnetic pickup, copper wire is wound around a magnet which causes the string to vibrate; when this occurs, an induced current occurs within this wire and sends through to your amp via pickup.
Different pickup styles offer their own advantages, and single coil pickups tend to be cheaper and brighter while humbuckers use two single-coil pickups together in order to reduce hum and create a thicker sound.
If you’re on a budget and looking to upgrade the sound of your bass, there are plenty of pickups under $100 that can be bought. While these pickups still produce an acceptable sound, they may not be as full and powerful as more expensive models.
J-style pickups are an affordable alternative for bass players looking to upgrade their instruments. They tend to be less expensive than P-style pickups and can be used in both neck and bridge positions. Made with large diameter poles, these pickups produce a warm and punchy sound that fits most standard J-style basses; you can purchase them either in sets or individually.
These pickups are an ideal choice for both beginners and professionals looking to upgrade their bass. They’re easy to install, with a vast array of tones.
If you’re uncertain which pickup style is ideal for you, visiting your local musical instrument store and consulting an expert is a wise idea. They can tell you which pickups are compatible with your bass and suggest the set that works best.
Pickup materials
Pickups are an integral component of any bass guitar, and the materials they’re made from can have an impact on how well they sound. This is especially true for budget-grade instruments since they may not use the same materials as pro-grade guitars.
Bass pickups can be divided into two main categories: magnetic and piezoelectric. Both types of pickups are capable of producing sound, but their characteristics will dictate how it sounds.
Magnetic: Bass pickups of this type are the most common type, and they work by taking the energy transferred by strings when they vibrate and converting it into an electrical signal. Electric basses often employ them to enhance natural resonance, but acoustic basses may also feature them.
Piezo: These are miniature transducers made of crystalline materials that convert pressure or vibration into an electrical signal. Acoustic and upright basses often feature them, while electric basses may include them as auxiliary pickups.
They can be placed under the bridge, on the neck or inside a instrument’s body to capture more vibration from bass instruments, giving it a warmer and softer tone than magnetic pickups alone can offer.
Some pickups can even be combined with other types of pickups, like a microphone, for greater versatility. This is especially useful for players who require more range than an electric bass pickup or who like to use pedals.
When looking for high-quality bass pickups at an affordable price point, Nordstrand and Bartolini are two popular brands that provide excellent sound. Nordstrand’s quality craftsmanship and Bartolini’s superior sound make these options popular choices among bass enthusiasts.
Other brands offer more budget-friendly bass pickups, but their performance is often inferior to that of higher priced counterparts. Therefore, it’s essential to shop around before making a purchase and read reviews to get an accurate assessment of how well a given pickup performs.
Pickups on sale
Pickups on sale offer an affordable way to upgrade your bass without breaking the bank. They come in various styles and configurations, so you can find one that meets your requirements. Both passive and active models are available, making them suitable for both beginner and experienced bassists looking to up their gear game.
The best budget bass guitar pickups are constructed with quality materials and offer a range of tones. Some are humbuckers and some single coils, so you can find one that suits your playing style perfectly.
EMG’s SJB-3 set is an ideal option for bassists looking to explore a variety of genres. Its balanced tone works great with metal, rock and blues as well as more delicate styles like RnB and jazz.
These pickups are designed to fit standard basses and are easy to install. Plus, they include an output jack and battery clip so they’re ready to go right out of the box!
This EMG P-bass pickup is designed to replicate Geezer Butler’s signature sound, yet delivers it in a more modern, quieter, punchier and cleaner manner than most other pickups at this price point. Metal fans who appreciate classic P-bass tones will find this pickup an indispensable must-have.
Seymour Duncan Blackout: For guitarists seeking an intense rock and roll sound, this balanced coil humbucker offers a warm yet aggressive tone.
For bassists seeking a powerful, balanced tone that can handle heavy distortion, this pickup is an ideal choice. Installation is relatively straightforward as well as featuring both volume and tone knobs for convenient control.
Dimarzio DP122 pickups are a go-to choice for many bassists due to their versatility and performance. They deliver a rich, full, and dynamic sound that rivals many more expensive options – making them an excellent value.
No matter if you want a classic jazz sound or an earthy, growling rock tone – finding the right bass guitar pickups can transform your instrument. But which should you select?
Passive pickups are more commonly seen, while active ones tend to handle high gain better and are preferred in heavier genres.
1. EMG Geezer Butler PHZ Pickup Set
EMG collaborated with Black Sabbath bassist Geezer Butler to design this set of vintage-style passive P and J pickups, designed to replicate his trademark bass tone while offering versatility across many musical genres. It boasts solderless construction with Alnico V magnets for an old school aesthetic while still boasting modern features.
These bass guitar pickups deliver an expansive sound without muted highs or shrill midrange frequencies, boasting punchy low-end notes with a gritty attack that cuts through dense mixes. Furthermore, these pickups handle mild-to-high overdrive rigs without becoming fizzy – perfect for hard rock as well as many other genres!
