What are the fattest J bass pickups? - Page 2

Hizzoner · #21 09-30-2009, 09:28 AM

From what I have learned Paul Turner uses Aleva Coppola basses(a 5 string in the vid) and well worn-in DR lo riders.
not sure which pups he uses in the AC's but he has used Nordstrand in the past too...

MB

groove pump · #22 09-30-2009, 09:44 AM

Nothing against the Fralins, Antiquities, or anything else out there. Too many good options around these days, I think.

I had a set of Bart's - maybe 9J4's - along with a B/T preamp in a couple of basses and while their sound was rather like buttah, I'd probably keep them in mind more for super smooth recording than for live sound.

I have a set of Ultra J's in a passive parts bass and at least for me, the rumors came true. Humungous big round fat sound that I've come to prefer in my Jazz. I actually run my rack preamp's bass control down beween 9:30 and 11:00 at the most, while boosting the mids just a hair. With the J layout, there's enough "cut" in my tone for my sound to hang with a pair of guitars, but it's not that same mid-strong sound that you'd probably get from a set of single coils.

My other J has a set of Fender Custom Shop p/u's and the mids are much more assertively out front there. Big, fat, and round they are not - at least in comparison with my DiMarzios. The Ultra J's go more P-bass for me when I roll off the bridge p/u a little or even solo the neck, they deliver a dynamite slap sound with both wide open along with the tone opened up a bit, too, and they also go a little nasally with the neck p/u rolled off just a little in case you noodle with that more Jaco sound.

I'm curious to try a set of Model J's only because these Ultra J's have been so darned good for me. I'd expect that there may be more colorful mids with those, but I'm not in a terrible hurry to get a lot more of that. While my sound with the Ultra J's isn't overrun with mids, I don't mean to give the impression that they sound inherently mid-scooped. Just more big 'n round vintage sounding when the highs are rolled off. Let those highs come out for slapping and it's not hard to get near the Marcus Miller neighborhood.

Ryan Mohr · #23 09-30-2009, 08:40 PM

I'm almost sold on the Model Js, but I'm concerned they might be a little too ballsy or growly for the tone I'm going for. I like vintage tones, generally meaning a boost in the 120-200 Hz and nothing past 4 kHz. My rig takes care of the high end (Hartke LH500 & LDS 115 loaded with a Eminence 3015) but is very grindy and articulate in the upper mids and lower treble and rather tight and a little anemic down low. I'm really looking to fill in that lower midrange and upper bass area and tame the grind. I'm looking for a fat, thick, warm, organic and mellow tone focused in the low mids. I'm using Fender 7250M nickel rounds for strings--they are the fattest, deepest rounds I have ever used.

newbold · #24 09-30-2009, 08:53 PM

If you go with the Model J's PLEASE look into your wiring options, as they're pretty much p bass pickups in a J housing. Split Singles. They sound almost as fat as a humbucker.

You can wire them (individually) in series or parallel.

And of course you can sum them in series or parallel.

Ryan Mohr · #25 09-30-2009, 09:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by newbold

If you go with the Model J's PLEASE look into your wiring options, as they're pretty much p bass pickups in a J housing. Split Singles. They sound almost as fat as a humbucker.

You can wire them (individually) in series or parallel.

And of course you can sum them in series or parallel.

Is the standard wiring to wire them individually in series and them together in parallel?

BuffaloBob4343 · #26 09-30-2009, 09:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fullrangebass

You have just described Villex pickups. They offer that and whole lot more

www.villex.com

Amen to this! I am loving my Modulus GVJ with Villex jazz pups. With the mid boost turned up, it's a lot like a p-bass but the low and high end extension of a jazz, and the mids are very nicely defined but growly.

R. Laevinus · #27 10-01-2009, 09:08 AM

...hey, just a quick question about the Antiquity 2's - everyone seems to agree that the A2 Jazz pups are amazingly fat - does that amazing fatness carry over into the P bass pups as well?

Thanks!

Mr. Ray · #28 10-01-2009, 09:19 AM

There are alot of jazz pickups to choose from. In my experience the warm/est sounding jazz pickups have been either the Dimarxzio Model J's or the Seymour Duncan Classic Stacked.

