| Nordstrand NJ5FS Update
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Last year, I bought some NJ5FS pickups to go noiseless on my 2008 Am. Std. Fender Jazz V. The stock pickups sounded great, but I had found it worthwhile to go noiseless on my Jazz four, so I figured I'd try it again. Initially, I was underwhelmed by the NJ5FS. They were extremely bright, and didn't sound much like classic single coils, and the E string output was too low. I was surprised by this, and posted about it on TB. Another TB member also found low E string output. I was planning to contact Nordstrand to ask about a potential fix, proper adjustments, etc.
Carey Nordstrand beat me to it. He saw one of my posts, and, displaying loads of integrity, offered me a replacement set, saying some NJ5FS had some unspecified issues. I took him up on the offer, and have been using the new set for a few weeks. Hence the update.
Both issues have been addressed, and I'm happy with the pickups. They still sound a little more modern than the stock Fenders (and the Fralins in my Jazz four), but the difference is subtle instead of dramatic. They're a little smoother and less "gritty," but will growl if provoked. They are definitely in the vintage neighborhood, and they have a strong, clear presence in a band mix. They do sound similar to single coils, and they have been completely noiseless where I've played.
More importantly, this set has good balance and sufficient "whump" on the E string, much like the stock Fender pickups. The poles are raised for the middle strings to track the fretboard radius, which probably helps, and you need to adjust accordingly because even a quarter turn on the saddle height screws makes an audible difference. Thus, it took some tweaking to get the balance right between the B, E, and A strings. (My basses usually come back from my local tech with perfect balance after pickup installation or setup, so I wonder whether these pickups are more sensitive to string height than some others. I don't have enough experience to judge.)
So, if you read one of my earlier posts about these pickups, fear not. They deliver. Kudos to Carey Nordstrand for providing Fender Jazz V players a great noiseless option, and for such amazing customer support. This inevitably leads to GAS -- now I want another Jazz four just to get some NJ4SE action!
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