Noiseless Jazz Pickups

[jbailes]

Nice thread, here. I just a new condition Fender Jazz 24, and the stock SD quarter pounders just aren't doing it for me. The bass is active with treble, bass, mid, and a mid switch, which eventually, I'm gonna replace with an AG OBP-3. What pickups would work well with this? Based on youtube samples, I've been real impressed with the Nord nj4sv and the Aguilar pickups, but would definitely go for a split coil design. I've got a pair of nj4 se's in an MIM Fender jazz and they are spectacular. I'm just looking for something with a tad mre high end, since I use harmonics quite a bit.

[chucko58]

Repeating myself again... Wilde J-45s from Bill Lawrence. They sound great and the price is right.

[4Mal]

Originally Posted by chucko58

Repeating myself again... Wilde J-45s from Bill Lawrence. They sound great and the price is right.

Good but not noiseless....

My take is that under a C Note, frankly you're searching for unobtanium... My choice would be the side by side, dual coil J's from Vintage Vibe Guitars. I owned the Prototype set and a production set and they just rocked. 2 other local bassists that played one of my J's with those pickps bought sets immediately after.

Sounds like a J but less noise.

[chucko58]

(Re: Wilde J-45s)

Originally Posted by 4Mal

Good but not noiseless....

They certainly are in my basses. What's your experience with them?

[TommyKnocker]

Gotta chime in here with a strong recommendation for the DiMarzio Area J.
I installed a set in a parts bass after reading many positive reviews on TB.
The bass is a '66 Precision neck on what I think is a Mexi or Squier Jazz body.
Wow. What a great sounding bass. And yes the pickups are totally free of typical single coil hum.
There are a lot of different ideas of what the "vintage" Jazz Bass sound is.
I occasionally have the chance to play a good friend's '68 sunburst rosewood all original Jazz.
Just after installing the Area's we A/B'ed our basses.
These pickups sound just a bit fuller than that '68 but damn, they have a very similar tonal vibe.
His is a cool old Jazz Bass in very good playing condition, but he sure wishes his pickups didn't hum.

I listen back to a few songs we have been attempting to record.
They really are quiet, especially evident when listening to the recordings.
And the tone... God, it's just a great and really pleasing bass tone.
What else can I tell you. You NEED to get a set.

[Siliana]

We have now developed our noise canceling system for 5 string jazz bass. Www.ilitchelectronics.com

Siliana@ Ilitch Electronics

Originally Posted by mmbongo

I may soon be in the market for some noiseless Jazz pickups, so what are you guys using to get rid of the hum but keep most of that single coil snap and huge rich bottom end?

If I do it, I will be changing from EMG's. I will definitely give the EMG's a fair shake, but in the past I haven't had much luck with them working with my effects even though I like the sound of the pickups clean.

How are the Bart noiseless single coil Classic Bass pickups? Like the CBJD1 or JD3?

[jbailes]

Originally Posted by TommyKnocker

Gotta chime in here with a strong recommendation for the DiMarzio Area J.
I installed a set in a parts bass after reading many positive reviews on TB.
The bass is a '66 Precision neck on what I think is a Mexi or Squier Jazz body.
Wow. What a great sounding bass. And yes the pickups are totally free of typical single coil hum.
There are a lot of different ideas of what the "vintage" Jazz Bass sound is.
I occasionally have the chance to play a good friend's '68 sunburst rosewood all original Jazz.
Just after installing the Area's we A/B'ed our basses.
These pickups sound just a bit fuller than that '68 but damn, they have a very similar tonal vibe.
His is a cool old Jazz Bass in very good playing condition, but he sure wishes his pickups didn't hum.

I listen back to a few songs we have been attempting to record.
They really are quiet, especially evident when listening to the recordings.
And the tone... God, it's just a great and really pleasing bass tone.
What else can I tell you. You NEED to get a set.

Well, over the weekend, I bought a pair of Ultra Js and put them in my new Jazz 24. No noise at all, but I gotta say, tonewise, they're not really what I'm looking for. Loads of power and the neck pickup sounds pretty decent, but the bridge pickup almost sounds "brittle" due to the scooped eq and the emphasis on high end. Initially, I was thinking of either Nordys or Aguilar, But I don't know if I want to fork out quite that amount of jack. I may have to give those areas a shot. Do they have any emphasis at all in the lower mids?

[jay loren]

Originally Posted by chucko58

Repeating myself again... Wilde J-45s from Bill Lawrence. They sound great and the price is right.

Just put a pair of these in my shielded RW J with great results.

[scubaduba]

Tried a set of Ultra Jazz pups... then replaced them with these Delano's.
http://www.bestbassgear.com/jc-5-he.htm
Love these Delanos. Very quiet and nice growl.

[ncapone]

I just put in a pair of Fender Super 55s and they're great! They're pretty hot.

[4Mal]

Originally Posted by chucko58

(Re: Wilde J-45s)



They certainly are in my basses. What's your experience with them?

Just that. Good J pickup, excellent clarity, maybe a touch 'modern' for my taste and not truly noiseless. I tend towards a more 'old school' vibe.

My take on J pickups is that the side by sidewinding technique produces a unique but Fender famlial sound that has a very, very low noise floor. The uniqueness is that they seem to add a litle girth to a J. Kind of a J leaning towards P... Pete Biltoft's (Vintage Vibe Guitars) are still my fav. I'm a big fan of his work. His pickups just sound great and quiet.

[ntenny]

I'm pretty happy with the Aguilar 4J-HC pickups, but they're pricey (US$189, I believe). The sound strikes me as "semi-vintage", warmer than the classic single-coil sound but not to the point of making the ear say "that's a humbucker". 4Mal's "J leaning towards P" sounds about right, especially for the neck pickup.

-NT

[mmbongo]

I went with the DiMarzio Area J's and they are PHENOMENAL! Plus, Musicians Friend had them for $70 a set