replacing a 5-string bridge on a MIM J-bass

Peepaleep · #1 11-03-2010, 08:08 PM

I'm looking to tweak my '98-99 MIM J a little bit (mostly to get a better sound out of the weak B string) and was thinking that drilling some holes in the body and getting a string-through bridge might help.

Are there any bridges that will fit the already drilled holes, or do I have to dowel them and re-drill?

Also, what other improvements can I make?

As for pickups, people say that with the MIM's the bridge pickup and the neck p'up are the same width, but my bridge p'up is about 1/8" wider.

What do you folks think? I'm mainly looking for advice on how to get the B to sound better, but anything at all that will improve the tone will be appreciated.

dmusic148 · #2 11-03-2010, 08:12 PM

I hate to tell you, but your bass 'is what it is.' Doing a string-through bridge mod will not help your B string, sorry. Been there done that- it really makes no difference. It's really about the neck- replacing it with a stiffer, better quality unit should be your priority. I can just about guarantee that nothing else will help.

Peepaleep · #3 11-03-2010, 08:26 PM

Hmmm - I really like the feel of the neck though, it's just the feel and sound of the B that I am no longer happy with, and I don't want to drop close to a grand on a MIA to get a better B sound.

If you think I have to replace the neck - what do you suggest? A 35" scale, right? What can I get that would replicate the dimensions of this one? Thanks!

dmusic148 · #4 11-03-2010, 08:40 PM

You can't go to a 35" scale without moving the bridge toward the bridge pickup, by quite a bit. Or reroute the neck pocket......and there's no real agreement that the extra inch is really helpful anyway, in solving this problem...
But what most folks will agree on is, the stiffness of the neck, and it's overall quality, have a lot to do with it.
My suggestion would be to call USA Custom Guitars and run it by them. They can make a much better neck for you, with graphite stiffening bars if you wish(good idea IMO).

Peepaleep · #5 11-04-2010, 06:39 PM

Thanks for the advice. I'll call them and Warmoth to see what they think.

okcrum · #6 11-04-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peepaleep

Thanks for the advice. I'll call them and Warmoth to see what they think.

You can help out the B on a MIM Ver by trying different brands or gauges of strings. Some .125s sound quite good, but your favorite brand may require a .130 or .135 to get the tension up to snuff.

duderasta · #7 11-04-2010, 07:14 PM

My 98 MiM Jazz V works well with D'addario Nicklewounds with a 130 B I also replaced the stock pickups with CS SCN's

mntngrown · #8 11-04-2010, 10:11 PM

So is the whole Badass Hipshot and the new kid Babicz or whatever just a waste of money re clarity sustain?

Peepaleep · #9 11-04-2010, 11:30 PM

I've got Ernie Ball 130's on there now and it does not sound good at all. The B on by Schecter Stiletto blows it away, but I like the feel of the wider fender neck better. Will pickups really make the difference? I don't mind dropping a few C-notes into it if it will improve it significantly, but in absence of a significant change I'd rather dump it and save up for a Lakland Skyline or something comparable. Thanks for your thoughts folks - keep 'em coming!

**lowfreqgeek** · #10 11-16-2010, 05:03 PM

Cruces, Eh? I spent more than a few years there...

So, a couple things come to mind on your bass. Proper setup is one; just getting a good, even feel between all the strings make a difference in perception. Proper intonation can also help the B-string a lot, IME. Also, the pickup height can have a big impact on the B-string tone. The B-string has a lot of mass and the magnetic pull from the pickups can severely affect the tone by pulling the string out of tune and damping certain harmonics. It will sound thuddy, with weird harmonic overtones.

New pickups can help a LOT. As I recall, the stock MIM pickups from that era left a lot to be desired. Even the stock USA pickups from that era were awful on the B-string. The new ('08 and better) Fender USA pickups are good, or you can go with Fralins, Nordstrands, Hansons, Bartolinis, etc... All very good.

Other little things to consider include the neck/body joint. A less-than-solid joint can suck the life out of the B and E strings - due to their mass. I've experienced that a few times. If any of the neck screws aren't tight, you may have to plug and re-drill. Better yet, install stainless steel inserts and use machine bolts. Also, the break-over angle at the bridge and nut can have an impact as a more acute angle means more coupling pressure. I believe that's the reason Lakland and Sadowsky use a bar across all the strings just after the nut. I've also heard of the length of wrap around the tuning-post having an effect, but it very well could be that more wrap means a tighter angle over the nut (and more down-pressure on the nut).