The Model J's are louder and remind me more of a P pickup in the neck position, they do have a little grind going on.

The Seymour Classic Stacked are warm fat and a mellower/softer pickup but are very clear like the Model J's.

I also use Fender 7250 strings. The 7150's are a little warmer (top end mellower). The fattest strings I've used is the Pyramid Nickel Flats for some real vintage sound.

Hope this helps

spiker · #29 10-01-2009, 08:07 PM

You wanna sound like a 'Back-In-The-Day Fat Kat From Detroit ?'
Fender Custom Shop 60's pickups, they top many reviews i've read. They give you more tonal options with your knob's too, more responsive when cutting or cancelling out pickups. I've got a set in my Jazz, they make em for P's too though. Trust me, thety absolutely crap on Dimarzio IMO.

Mulebagger · #30 10-01-2009, 08:19 PM

I love the Barts, but the Model J's are killer too. I still have the set from my 75 jazz bass. They were among the first series and just kill. Recently, I did an a/b comparison of my Model J's and my Barts in my 75 RI. The Model J's were bigger sounding in low mids, But the Barts were better balanced throughout the whole spectrum of the bass. My preamp is a Jretro on that bass, but I kept it nearly flat for the comparison. I think there are other factors to consider: body wood, fretboard wood, bridge, strings, setup, and of course your hands. I've found the body wood, fretboard wood, and scale length to be the biggest tonal factors on my basses. ( I have Barts in nearly all of them)
Best of luck with your choice. The great thing is that you have many options to choose from.

AltGrendel · #31 10-02-2009, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffaloBob4343

Amen to this! I am loving my Modulus GVJ with Villex jazz pups. With the mid boost turned up, it's a lot like a p-bass but the low and high end extension of a jazz, and the mids are very nicely defined but growly.

Which model did you get? Humbucking or single coil?

BuffaloBob4343 · #32 10-03-2009, 12:41 AM

Single Coil.

Munjibunga · #33 10-03-2009, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jared Lash

The fattest I've heard are Nordstrand Fat Stacks, but obviously they aren't drop in replacements for standard Jazz pickups.

That said, I would add the Nordy NJ4's to your list.

I'd also think the SD Antiquity would be better than the SJB-2s.

I haven't tried them myself, but Lindy Fralins get a lot of love too.

I've got some Fralins, and they may be a little aggressive for th OP. I love 'em, though.

basswave · #34 10-04-2009, 09:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fullrangebass

You have just described Villex pickups. They offer that and whole lot more

www.villex.com

+1 to that for the organic deep and smooth.

I did a lot or recordings for other people using the Villex Jazz.

The do the above very, very well...But you will not get the 70's bite (just a FYI).

basswave · #35 10-04-2009, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BuffaloBob4343

Amen to this! I am loving my Modulus GVJ with Villex jazz pups. With the mid boost turned up, it's a lot like a p-bass but the low and high end extension of a jazz, and the mids are very nicely defined but growly.

+ 1 to this as well.

When I was asked if I had a P bass for some sessions I would not say no...I would say I have something better.

stingray69 · #36 10-04-2009, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickles

In my 5 string testing the fralins were the fattest, though I didn't have any dimarzios to test since they don't make them the right size.

Overall though, swapping J pickups doesn't change your final tone all that much. It is really fine tuning.

+1

Agreed. I've been through many sets of J pickups & while there are enhancements in different areas of the tonal spectrum, I don't think you'll end up with that kind of tone in the vids alone. There is no doubt that the tone you're hearing in a video clip like that is the culmination of thousands (tens, hundreds?) of dollars of combined bass gear & extremely high $$$ outboard & PA gear. Pickup swaps can only take the bass tone so far by bringing in a little more of "this or that" in the tonal spectrum. FWIW, the stock SX pickups really work for me personally. They are warm & growly - not hyped, artificial sizzle, clank, etc. If I were playing a show like that, I'd let the soundguys worry about getting things larger than life sounding with all their $$$ gear. A good starting tone never hurts though...