Both the P and J models feature Alnico V pole pieces for fat bass tone that’s clear and defined, as well as custom-wound split-coils to avoid noise that might sabotage your playing or make high-stakes situations difficult. Sweetwater’s staff of bassists take this factor very seriously when creating our models!
The Geezer Butler PHZ Pickup Set comes with either ivory or black covers to suit any player’s aesthetic, with easy solderless installation enabling quick bass sound changes quickly and reliably. Trustworthy durability means they’ll stand up well even under touring or recording conditions.
These bass pickups feature an ivory cover to add classic style and Alnico 5 magnets for warm, full sound with ample power – perfect for use across various musical genres and fits almost all bass guitar models. Furthermore, these passive pickups don’t require batteries for operation!
These bass pickups are constructed to last, with a durable epoxy finish designed to withstand damage and stains. Plus, their wax-potted construction helps minimize unwanted vibrations for an authentic tone while remaining quiet enough for recording sessions. And their full shielding prevents 60 cycle hum and feedback completely!
2. Lace Sensor Aluma P-Bass Set
The Lace Sensor Aluma P-Bass Set brings Alumitone technology to bass guitar. Instead of using traditional copper coils to form high impedance and generate current, Lace created their pickup with an aluminum frame which allows electrons to flow more easily and create usable voltage, thus decreasing resistance and increasing sonic output. Furthermore, this new design eliminates preamp usage thereby cutting pollution levels and saving energy consumption.
Lace has designed the Alumitone pickups to use 95% less copper wire than standard designs, significantly decreasing open pit mining operations and energy use during conversion of copper ore to wire. They call their current driven design more output without compromising clarity.
Aluminum frames designed to allow electrons to pass through reduce resonance and make pickups quieter than many other basses, while also helping ensure consistent tone across string range. Furthermore, eliminating magnetic fields that interfere with string signals enhances harmonic response and overall sound quality.
Lace notes that the Aluma P-Bass boasts a low reactance – this means it offers very little resistance to current, and thus, more output and dynamic range are possible. Furthermore, this bass responds better than many others to tone controls for shaping sound in different ways.
The Lace TranSensor bass employs its unique current bass design to produce gorgeous piano-like tones with massive punch, boasting five times greater signal-to-noise ratio compared to other conventional pickups and an increased signal-to-noise ratio than conventional bass pickups. This allows it to cut through a mix without losing its distinctive piano-like tone – perfect for jazz, rock, punk or other music genres that require clear and bright tones such as jazz rock punk punk genres as these pickups come available with four string versions allowing easy installation without additional preamp.
3. Model One
The Model One record player is an excellent choice for music enthusiasts seeking to expand their current record player’s capabilities. Equipped with digital AM/FM radio and auxilliary input as well as clicky source select dial, this model makes an ideal upgrade choice.
Hand-crafted from wood, the elegant wooden case of this system is both aesthetically pleasing and acoustically inert, featuring a striking modern white face and matching dials. Inside lies a single 3.0″ heavy-magnet long throw mono driver connected to an innovative frequency contouring circuit which automatically adjusts output in half octave increments for musically accurate tonal balance and bass response.
I found the Model One to have an exceptional focus throughout its midrange, which makes it perfect for both studio recordings and live performances. Listening to Alanis Morissette’s MTV Unplugged performance on it revealed all necessary spatial cues and ambience while providing plenty of detail around each instrument in the recording. Playing Placebo’s Meds gave a subtle yet dynamic overdrive response to touch or pick dynamics; additionally it excelled with higher gain settings by providing full-bodied saturation that reminded me of vintage tube amps.
4. Darkglass Tone Capsule Pre-Amp
Darkglass’ preamp offers a fresh approach to onboard preamplifiers. Specifically designed to keep the sound of your bass guitar intact while simultaneously expanding its potential sonic capabilities exponentially, this pre-amp offers unprecedented sonic potential.
Tone Capsule offers more than the typical Bass/Mids/Treble EQ configuration with its Low, Mid, and Back Mid controls allowing for completely unique ton-shaping potential. Furthermore, an improved High-Mid control enhances frequencies between 500Hz and 2.8kHz for better presence without adding noise or unwanted highs.
Sweetwater details that the Tone Capsule employs an active circuit with three input and output stages. The first stage is a differential preamp with two outputs; second stage is a differential booster with gain control that boosts frequencies from 500Hz to 2.8kHz for enhanced midrange growl and punch without becoming overpowering like typical treble controls do.
The Tone Capsule can be powered by connecting one or two 9V or 18V batteries in series (battery clips not included), as well as via standard DC power supply (not included). It comes equipped with both volume and blend potentiometers; however, battery clips and output jack must be installed separately.
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