Deepest, Boomiest, Bassiest, Muddiest passive Jazz!!!

DiMarzio Model J is the one I've heard about that comes closest to your description...

MM

 

I wouldn't call the Ant II muddy. It's a good sounding pickup.

If you want a Jazz Bass bassy and boomy you should allow for having the pickups in series with a .1uF cap. I'm a little late on NY resolutions...I won't say that again this year.

 

Model Js in series, and mess around the pots and caps. Good luck

 

it might be fun to write out "boom" and "mud", but live or in the studio thats the last thing you want

the dimarzio J is no where near what you describe

if you are talking about a harmonically rich slightly overdriven sound, then look to the early 70 Entwistle lesson, Pbass pickup into tube heads loud, then miced

a lot of what you may be wanting would come from your amp (old SVT cranked) and possibly a pedal if you want distortion


Dark Stars and Lollar pickups are great, but volume, amp design and pedal or two are going to have to be part of the equation

 

Deepest and bassiest pickups I've so far heard are the Villex pickups. But they are neither muddy nor boomy

www.villex.com

 

Boomy and muddy...... Not at all like the Model J's. If you like the Model J's but want more bottom, get the Ultra J's more bottom end for sure. FWIW I have both sets.

 

my experiences recording is this...no matter how "bright" a bass sounds to me as i'm laying down the track it's always a bit dark sounding on the playback...Hence, I really try to get the whole sound spectrum onto the recording. I can always EQ out the highs later (seldom is this necessary, however).

live...the situation is similar...when I'm playing alone, it may sound good "muddy" and "boomy"...but as soon as more instruments join in (especially drums), that mud becomes "sludge"...if the sound is a tad "too bright" to begin with, it usually sits better in a mix.

 

mud? boom? IDK about that but I have some DiMarzio's (not the model J, the one with the allen wrench poles) and then neck pickup is very think and warm.

 

the same goes with any frequency, including treble...and believe me, the lows are there already...if it's a jazz pickup single-coil the lows are there, yes sir...

it's the treble that you need to tame...
don't make "mud"...you'll get tired of the sound in about 2 days and then what?

 

Yeah, I think you're right-put some sort of humbucker in the neck. Other that that I would have said go with dual-coil, humbucking J's, such as Bart
9CBJD S1/L1 deep pair. I've got a set-they sound dark and a bit 'blurry' to me.

 

What kind of strings are you using? A gunky, 10-year-old set of heavy-gauge flats would get you halfway there with any pickups.

 

Family man uses Fender flats from what I understand. I've heard a couple of tracks where his jazz is just the growliest, thickest jazz tone ever. I've used the Fender9050M set in the past and found those strings to have a real growly lowend tone. There's somthing about the tension, and tone of those flats that gives them a great lowend. I also really like Labella's but they are much less tension. They do sound great though.

I agree with your sentiment about pickup balance and wanting a good dark neck tone. However, there is only so dark that you want to go.

I think that any good SD, or Fralin vintage type pickup would get you there. I'm not a fan of humbuckers, I like single coils in my jazz, with there inherent noise. I would not want anything heavily overwound, or you enhance to much mids. Slight overwind would be ok I think.

Check out Tiran porter on bassplayer tv. I believe it is bass #6 of his. A franken fender with a neck bucker and a jazz bridge. Nice sounding bass. Family man also has a video on there.

http://www.bassplayer.tv/

 

I wanted a darker and rounder sound from my frankenjazz so I went with a set of Model J's, and a series/parallel pot. It sounds great. I should mention also that I run it with a nice dead set of pure-nickel strings. Very round, deep tone that can be muddy when I want it to be.

I know you were looking for something new, but try the series mode and see if that gets you there.

 

Sounds like you DO have the Model J's. The Ultras are w/o the adjustable pole pieces.


Also to the OP.
I think that the word scooped for the Ultras is a really an over statement of the sound. the mids are definatly there it just has a big fat bottom and a crisp high. I dont find the mids lacking.

 

Don't forget to put the barbecue sauce on the strings, too!

http://www.4waysite.com/articles/guitarplayer76.htm