humbucking jazz bass pickup singles

newfuture · #1 10-17-2007, 06:00 PM

Hi-

I've been having a difficult time finding manufacturers making jazz bass pickups fitting the following:

1) available in singles (I need a neck PU; will consider routing for a bridge)

2) passive

3) humbucking/ noise cancelling / stacked...operative word is quiet.

4) Blade or Bar magnet (not using pole pieces). Prefer covered a'la EMG.

5) tonally very deep. I'm looking to counteract a fairly midrangy PU location as much as possible. Point of reference for tone would be closest to reggae.

So far I've found PU's by Bartolini and EMG that look like they'll fit the bill...any other manufacturers y'all know about?

Thanks!

Greenman · #2 10-18-2007, 12:50 PM

Delano makes a skinny square split coil I believe. Carey Nordstrand makes the NJ4SE which is split coil but has exposed poles.

newfuture · #3 10-18-2007, 05:30 PM

thanks for the input; I'd never heard of Delano before...Will call Fearless Guitars in Portland, OR (exclusive US outlet) and see what they have to say.

newfuture · #4 10-19-2007, 01:44 PM

Ordered a Delano jc4he from Fearless in Portland, OR. $70us for a single. Should get it in a couple weeks and will post back when I've had a while to play around with it.

Will also say Fearless were a pleasure to deal with; Chance is a knowledgeable and amiable fellow.

Fender32 · #5 10-19-2007, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newfuture

Ordered a Delano jc4he from Fearless in Portland, OR. $70us for a single. Should get it in a couple weeks and will post back when I've had a while to play around with it.

Will also say Fearless were a pleasure to deal with; Chance is a knowledgeable and amiable fellow.

How much!??

I live less than a hundred miles from the factory where they're made and if I want one (actually, I want two

), they cost $105 each over here !!!

That says a lot about the current exchange rate

.

They sure look sexy though (sigh....

):

newfuture · #6 12-31-2007, 05:40 PM

Just a quick follow up as I got PM'd to see how progress was progressing.

I received the PU on 12/23 (about 6 weeks longer than expected) and am hoping to install it in the next week or so. First impression is that it's really heavy. Take that as you will

more later.

kesslari · #7 12-31-2007, 06:03 PM

I'll be interested to hear how you like it.
I just ordered the Bartolini's jazz hum buckers.
I'm interested to see how i like them, as well.

fullrangebass · #8 01-01-2008, 03:41 AM

VIllex V2JLH pickups are just what you described in the OP

1) available in singles (I need a neck PU; will consider routing for a bridge)

2) passive

3) humbucking/ noise cancelling / stacked...operative word is quiet.

4) Blade or Bar magnet (not using pole pieces). Prefer covered a'la EMG.

5) tonally very deep. I'm looking to counteract a fairly midrangy PU location as much as possible. Point of reference for tone would be closest to reggae.

I used the "Classic" Villex loaded Dingwall at a Festival where the bands ranged from reggae to dub and I was the one who got compliments for the bass sound (as well as performance)

newfuture · #9 01-07-2008, 07:07 PM

Followup:

So this is for a 3-string bass, E-A-D. The middle A string is located where the A string would be on a narrow 5 string instrument. I thought I'd been thorough in choosing a PU, but fudged up. I was looking for a stacked PU, but the JC4HE is a split configuration. This puts the A string directly over the the gap between the two coils. Net result is the A string is ~20dB lower than the other two strings. D'oh! Totally unusable in this instrument.

That said, the PU sounds very good, and is quiet, so I'll try it in a 4-string (currently loaded with a stacked Seymour Duncan) and report back.

So the original question still stands, but with the caveat that the PU must be stacked or like a hot-rail type design-mini-humbucker in a Jazz bass size PU.

newfuture · #10 01-10-2008, 04:36 PM

Followup on the Delano:

It's now in a 4-string fretless wishbass, replacing a seymour duncan hot-stack.

First impressions: the output level is hotter, and the tone is not as different as I'd have suspected (both sound great. I'd not have swapped the SD if the Delano had worked in the 3 string).

Comparing the tone of the Delano against the SD:
The low end feels more present, the mids are much less pronounced, and the highs feel a little more present than the SD. It's more of a HiFi tone than the SD, which is closer to a classic Jazz bass tone.

The background noise is also MUCH lower with the Delano, ~ 10-15dB lower on my record meters.

I also put an abbreviated 2-position varitone circuit in the bass (choke= 1.4H, caps .1mfd & .047mfd) for mid-scooping. Amazing improvement.

Have also ordered an SD SJB-5n PU for the 3-stringer; it's a stacked, blade design that SD recommend for both 4 & 5 string basses, so it should have good balance across the strings.

Will keep you posted.