i want some new jazz pickups

[jcphockey16]

i have an american deluxe jazz bass and i want to get a little more punch out of my bass, similar to a musicman but not quite as harsh. any pickup input is welcome i'm thinking i want to try out the dimarzio ultra jazz pickups.

[Fool]

Sounds like you have a good plan. They are a very good pickup, and IMO tey are better than stock. Of course I sold my Jazz for a 65 Precision. Set some goals for yourelf you can accomplish whatever. I would also recommend Emg, but select few like that sound.

[spaz21387]

try the delano jmvc 4s They are a split coil humbucker. So they should give you a mm like tone but still sound like a jazz. bestbassgear.com is one of the only places that sells delanos in the us.

[fullrangebass]

Read the sticky on the J-pickups. Very informative

[mattygbass]

Originally Posted by fullrangebass

Read the sticky on the J-pickups. Very informative

+1, then go buy the model j's.

[Davo-London]

Nordstrand NJSEs and Audere pre-amp will sort you out.

Davo

[4Mal]

actually, I would try the Audere by itself first. The AM Deluxe J pre is a little polite. The Audere is somewhat more organic and I think let's more character through. Dialing in the low & hi z-modes will give you either more thump or more cut - A J is never going to be a 'ray. The right pre can get you in the neighborhood though.

I used that MIA Deluxe pre in a custom J I built from USACG body and Fender neck. I was doing smooth jazz stuff at the time. The pre was really well voiced for that. It's a much better pre than most folks give it credit for I think.

Definately not 'ray like though.

[4StringTheorist]

There are different schools of thought on whether you ought to go for new pickups or a preamp here.

1.) If you really love the basic amplified sound of your bass.. it's inherent amplified tone.. and all you seek is a way to adjust in some punch when you need it, then that argues for leaving your pickups as they are and going the preamp route.

2.) If you find the basic amplified tone of the bass lacking.. then it's time to look at changing your pickups.

Fullrangebass is right, the J pickup post that's stickied at the top of this forum is an awesome resource.

For my own opinion.. I've recently found "similar to a musicman but not quite as harsh" since putting Nordstrand NJ4SV pickups and an Audere preamp in my bass.^* It's not truly a MusicMan tone, but it's within spitting distance, so I can tell you that it is possible with a J. I'm not saying that you need to go the route I went, I'm just saying that it's possible.

In terms of new pickups.. when I think MusicMan-in-a-J, those Delano J pickups with the massive single polepieces keep coming to mind.

^* High-Z, moderate bass boost, slight low mid cut, slight or no treble boost to taste, favor the bridge pickup by about a 1/4 turn