Fender custom shop custom classic

[mactac]

I bought one of these a few months ago & am I bit unhappy with the sound. it's boomy but weak, no growl & has no "life".

I'm assuming it the electronics, as a $2500 fender bass should sound better than this.

it' s got the bass/treble/volume/mid cut & boost knobs, i think the same that goes into the deluxe.


any suggestions as to what electronics I should throw in there (or maybe this won't solve my problem?) that would complement the jazz well & be a huge step up from the active electronics that are in there?

I'm looking for a silky smooth "alive" sound , not boomy with with good bottom end & a smooth upper mids/highs & a growly midrange.

[Psychicpet]

Sorry to hear

now, i don't have any experience with custom shop Fenders but I do love Aguilar on-boards. My recommendation would be to try an OBP-3 in it, that'd smarten up any electronics issues, as for being kind of lifeless.... well, that could just be the bass itself but the Aggie should wake it up

[mactac]

i hve an aguilar in my thumb bass & love it... i just wasn't sure hwo it would compare to what is in there now & if it suited the jazz...

[kobass]

I had a CS Custom Classic V. I know what you mean about the tone. I ended up selling mine, so I never tried any other pup/pre in there. They really are killer basses though in terms of quality and playability.

I would think that Fralin pups would still keep the classic J sound. Maybe an Audere or East pre would be a good fit?

[epoxo57]

I have its brother, the Custom Classic IV in 3-tone sunburst and rosewood, blocked fingerboard. The Fender Noiseless were realy weak on the E string. Swapped em out for Nordy NJ4's and still used the stock Fender preamp and am really happy with the tone--very growly all over. Killer slap/pop tone in my opinion, but the entire bass in general accounts for this, not just the pickups. Even with hi-fi EMG's, it still sounded "Fender Jazzish" which I prefer when funkin'.
I was where you are--just shelled out $2K for this crap (should have got a Sadowsky at this price range)?? To help ease my mind and smoking wallet, I have played a lot of Jazzes over the years, but this one is definitely the best one in terms of quality and tone. Swapping out the pickups seemed to be the kicker for me. It competes for attention against my other "kids" (a G&L L2000, EB Sterling, and a Wawick Corvette) and seems to be the spoiled one

[DJJazzV]

Originally Posted by mactac

I bought one of these a few months ago & am I bit unhappy with the sound. it's boomy but weak, no growl & has no "life".

I'm assuming it the electronics, as a $2500 fender bass should sound better than this.

it' s got the bass/treble/volume/mid cut & boost knobs, i think the same that goes into the deluxe.


any suggestions as to what electronics I should throw in there (or maybe this won't solve my problem?) that would complement the jazz well & be a huge step up from the active electronics that are in there?

I'm looking for a silky smooth "alive" sound , not boomy with with good bottom end & a smooth upper mids/highs & a growly midrange.

Quarter Pounders! I just put them in my Deluxe V, and ordered them for my Custom Shop V. At the current time, I can A/B the two basses and really hear the difference!
Good luck.

[mactac]

Originally Posted by epoxo57

I have its brother, the Custom Classic IV in 3-tone sunburst and rosewood, blocked fingerboard. The Fender Noiseless were realy weak on the E string. Swapped em out for Nordy NJ4's and still used the stock Fender preamp and am really happy with the tone--very growly all over. Killer slap/pop tone in my opinion, but the entire bass in general accounts for this, not just the pickups. Even with hi-fi EMG's, it still sounded "Fender Jazzish" which I prefer when funkin'.
I was where you are--just shelled out $2K for this crap (should have got a Sadowsky at this price range)?? To help ease my mind and smoking wallet, I have played a lot of Jazzes over the years, but this one is definitely the best one in terms of quality and tone. Swapping out the pickups seemed to be the kicker for me. It competes for attention against my other "kids" (a G&L L2000, EB Sterling, and a Wawick Corvette) and seems to be the spoiled one

so, basically the fender noiseless pickups are no good then (at least on this bass), is that right?

what didn't you like about the tone & how did it change when you put in the new pickups?

[mactac]

Originally Posted by DJJazzV

Quarter Pounders! I just put them in my Deluxe V, and ordered them for my Custom Shop V. At the current time, I can A/B the two basses and really hear the difference!
Good luck.

what's the difference that you hear & what didn't you like about the tone before you put in the quarter pounders?

[DJJazzV]

Originally Posted by mactac

what's the difference that you hear & what didn't you like about the tone before you put in the quarter pounders?

I found the stock Noiseless to be "thin". They never cut through my original band either. I bought a Stingray 5 HH bass, and that cut through insanely! I wanted a blend between the two for the Jazz V, and the Quarter Pounders were it. They added beef, and kept the clarity. Go to the SD website, and check out the specs. They show Bass/Mid/Treble ratings for their pickups. That should help you as well.

[mactac]

ok, thanks a lot.

I'm finding the same thing - they sound thin & with a really clacky high end. Also, if you hit the strings just the wrong way, they really spike... they almost seem like they are "super active" if you know what i mean

I've been doing some reading here & have found that there isn't much love for these fender pickups here...

Originally Posted by DJJazzV

I found the stock Noiseless to be "thin". They never cut through my original band either. I bought a Stingray 5 HH bass, and that cut through insanely! I wanted a blend between the two for the Jazz V, and the Quarter Pounders were it. They added beef, and kept the clarity. Go to the SD website, and check out the specs. They show Bass/Mid/Treble ratings for their pickups. That should help you as well.

[SevenReasons]

This should help ya out man. I just bought my Fender custom shop classic a month ago and I had them put the aguilar OBP 3 before they shipped it. I have a american deluxe with the noiseless so I knew I wouldn't like them before i even played it. My custom shop with the Aguilar is just killing right now. It definatley the way to go and the configuration fits into the stock pots on your custom shop. Get Paul Farley from Tom Lee to intall the preamp, he's one of the best techs in Van and a Bass Player too!!!!!! Everytime i'm through there on a gig i get him to set up my bass. hope that helps. They don't carry aguilar at tom lee so you would have to order it online probably and have him install it

[mactac]

Originally Posted by SevenReasons

This should help ya out man. I just bought my Fender custom shop classic a month ago and I had them put the aguilar OBP 3 before they shipped it. I have a american deluxe with the noiseless so I knew I wouldn't like them before i even played it. My custom shop with the Aguilar is just killing right now. It definatley the way to go and the configuration fits into the stock pots on your custom shop. Get Paul Farley from Tom Lee to intall the preamp, he's one of the best techs in Van and a Bass Player too!!!!!! Everytime i'm through there on a gig i get him to set up my bass. hope that helps. They don't carry aguilar at tom lee so you would have to order it online probably and have him install it

nice, ok... too bad I'm in victoria & not vancouver...

So, you're happy with the fender noiseless pups then? it was just the pre?

[epoxo57]

Originally Posted by mactac

so, basically the fender noiseless pickups are no good then (at least on this bass), is that right?

what didn't you like about the tone & how did it change when you put in the new pickups?

I wouldn't say I hated them or they are bad, they just were severely lacking any low end oomph on the E string and just not my taste overall. Maybe I got a lemon batch? They were punchy though, a little hi-fi-ish maybe. Lower output than my Nordies. But yet, I am a chronic tweaker to my basses too. The only one I have not touched electronically is my G&L

[SevenReasons]

ya the noiseless are fine its just the preamp I hated. It almost sounds as good and big as my Kinal 5 with Bart soapbars and the obp3.

[mactac]

hmm.. some people say it's the electronics, some people say the pickups... darnit, i can't replace both