Jazz Bass Pickup upgrade (???)

InRodweTruss · #1 03-21-2008, 08:27 PM

I have a Standard Jazz, and thinking about getting new pickups. What is a good upgrade for this particular guitar?

Fender Noiseless?
Fender SCN??
Active pickup upgrade???

spc · #2 03-21-2008, 08:29 PM

what don't you like about the stock pickups?

shawn

DavePlaysBass · #3 03-21-2008, 08:30 PM

I like my Fender Custom Shops. If I was looking to boost a jazz in tone I would look at Nordstrands. There you have three drop in options, two of them humbucking. I just put a Nordstrand pickup in a P-bass and I really like it. Great definition and clarity.

Lincoln · #4 03-21-2008, 08:38 PM

Dimarzio Ultra Jazz, Sadowsky, Nordstrands, Lindy Fralins and each have nuances that they focus on -- there's an old Bass Player Mag article that had a shootout.

I went for the Dimarzio's because they were the best bang for the $$$. I wanted Sadowsky sound and quality without paying for it and Ultra Jazz's were it for me.

jsm81 · #5 03-21-2008, 08:38 PM

I recently dropped some Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pups into my MIM Jazz and it sounds great. Played around with the actual pup height for a while but now I can get a real punchy fat (well as fat as single coils will get) with a nice vintage snap. Really impressed and for $100 you can't beat it. BTW, get them through www.bestbassgear.com, I'm completely impressed with their service.

FronTowardEnemy · #6 03-21-2008, 08:43 PM

I decided to keep it in the family. I put in Fender Vintage Noiseless
pickups in my MIA Jazz. I like the tone live and recorded. My second choice would be Fender Custom Shop.

Mr. Majestic · #7 03-21-2008, 08:47 PM

I think in that BP shootout the AERO got highest honors. Nordstrand are also amazing pups.

Lincoln · #8 03-21-2008, 08:50 PM

Aero's are great as well/

The key is what type of "J bass" sound you are looking to get. There are those who are vintage tone purists and those who want more modern tones.

Are you adding a preamp? that will make a difference, as well.

doktorfeelgood · #9 03-21-2008, 08:59 PM

I have a set of DiMarzio Model J's in my 2006 Fender Highway 1 Jazz bass and they are awesome. Fat bottom with a good midrange and decent high end and dead quiet. They are a side-by-side humbucker, not a single coil and the fact that they are a four conductor pickup means that you can wire them like your original pickups or wire them with a mini-toggle switch for series/parallel. And they are not too expensive. I'll give you a link. They will make your bass sound much better. Highly recommended. )-(

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/produ...Set?sku=302290

InRodweTruss · #10 03-22-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spc

what don't you like about the stock pickups?

shawn

Nothing in particular. I haven't used anything else, and I'm just wondering if there is something better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

Aero's are great as well/

The key is what type of "J bass" sound you are looking to get. There are those who are vintage tone purists and those who want more modern tones.

Are you adding a preamp? that will make a difference, as well.

For this J, i'm going to stick to passive tone. When I'm ready for something new, I'll probably end up picking up a Deluxe Jazz. I love the sound of an old bass, but in no way a purist. So I would like a little more of a modern sound.

JLubinsky-Mast · #11 03-22-2008, 09:37 AM

What kind of pickup would you use if you are going for a more dub reggae geared tone. A big clear bottom kind of deal in a passive jazz?

Lindsey · #12 03-22-2008, 09:54 AM

Have you read the sticky thread by Smash on "j pickup comparison". It's pretty comprehensive. Helped me decide to pick some nordstrand singles (which I love) for my jazz.

dagrev · #13 03-22-2008, 02:47 PM

I have a MIM Jazz that I put some Fender Custom Shop 60's in and it 1made a big difference. The bass is still bright but more body. The tone knob came a live. These babies are hot.

I was able to pick them up from a fellow TBer for less than a hundred bucks. I would do it again.

Bass Below · #14 03-23-2008, 01:14 AM

InRodweTruss · #15 03-23-2008, 10:39 AM

What the F is that?!!^^^

SnorLars · #16 03-23-2008, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagrev

I have a MIM Jazz that I put some Fender Custom Shop 60's in and it 1made a big difference. The bass is still bright but more body. The tone knob came a live. These babies are hot.

I was able to pick them up from a fellow TBer for less than a hundred bucks. I would do it again.

I must be deaf or sumthin cause I just swapped PU's on my MIM J-bass -04 to the Custom Shop's and the only diff that I noticed was that the volume over all strings was more uniform with the CS...and the mids where slightly more defined.
It surely was not the big diff that most swappers talk about.

But I'd buy em anytime just to have something to talk about with other musicians.

GabeN · #17 03-23-2008, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InRodweTruss

What the F is that?!!^^^

That is a Q-tuner. They are supposed to be really bright and hi-fi and use neodymium magnets. They are super-spendy though at $150 or so apiece.

QuintrKD · #18 03-24-2008, 10:19 AM

+1 on the Nordstrands. I just installed them with the Rothstein harness on my MIM fretless, and ended up with a nice vintage tone that really cuts through the mix. The muddy bottom end has definitely been cleaned up by replacing the stock pickups. The one new pot on the harness actually allows me to switch between series and parallel modes.

mjolnir · #19 03-24-2008, 10:31 AM

Two words:

Stan Hinesley.

artdrtr · #20 03-24-2008, 10:32 AM

I just put Ultras in my MIM -- Ask for Brian at www.bestbassgear.com he is great to deal with...

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsm81

I recently dropped some Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pups into my MIM Jazz and it sounds great. Played around with the actual pup height for a while but now I can get a real punchy fat (well as fat as single coils will get) with a nice vintage snap. Really impressed and for $100 you can't beat it. BTW, get them through www.bestbassgear.com, I'm completely impressed with their service.