Vintage Fender 66 P-Bass pickups vs EMG PCS active pickups comparison

P Bass pickup comparison: Actual old vintage 1966 fender P-Bass pickup vs EMG PCS pickup (nothing funny here, just me being a music and tech nerd)

A little explanation as to why I picked these 2 pickups. I have A Steinberger XL bass which is my goto for recording because it always sounds amazing. It has the EMG-SS (Steinberger Sound) pickups. Somewhere along the line Steinberger switched to EMG-HB pickups which just don't have the same mojo. (I have clips comparing these 2 pickups in an XL and XM, I'll get around to posting it someday) Anyhoo, in somewhat modern times, EMG released the EMG HBCS pickup which does a pretty great job of recreating the old EMG-SS sound. (That pickup also will be in that other filmed -but as yet not posted- video)

I could be wrong on this part but The SS was rumored to be very much like a P bass pickup just crammed into a humbucker sized case. When EMG switched to the HB they got rid of the bottom plate (hidden in the epoxy) and switched magnets (????? Someone correct me if I'm wrong here, don't want to spread miss-information.) No idea if it's like a PAF or just split as the old SS was just split. Anyway, they sound different.

It got me to thinking. The newer HBCS does the SS thing so well, is there any chance they make a version that fits a standard P Bass? If you go by naming convention alone, YES the EMG-PCS should be just that. Soooooo, wanting to get that old SS sound but from my my more comfortable old great mojo wood Fender neck and body I decided to try it out. And this is the results.

When wearing the cowboy Hat. I'm playing the original passive fender pickups. When wearing the ball cap. I'm playing the EMG-PCS. When wearing Headphones, it's recorded direct (into a ART TubeMix which doubles as the audio interface - apple camera connection kit - all digital into an iPad ) When not wearing headphones, It's being played through a Fender Champ 12 which is a rivera era single ended 6L6 tube amp that I like a lot for bass and picked up through the iPad microphone.

In the end. I like both. I haven't made up my mind which I'll stick with in the long run for the p-bass since I already have the Steinberger sound in the actual Steinberger, I don't need for the Fender to sound the same although if I only had one or the other, my leanings would probably be reversed.

Yeah the playings not that great, I don't care. It distorts in parts, sorry for that too. The tv is on on the background on one part, my bad. Nobody taught me the correct way to wear hats. Sorry for that. Enjoy the tone!


Links:
Art TubeMix https://amzn.to/3PaNk7K
EMG PCS: https://www.emgpickups.com/bass/p-models/pcs.html
(note the pickup wiring diagram online for the PCS is wrong, I hooked it up and didn't get any sound out of half the pickup. Luckily, nothing exploded and I tried moving the power wire to the other side of the pickup and that works perfect - I should have taken a picture)