American Deluxe J - help me out

[Powdered Toast]

I've got a 2001 Fender American Deluxe Jazz Bass with the 9v stock preamp and the vintage noiseless pickups. I'm not crazy about the tone I get - I mainly use a pick and I find the sound to be very "clicky" and snappy.

What would you all suggest?
1) Change pickups, but leave the preamp
2) Change the preamp, but keep the pickups
3) Change both
4) Other (please specify)

I probably should elaborate on the tone I like. I have a MIM passive Jazz with SD 1/4 pounders in it and I LOVE the tone on that bass. I like it big and ballsy. I know, why not just put QP's into the Deluxe too, but I don't want two identical sounding basses - know what I mean?

[zachbass02]

put some vintage single coils or some fralin singles in it. should help you get that ballsy growly tone....swap out the pre to an Aggie OBP-3 or 1 if you want. I personally would leave the pre and just do the pups.

[guy n. cognito]

What kind of strings are you using? If stainless steel, I would suggest switching to nickel. Also, can you cure your problem by simply rolling off the treble a bit?

[62bass]

Scrap the preamp, sell the pickups and put in SD Antiquities and run them passive.

[Powdered Toast]

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

What kind of strings are you using? If stainless steel, I would suggest switching to nickel. Also, can you cure your problem by simply rolling off the treble a bit?

Fender NPS roundwounds.

[guy n. cognito]

Originally Posted by Powdered Toast

Fender NPS roundwounds.

That's what I use as well. I find them a bit "clangy" when first installed, but the tend to sound great to me after a few days.

If reducing treble slightly doesn't cure you're issues, I would suggest replacing the pickups, not the preamp. Maybe a new set of the Fender SCN pickups?

[Powdered Toast]

I've thought about the SCN's but how would they be with the 9v preamp? I'm going to have to go try out a newer AD Jazz at the store to see how those pups are.

I'm fine with the clang of new strings (actually like it) but it's the clickiness of these pickups. They seem a bit sterile. Now, I don't know if that's the pickups themselves, or from the preamp. This is the first and only active instrument I've had (all others passive).

[vcs700s]

Put on some D'Addario Chromes and get a BBE Sonic Stomp foot pedal. That should help.

[Nedmundo]

I had a '99 Am. Dlx. Precision, and I understand your dilemma. I thought it was a bit sterile and lacking in "balls," and couldn't figure out whether to blame the pickups, pre, or both.

I'd suggest starting with the pickups though, and agree with the Fralin recommendation for maximum growl. I use Fralin's noiseless Split Jazz in my passive J, also with Fender NPS strings, and get excellent results. Then possibly add an active/passive switch.

I had little experience with the Am. Deluxe J with 9v pre, but I recently played one of the 18v models and was impressed. (I'm considering a five string version.) So I bet the SCN pickups and/or that 18v pre would be an upgrade, but I still think you'll get more aggressive growl with the Fralins.

[johnpaulbass]

I would go for the option n.2 ....

a good j retro