Replacing active jass pups with passive
 

I have a late 90s MIA jazz deluxe and i do not like the tone of the active pups. I've always been a passive pbass guy, but I do like how the J plays, just not how it sounds.
Any suggestions for new pups? I think I want to go passive with it.

Dimarzio Model J?

Someone else more familiar may chime in and correct me if I'm wrong, but if it's passive pickups with a preamp, all you'd need to do is bypass the preamp since the pickups in and of themselves are passive. This is the case with most "active basses", where what makes them active is the preamp and not the pickups. You may like the sound of the bass sans the preamp.

Does it have a bypass switch? If so and you still dont like the pickups, get some Dimarzio model Js, i love mine

The pups in your Fender are not active, they are passive connected to a preamp (that´s the active part of the circuit). You can swap out the pre-amp and wire it passive just like a traditional jazz bass.

I own a jazz plus 93 model,it came with active circuit and lace sensor pups... selector knob had two vol out stages and passive and off.. it sounded **** to my ears even in passive mode... I got some fender custom shop 60's passive pups and rewired the animal.. now she howls and growls like a jazz... dunno if you got a bypass on you circuit.. but rewiring is kinda easy if you know you schematic and soldering iron... Btw I use TI flats... awesome tone...

The best pickups you can buy are the Fender '60 custom shop jazz pickups. Look at the rating and evals - they score as high or higher than all the imitators. I know someone selling a set cheap (ain't me since I already have a set and love them in my 62 AVRI). If you're interested PM me and I'll forward their contact info.

I want a p bass sound from my j bass. Will the custom reissues do that?

Vintage Vibe Guitars does a side by side, split coil in a J form factor. It is a J pick that sounds more P then J. Has the advantage of being humbucking and quiet while still retaining the single coil punch, clarity and articulation. Still has a bunch of J in it though as physically, the J pick is just plain different. I commissioned the first set from Pete and was happy with the results. You have to email him on that as it doesn't appear on his website as a separate pickup. Info@vintagevibeguitars.com

Your other option is going the Reggie Hamilton route. By which I mean, mr happy router comer out to play and you drop the split P of your choice through the hole in that custom pickguard you also ordered, into the hole created by mr router.

If ya really like the rest of the bass a ton, get a luthier to do the rout... Otherwise buy a routing template for the split P and whirrrrr away!

I like the PJ combination a lot. Have an 83 Fullerton P that began life as a standard, the got a BA II bridge and the happy router treatment, though that was for a J at the bridge. Then it got a MIA J neck. It is my goto, utility, take it anywhere bass. Though I get romanced by other basses in the stable, that one just sticks...

If you really want that solid as a P Bass thing going on... It's happy router time!

Pete makes a bitchin' split P as well. I like mine in Alnico III magnets with 2 coil taps. 1 at 'standard' and 1 @ 5 - 10% overwound. Wire it up with a push pull pot... You go clean to woofy in a pull

Either way, your wiring is going to change... Easy, peasy...