Pickup Help?

[mc2NY]

OK....Maybe someone can save me some time searching and soldering.

I have a bass that sounds too clean, bright  and sterile. It's stock setup is a passive Bartolini PJ set in a maple setneck body. It's actually an 80s Pedulla MVP8 for those who have to know.

I'm tying to get it more in a Thunderbird sound range, preferably like the hotter overwound NR 60s or Orville PUP.

Wondering what PJ set might best get me closest?

My first thought was a dual blade-type/humbucker set (to match the guts of a TBird PUP) like an 80s OBL PJ set? I have an old OBL set somewhere in my pile.

or maybe a hot DiMarzio Splt P/Ultra Jazz ?

or Duncan Quarter Pound or Hot For P/J Bass?

I DON'T want to route/mod the body.

Any opinions or anyone who has tackled this same problem before?

[dadagoboi]

I vote for the DiMarzios though IMO just about anything would be an improvement over the Barts if you're looking for a 60s TBird sound.

The maple body might make it tough.  In about a month I hope to have a maple body JAEbird with a ThunderBucker Max pup (darker and hotter than a TBer66 spec).  The theory is that might help even out the differences between a maple vs mahogany body.

[gearHed289]

I have a bass that sounds too clean, bright  and sterile. It's stock setup is a passive Bartolini PJ set in a maple setneck body. It's actually an 80s Pedulla MVP8 for those who have to know.

Sell it and buy a T-Bird.  I had an MVP for a while. I never got on board with it completely, though the neck was fantastic. The Barts seemed to have no tone at all. I had to crank the active bass and treble controls, and that sounded kind of "artificial", even though I was a big EMG guy at the time. My band mates finally broke it to me that my cheap Guild Pilot sounded better, so off it went. Still have the case though. Fits my Les Paul perfectly. 

I vote for DiMarzios as well. Good luck!

[mc2NY]

Sell it and buy a T-Bird.  I had an MVP for a while. I never got on board with it completely, though the neck was fantastic.

I vote for DiMarzios as well. Good luck!

I actually own a few TBirds....

I've have this MVP for decades...great neck. Fortunately it's an earlier one with the simpler electronics I run passive...I hate active electronics. My only beef is it is too clean sounding. I'd opted to use other 8-strings when I needed more of a rock sound but I've finally decided to try and change out the PUPs to see if I can get this one closer to what I like.

I actually have several basses with Bartolinis in them that sounds really great....just not this one.

[dadagoboi]

I actually have several basses with Bartolinis in them that sounds really great....just not this one.

I have one in my GWB-1, it sounds fantastic.  Put a set of the supposed Thunderbird Barts in Jim D's JAEbird, major disappointment.

[Bionic-Joe]

I just tried out a prototype 66 Max T Bird pickup the other day and it Killed!!!! However....I used a Lindy Frahlin p bass pickup once and it sounded Killer, just like a Vintage p bass pickup with the big cut throat vintage Pre-cbs vibe.  Or maybe try those dual blade P bass J bass pickups. That might Kill as well. Forget the active stuff.