I wrote this in a different thread and thought some of you may be interested.
First of all, they are very expensive so it should be an investment for a bass that is really worth it IMO. They also come in two different sizes including the standard Jazz Bass size. I have my JMVC 5 FE's wired VVT on a 34" scale, maple/ash 5 string Warmoth bass. Since they are split-coils they are dead silent and the output level is similar to a regular single-coil Jazz Bass. Soundwise, unlike what you may have read before, the Delanos are not "modern sounding" if it means "smooth and hi fi" and certainly not "scooped sounding" in the way DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups would be for example. Compared to regular Fender pickups, the sound will be less "pillowy" or warm but brighter more defined and feel more powerful. When I play, I slightly dim the highs with the tone knob. Frequencies are well distributed with strong defined lows, strong mids and a noticeable accentuation of 2.5 khz frequencies which gives them a bright, lively, growly and aggressive sound. The string-to-string balance is exceptional with a fantastic B string definition. Transients are fast - as advertised by Delano - which yields a piano-like attack that jumps out of your speakers. As advertised by Delano as well, they are perfect for extreme lows and downtuning because the lows never seem to get muddy. The neck pickup is very "PBass-ish" (it is a split-coil after all) when played with a pick or fingers and very usable by itself which is not always the case with JB pickups. The bridge pickup is a little too thin and dry to my taste but both pickups together deliver this awesome punchy sound reminiscent of a Musicman Sterling.
I would recommend those pickups to anyone playing any loud and aggressive music with the need to cut through using fingers or pick or someone who just wants a Jazz Bass on streoids. Smooth jazz bassists will probably hate them. Indeed, Delanos JMVC 5 FE's are the opposite of Bartolinis 9J1s with their deep dark syrupy smooth sound (I think tried almost every Jazz Bass pickup available over the past 30yrs) If the Delanos are OK for slapping, they would not be my first choice for a "slap bass" because of the accentuation of those 2.5 khz frequencies which make the "pops" a little too harsh and "Seinfeldish" (check my "It sounds like Seinfeld" TB thread). Interestingly, I also use this bass for reggae, for which I just dim the brightness with the tone knob. It then becomes dub bass paradise. Bassy but never muddy as I said.
All in all, I love those pickups, especially for the way they sit in the mix, but I do not think they will please everyone. i.e Jazz Bass purists. Unlike most "noiseless" Jazz Bass pickups I tried, they sound really good wired passive (usually those type of pickups feel too polite, wimpy or have a lower output that begs for a preamp)
I usually don't play metal but it just happens I come back from an audition for a metal band. They were blown away by my tone (I actually was amazed myself by how my bass would cut through the loud guitars sounding like Godzilla - and I got the gig)
JMVC 5 FEs are actually some serious contenders for the coveted TB title of "best pickups for metal"
and they look badass too!
First of all, they are very expensive so it should be an investment for a bass that is really worth it IMO. They also come in two different sizes including the standard Jazz Bass size. I have my JMVC 5 FE's wired VVT on a 34" scale, maple/ash 5 string Warmoth bass. Since they are split-coils they are dead silent and the output level is similar to a regular single-coil Jazz Bass. Soundwise, unlike what you may have read before, the Delanos are not "modern sounding" if it means "smooth and hi fi" and certainly not "scooped sounding" in the way DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups would be for example. Compared to regular Fender pickups, the sound will be less "pillowy" or warm but brighter more defined and feel more powerful. When I play, I slightly dim the highs with the tone knob. Frequencies are well distributed with strong defined lows, strong mids and a noticeable accentuation of 2.5 khz frequencies which gives them a bright, lively, growly and aggressive sound. The string-to-string balance is exceptional with a fantastic B string definition. Transients are fast - as advertised by Delano - which yields a piano-like attack that jumps out of your speakers. As advertised by Delano as well, they are perfect for extreme lows and downtuning because the lows never seem to get muddy. The neck pickup is very "PBass-ish" (it is a split-coil after all) when played with a pick or fingers and very usable by itself which is not always the case with JB pickups. The bridge pickup is a little too thin and dry to my taste but both pickups together deliver this awesome punchy sound reminiscent of a Musicman Sterling.
I would recommend those pickups to anyone playing any loud and aggressive music with the need to cut through using fingers or pick or someone who just wants a Jazz Bass on streoids. Smooth jazz bassists will probably hate them. Indeed, Delanos JMVC 5 FE's are the opposite of Bartolinis 9J1s with their deep dark syrupy smooth sound (I think tried almost every Jazz Bass pickup available over the past 30yrs) If the Delanos are OK for slapping, they would not be my first choice for a "slap bass" because of the accentuation of those 2.5 khz frequencies which make the "pops" a little too harsh and "Seinfeldish" (check my "It sounds like Seinfeld" TB thread). Interestingly, I also use this bass for reggae, for which I just dim the brightness with the tone knob. It then becomes dub bass paradise. Bassy but never muddy as I said.
All in all, I love those pickups, especially for the way they sit in the mix, but I do not think they will please everyone. i.e Jazz Bass purists. Unlike most "noiseless" Jazz Bass pickups I tried, they sound really good wired passive (usually those type of pickups feel too polite, wimpy or have a lower output that begs for a preamp)
I usually don't play metal but it just happens I come back from an audition for a metal band. They were blown away by my tone (I actually was amazed myself by how my bass would cut through the loud guitars sounding like Godzilla - and I got the gig)
JMVC 5 FEs are actually some serious contenders for the coveted TB title of "best pickups for metal"
and they look badass too!
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