Last, and least... If it comes down to replacing the neck, Warmoth now offers a direct MIM Jazz V replacement neck. Your bass is quite a bit older (may be different), but it's worth a call to Warmoth if you can't get solve it any other way.

Personally, I'd look into the setup and neck joint, and possibly replace the pickups with a set of *something* out of the TB classifieds (Bart 57's were in there just yesterday for cheap - direct replacement). The bridge is the least of your concerns if the B-string is weak.

One last consideration is technique. Aside from basic pickup adjustment and intonation (fundamental issues), try a very light touch on the B-string and see how it sounds. I've used EB Slinky's on several basses with very good results, but they are "slinky" and a heavy touch can compound any problems with pickup height and intonation - making the string sound flabby.

Hope that helps.

Peepaleep · #11 11-16-2010, 09:23 PM

Thanks, lowfreqgeek. I don't think I am going to replace the neck because I like the way it feels and plays. It's likely that I will replace the pu's and I may do what you said about the thread inserts and machine bolts for the neck.

What kind of pu's are you using, and why are you using them?

Yeah, I'm in Cruces. This sleepy little desert town fits me well.

**lowfreqgeek** · #12 11-16-2010, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peepaleep

Thanks, lowfreqgeek. I don't think I am going to replace the neck because I like the way it feels and plays. It's likely that I will replace the pu's and I may do what you said about the thread inserts and machine bolts for the neck.

What kind of pu's are you using, and why are you using them?

Yeah, I'm in Cruces. This sleepy little desert town fits me well.

My 4-string Jazz bass (Warmoth) has Seymour Duncan Antiquity II pickups. I had a '95 Fender Am. Std. Jazz V with custom-wound SD singles (Antiquity II for 5-string) in it that sounded fantastic. I also had an '08 Fender Am. Std. Jazz V that I took the stock Fender singles out of and put Hanson (Lakland) pickups from a JO5. Currently, I don't have any 5-strings with Jazz-style pickups as I couldn't get anything I liked better than my 4-string Jazz. What you end up with really depends on the sound you want, though. Here's a thread that I found helpful when I bought the Hansons for the '08 Fender: Nordstrands, Duncans, Fralins in a Lakland USA JO5 (Clips)

I really liked the Hansons. They had a pretty good "old-school" vibe to them: not overly bright, a little aggressive in the mids, and a nice round bottom to them. I may have preferred to go with Fralins (and may on the next one) for a little clearer top, based on the samples I've heard. I've also had a number of Norstrand pickups and really, really like them for certain things. For the tone I wanted in the '08 Jazz V, they were a little too bright and modern sounding. But again, it depends on what you want out of your bass.

As far as Cruces goes, I still have a lot of family there. Was born there, went back in '97 for college, worked at WSMR and NMSU for 6 years... Would love to go back if I had confidence in the job market there, but I've been there and done that.

Peepaleep · #13 11-16-2010, 10:52 PM

From the links that are posted to that thread you pasted, the SD's sound the best to my ear (through these crappy PC speakers). I think I am going to check them out. Thanks

bassbenj · #14 11-16-2010, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duderasta

My 98 MiM Jazz V works well with D'addario Nicklewounds with a 130 B I also replaced the stock pickups with CS SCN's

+1
Works pretty well giving a passable (but not great) B string. I do need new pickups too, but haven't forked out for them. (I like Norstrand NJ5SE)

But I'm afraid that to REALLY fix the B string it'd take something like a new graphite neck. And that would be a pretty big chunk of change to go from passable to great.

**lowfreqgeek** · #15 11-17-2010, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peepaleep

From the links that are posted to that thread you pasted, the SD's sound the best to my ear (through these crappy PC speakers). I think I am going to check them out. Thanks

Can't go wrong with SDs, IMO. Also look at the new Aguilar AG 5J-60 pickups.

Just be mindful of the pickup shell size. Also, the older MIM Jazz V has narrower spacing than the USA, as I recall, so keep that in mind. It may or may not be an issue... A bar-type magnet (Bartolini, Joe Barden) will solve any issues, if there are any.

Peepaleep · #16 11-17-2010, 07:20 PM

I figure I could always rout the pu hole a bit if they don't fit. I'll call SD and see if they have a direct replacement. If not, I'll break out the tools. Thanks.