Please inform me, o wise ones

[lkngro]

People always say that if you don't know what kind of pickups you want, then don't get them at all. But what if you just want a better sound, but don't know what pickups to get? This is me.

I have a MIM Jazz bass. The pickups sound muddy. Or rather, I think that I could get a better sound with new pickups.

I want a clear, full, well-rounded sound. Nothing really specific, just better. I don't like what I currently have and I want to improve.

What do you suggest I should get?

[SGD Lutherie]

Any quality pickup would be better than those.

If you want the traditional Fender single coil tone, there are a number of companies that do that well like Duncan, Nordstrand, Lollar, Fralin, Aguilar, etc.

Then you can get noise canceling Jazz pickups, many of which sound very close to single coils.

Then you have the non traditional style pickups, which still sound like a Jazz bass (there is no single Jazz bass tone), such as the active Duncans and EMGs, as well as Joe Barden, Lace, Bartolini, Kent Armstrong, SGD, and others.

Lots of choices.

[line6man]

So basically, you could just pick at random from any of the brighter-voiced pickups available, because you don't have anything specific in mind.

[Hopkins]

I have two J type basses, one has Barts the other has Duncan Hotstacks (STK-J2) They are both different but I like them both.

I would recommend noiseless pickups.

[Bassmickeyd]

I just bought a MIM 04 Jazz that was pre-loaded with EMG JV and I think that works very well with this bass.

[lkngro]

Hm...so would I be able to get a decent set of pickups for $200? Preferrably under, since I'm kinda strapped for cash. Any suggestions for that price range?

Thanks for the replies, guys.

[line6man]

Originally Posted by lkngro

Hm...so would I be able to get a decent set of pickups for $200? Preferrably under, since I'm kinda strapped for cash. Any suggestions for that price range?

Thanks for the replies, guys.

How about a set of David's?

[BoomingBass]

$200 is pretty much the top of the price range. If you really want to save money you could get a very good set for $100.

[johnboy65]

Originally Posted by lkngro

Hm...so would I be able to get a decent set of pickups for $200? Preferrably under, since I'm kinda strapped for cash. Any suggestions for that price range?

Thanks for the replies, guys.

Look in the forum at used pickups. It'll save some cash for sure.

[lkngro]

Right now I'm thinking eithera set of Fender Noisless or Fender Custom Shop 60's. Any objections?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by line6man

How about a set of David's?

On that topic, I'm just finishing up the Jazz Sidewinders, and I'm making a neo Jazz sidewinder tonight. If I like that I'll offer those too.

So both will sound like real single coils with no hum.

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by SGD Lutherie

On that topic, I'm just finishing up the Jazz Sidewinders, and I'm making a neo Jazz sidewinder tonight. If I like that I'll offer those too.

So both will sound like real single coils with no hum.

I've got the MIM Jazz V mud problem too. But even though I know how to get the tone (single coils) I'm NOT willing to give up the hum-free sound of my 2001 "noiseless" pups.

So my answer is waiting on SGD to finish the Sidewinders in 5 string and hopefully in "Plus" as my output is a tad low at present. Maybe even neos if good reports come back on them. I think there are a lot of us out there who want to kill the hum but really want to try to get that single coil tone back. Especially on the MIM jazzes.

[ejaggers]

Okay, I have the answer for you. Pull your pups out, send them to Tom at Lindy Fralin and have him rewind them. Call him on the phone so he can explain to you about overwound, stock, underwound, etc. He can custom make yours to your spec. That’s exactly what I did when I modded my affinity P, and when my pups went out on my ’72 MIA J. You can thank me later. personally I wouldn't go noiseless, but that's just me.

[Micky Jhon]

I can see how some stereotypes might be attached to guys with long hair - hippies, metalheads, or metrosexuals - but I love being able to run my hands through his hair, and I think he looks great with it. The only downsides are that both of us end up getting our hair pulled in certain physical situations, but that's not nearly enough to convince him he needs a haircut =)

[azzyrazzy]

Originally Posted by Micky Jhon

I can see how some stereotypes might be attached to guys with long hair - hippies, metalheads, or metrosexuals - but I love being able to run my hands through his hair, and I think he looks great with it. The only downsides are that both of us end up getting our hair pulled in certain physical situations, but that's not nearly enough to convince him he needs a haircut =)

Lost me here... ???

[spaz21387]

Nordstrands are very nice you may want to look into those. the nj4 is good they also make a stacked j pickup that wont hum at all.

[Marty Forrer]

+1 for Nordstrand NJ4. They'll give you that clear, round sound. So will stock wound Lindy Fralins.

[line6man]

Originally Posted by ejaggers

Okay, I have the answer for you. Pull your pups out, send them to Tom at Lindy Fralin and have him rewind them. Call him on the phone so he can explain to you about overwound, stock, underwound, etc. He can custom make yours to your spec. That’s exactly what I did when I modded my affinity P, and when my pups went out on my ’72 MIA J. You can thank me later. personally I wouldn't go noiseless, but that's just me.

Who in their right mind wastes time/money rewinding ceramic MiM pickups?

[BassmanAd]

I'm a bit of a Seymour Duncan evangelist but regardless of that, their website is worth a look to help understand the different options - windings / output / stacked etc. They've got a good range of replacement JB pickups for all sorts of applications.

[chucko58]

I'm a huge fan of the Wilde J-45 pickups by Bill Lawrence, and the price is right.