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assistance needed with MIM fretless JB

Torkk

Torkk

Jan 16, 2010
231
99
#1
Ok, so I have this really nice 03 MM Fretless jazz. Im noticing the V controls do very little til about 85% up then its boom, its a big difference from loud to nothing with little turn of the knobs.

Also the tone I get out my amp seems farty, and if I really dig in and play a hard not OMG I feel like drivers are going to blow up. My Sub Ray 4 sounds great through my amp, not sure why the MIM dont. Yes its passive and seems overly quiet in comparison.

I was looking at pups but Im not sure if that help any. As far as I can tell pups are stock 03 mim, the A and D are raised.

I have a Blackout 2 band preamp here. Would that help in the farty or blatty sounds im getting?
I changed the strings to 45/105(?) superslinky flats it had 55/110 fenders but the G string was dead on some notes around C.
 
#7
My 2000 still has the original pots, no issue (and I do use them).
I haven't tried a Sub Ray yet, but my MIM J sounds quiet compared to my other basses (most of which are active). I think the difference of output level is probably normal.

If it's a 2003, it has the "upgraded" pickups, which should be better than the ones I used to have on my 2000, which were both the same size and sounded not too good (changed them for Fender noiseless, which is not a popular choice here, and still it feels like an upgrade to me). Maybe new pickups would help, though... not sure. Maybe someone will drop by and knows more about the pickups they had in 2003.
 
#8
These are my pots. I was looking at cs60s I found for a good price, but i haven't pulled the trigger. I heard they are low output and don't want to end up in the same boat. I think the quarter pounders would be to hot, i just have no idea
 

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#9
FWIW, I have a sub Ray 5, and an early 2000's P bass (frankenbass- see my sig.). I've played several Fender j's (Geddy, std MIM, std MIA, etc) since owning my sub, and every single Fender I pick up just seems lack the balls of that sub (and furthermore, my Bongo 5).

Both my 5's are active which could be coloring my opinion, but my P bass with a Dimarzio split and 1k volume and tone pots sounds like a mouse compared to my 5's, as have the aforementioned Fender J's. I suppose I could just be getting used to actives but when I plug in a passive, it sounds so lackluster.

Just my (perceived) experience.
 
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