Best Pickups for a Fender PJ? Go!

faulknersj · #1 01-20-2013, 03:09 PM

What are the best PJ pickups in your opinion? Why? I am looking for a nicely balanced set for Funk, Soul, Jazz, and Blues.

That Sustain · #2 01-20-2013, 03:11 PM

I suggest you ask this at the Fender Lounge. You'll get advice on pots, orange drops..all things tone there.

faulknersj · #3 01-20-2013, 03:13 PM

Do u have a link to the lounge?

Catbuster · #4 01-20-2013, 04:23 PM

'62 P/SD Hot Stack Jazz

Dimarzio DP126

SD SPB-3/Dimarzio Ultra Jazz

faulknersj · #5 01-20-2013, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbuster

'62 P/SD Hot Stack Jazz

Dimarzio DP126

SD SPB-3/Dimarzio Ultra Jazz

What can u tell me about the 62' P / SD Hot Stack jazz combo?
Thank You!

NOLA Bass · #6 01-20-2013, 04:30 PM

The Lindy Fralin PJ set is great and I've heard great things about the new Aguilar PJ set as well.

rzpooch · #7 01-20-2013, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

The Lindy Fralin PJ set is great and I've heard great things about the new Aguilar PJ set as well.

10% overwound j pickup!!!

faulknersj · #8 01-20-2013, 04:33 PM

I have heard great things about the Fralins too. I would live to hear some first hand reviews on them.

Catbuster · #9 01-20-2013, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faulknersj

What can u tell me about the 62' P / SD Hot Stack jazz combo?
Thank You!

The '62 P is a really warm, woolly, ballsy type of vintage P bass pickup. The Hot Stack is pretty close (a little less) to the P in output, and while it's slightly less warm (think midrange burp) than an actual single coil, there's no 60 cycle hum. It basically takes the P and gives the tone more articulation without sounding thinner at all.

I find it sounds best passive VVT in an Alder/Rosewood bass- It has a nice midrange punch. With that said, I think it will work with any bass.

faulknersj · #10 01-20-2013, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rzpooch

10% overwound j pickup!!!

Have u played one? Higher output? Mid boost high's cut?

NOLA Bass · #11 01-20-2013, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faulknersj

I have heard great things about the Fralins too. I would live to hear some first hand reviews on them.

I had a Fender Am Std with a Fralin PJ set. Compared to my Fender Hot Rod, I thought it was a much better sounding set. I played metal gigs w Blue Steels and alt country gigs with flats and it covered that much ground. They are warm but def not wooly and able to cut through dense guitars pretty well. Very balanced set.

faulknersj · #12 01-20-2013, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbuster

The '62 P is a really warm, woolly, ballsy type of vintage P bass pickup. The Hot Stack is pretty close (a little less) to the P in output, and while it's slightly less warm (think midrange burp) than an actual single coil, there's no 60 cycle hum. It basically takes the P and gives the tone more articulation without sounding thinner at all.

I find it sounds best passive VVT in an Alder/Rosewood bass- It has a nice midrange punch. With that said, I think it will work with any bass.

Thank you for the detailed description. That sounds like essentially what I'm looking for! I like nice mid range punch + tight but full low end + highs that aren't clanky or brittle. My bass is Alder/rosewood.

faulknersj · #13 01-20-2013, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOLA Bass

I had a Fender Am Std with a Fralin PJ set. Compared to my Fender Hot Rod, I thought it was a much better sounding set. I played metal gigs w Blue Steels and alt country gigs with flats and it covered that much ground. They are warm but def not wooly and able to cut through dense guitars pretty well. Very balanced set.

Thanks for the input! Were either of the pickups overwound?

Mykk · #14 01-20-2013, 07:24 PM

This question is highly personal preference.

In my opinion, I dig the voicing of the duncan SPB1 & SJB1 together. The SPB2 & SJB2 have a good modern rock bite to them. I like SJB3 jazz pickups and I have tried two sets of the SPB3 precisions and I feel the take away to much of the sound.

faulknersj · #15 01-20-2013, 07:25 PM

If you guys dont mind, I would like to pick your brains about tone pots. My tone pot has way more effect on volume than I would like. Any thoughts?

faulknersj · #16 01-20-2013, 07:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mykk

This question is highly personal preference.

In my opinion, I dig the voicing of the duncan SPB1 & SJB1 together.

Can you describe that combo? Good for funk..blues,...jazz?

Mykk · #17 01-20-2013, 07:33 PM

I think "vintage" is a good description. Not my vids, but...

SPB1 & SJB1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FWhuXTcdRQ

SPB2 & SJB2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsh__UVuHXc

Catbuster · #18 01-20-2013, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faulknersj

If you guys dont mind, I would like to pick your brains about tone pots. My tone pot has way more effect on volume than I would like. Any thoughts?

Are you sure it's not a loss of top end presence?

I know Gibson made a tone pot for Slash with not volume roll-off when the tone was tolled off... I'm not sure where to get one. The Fender Greasebucket tone pot didn't seem to have that problem, and neither did the TBX in my old Jazz Special.

faulknersj · #19 01-20-2013, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mykk

I think "vintage" is a good description. Not my vids, but...

SPB1 & SJB1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0FWhuXTcdRQ

SPB2 & SJB2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsh__UVuHXc

Both have a really nice mid presence. Thanks for posting the clips. I listened to them on my iPhone but will listen thru my Bose computer speakers when I'm at home to get the full range. Thru my iPhone, I'm leaning toward the SPB2+SJB2 combo.

faulknersj · #20 01-20-2013, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Catbuster

Are you sure it's not a loss of top end presence?

I know Gibson made a tone pot for Slash with not volume roll-off when the tone was tolled off... I'm not sure where to get one. The Fender Greasebucket tone pot didn't seem to have that problem, and neither did the TBX in my old Jazz Special.

It is a loss of high and mid presence, but to a point that there is a noticeable effect on the volume. The tone control is not usable across it's full range without adjusting the amp volume to compensate.