Here a Jamiroquai clip I did with the stock pickups, slightly EQ'd on my bass head & a fair amount of software compression. I came in a few bars before the actual bassline in the song, so what you hear first is entirely the SX bass. http://www.zshare.net/audio/646131418bb3cb91/

Kipaste · #37 10-04-2009, 04:41 PM

Can I throw my question into this topic?

I have a squier VM jazz and I'm in the process of upgrading parts.
The bass sounds really nice acoustically, I shopped around for a long time to find a specimen I was pleased with. However, especially when recording direct I find it to sound a bit clanky compared to other J's I've used. I know the all maple construction is a factor, but still I believe this bass can deliver better tone.

New pickups are the next move. Now this bass servers primarily as my slap bass so slap tone is very important. I'm looking for vintage midrangey fatness, definately not sizzly modern tones. Something along these lines http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg5wS1GA4VE

I only have access to s. duncan, dimarzio, fender and bartolini pups for a reasonable price so it would have to be from these manufacturers. The dimarzios are priced nicely over here but I know nothing about them and the home pages of these manufactureres don't have soundsamples to compare (between the models they make, naturally).

narud · #38 10-04-2009, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kipaste

Can I throw my question into this topic?

I have a squier VM jazz and I'm in the process of upgrading parts.
The bass sounds really nice acoustically, I shopped around for a long time to find a specimen I was pleased with. However, especially when recording direct I find it to sound a bit clanky compared to other J's I've used. I know the all maple construction is a factor, but still I believe this bass can deliver better tone.

New pickups are the next move. Now this bass servers primarily as my slap bass so slap tone is very important. I'm looking for vintage midrangey fatness, definately not sizzly modern tones. Something along these lines http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg5wS1GA4VE

I only have access to s. duncan, dimarzio, fender and bartolini pups for a reasonable price so it would have to be from these manufacturers. The dimarzios are priced nicely over here but I know nothing about them and the home pages of these manufactureres don't have soundsamples to compare (between the models they make, naturally).

youd probably pretty happy with some fender originals or duncan sjb1's. the duncan designed pickups in that bass arent wound very hot and have that thinner clankier sound you describe.

Edward G. · #39 10-05-2009, 09:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kipaste

Can I throw my question into this topic?

I have a squier VM jazz and I'm in the process of upgrading parts.
The bass sounds really nice acoustically, I shopped around for a long time to find a specimen I was pleased with. However, especially when recording direct I find it to sound a bit clanky compared to other J's I've used. I know the all maple construction is a factor, but still I believe this bass can deliver better tone.

New pickups are the next move. Now this bass servers primarily as my slap bass so slap tone is very important. I'm looking for vintage midrangey fatness, definately not sizzly modern tones. Something along these lines http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg5wS1GA4VE

I only have access to s. duncan, dimarzio, fender and bartolini pups for a reasonable price so it would have to be from these manufacturers. The dimarzios are priced nicely over here but I know nothing about them and the home pages of these manufactureres don't have soundsamples to compare (between the models they make, naturally).

Your situation is similar to mine, except I don't have a dedicated 'slap' bass, but I do have to slap sometimes. I upgraded a basic Squier Jazz with DiMarzio Model Js and nice hardware, and it may be the hottest-sounding bass I've ever owned. I can't keep my freakin' hands off of it. It does everything well, extremely adaptable tone. For the price, the pickups are a steal. As an earlier post stated, I only wish they came in a 5-string version. Everybody has a preference, of course, but I can't see how anyone would not be pleased by their essential sound. Also, they are very quiet when they are at rest.

Edward G. · #40 10-08-2009, 07:45 AM

FWIW, I just installed a set of Bartolini 57CBJD pickups in my Am. Std. Jazz 5, and they are so much better sounding to me than the OEMs it's crazy. Maybe I'm just not into the single-coil vibe. If DiMarzio had a 5-string Model J, that would have my first choice. These, however, are an awesome consolation prize--very smooth, very quiet, much meatier than the stock pickups, which were never throaty enough for me from Day 1. The new neck pickup is especially rich. Maybe now I can rest.