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Dimarzio Model J

#41
BoomingBass said:
BTW RaginRog, I love the tone you get on your basses in the videos. What strings did you use for them?
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Good choice on the Model J. It's a great-full sounding pickup. Just add the highs at your amp if you need them.

Thanks for the kudos on my tone. My amp/rig may be a good part of the nice tone (Markbass gear rocks!), but my string choice is actually the D'Addario EXL 170 .45-.100.

I played medium guage .105 E strings for a long time, and found I didn't really need them to get the bass tone I wanted.
 
#42
RaginRog said:
Check out the SGD Neo Jazzbuckers...I started a thread in the pickups forum a couple of days ago.
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I've heard them and I like them. He'll be making me a set of that or the sidewinders here shortly...but NO, they don't sound at all like the humbucker on my StingRay bass. Nor the smaller humbucker on my Sabre bass. Nor the even smaller soapbar sized humbucker on my Stambaugh. They just don't have the aperture of humbuckers.
 
#44
I've got a 92 MIM Jazz with Model J's and an Audere JZ3. It's also got a BAII Bridge and strung with DR High Beams.

With this set-up, I can get just about any sound I need with minimal onboard tweaks. This may be more attributable to the Audere's flexibility than the DM pickups, but it certainly works! :)
 
#46
BoomingBass said:
Now I'm starting to wonder if I'll miss that single coil sound. Maybe have the Model J in the bridge and EMG at neck? But then I I won't have any burp because the humbucker will be at the bridge.
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I think you need to speak to a pickup builder....talk to David of SGD pickups and tell him exactly what you're looking for in a pickup. Besides being a very knowledgeable builder, he's got extensive experience with EMGs.

Other builder that you can personally speak to the maker is...Nords, Reed James. There's more out there, but none comes to mind right now...others can chime in. Pickup are very personal, you need direct answers to your needs.
 
#47
That convinced me! I'm going to refit the model J pickups to my Spira eight string bass that years ago had these pickups but I took them out to fit EMGs for some daft reason. The EMGs may work well for 4 strings (and I love how quiet they are) but they ruin an eight string...
I'll probably fit 500k volumes to the Dimarzios to stop them being too dark...


RaginRog said:
I have them in 2 of my Jazz basses, and have ALWAYS been a fan of Model J's. They do come very close to a P bass sound, and can be a little dark, BUT I think you can get clarity depending on the fretboard type. With a maple fretboard, I think these are fantastic pickups.

Here are a couple of "terrible" video comparison I did of the Model J vs P bass. :D

Click to expand...
 
#48
Funkinthetrunk said:
I've heard them and I like them. He'll be making me a set of that or the sidewinders here shortly...but NO, they don't sound at all like the humbucker on my StingRay bass. Nor the smaller humbucker on my Sabre bass. Nor the even smaller soapbar sized humbucker on my Stambaugh. They just don't have the aperture of humbuckers.
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Of course they don't sound like your Stingray or Sabre...but they do a better job of any J pickup, at attempting to mimic the sound of a Stingray. I'm basing this on hearing the sound clips. I've owned a few stingrays, so I know it's nearly impossible to "copy" the tone.
 
#49
weemac said:
That convinced me! I'm going to refit the model J pickups to my Spira eight string bass that years ago had these pickups but I took them out to fit EMGs for some daft reason. The EMGs may work well for 4 strings (and I love how quiet they are) but they ruin an eight string...
I'll probably fit 500k volumes to the Dimarzios to stop them being too dark...
Click to expand...

Glad the clips helped!
 
#50
I installed two new passive Dimarzio J's in my Fender Aerodyne Jazz recently and they sound real good. The original pickups weren't that bad actually, nice and punchy, warm but... Now, I'm not sure which model I put in (Dimarzio has more than one Jazz model), buy I do like them, more power, bite. I only wish I could A/B them but of course I can't now. Good luck
 
#51
Being me, who is overly cautious and indecisive, I'm still not entirely sure. I'm currently cutting all bass and boosting all treble, so why would I get an even bassier pickup? I'm not against a dark tone, but for thickness, I want the strength to be in the lo mids rather than bass. I also need something versatile enough to cut through a dense metal mix, hold a solid groove, or do a modern-sounding jazz fusion solo.
 
#52
I put Model J's in my Jbass. Warm midrangy growl. Similiar, but little less treble than my P but has some extra thump. I was going for Berry Oakley/Leon Wilkeson tone and it's pretty close.
 
#53
BoomingBass said:
Being me, who is overly cautious and indecisive, I'm still not entirely sure. I'm currently cutting all bass and boosting all treble, so why would I get an even bassier pickup? I'm not against a dark tone, but for thickness, I want the strength to be in the lo mids rather than bass. I also need something versatile enough to cut through a dense metal mix, hold a solid groove, or do a modern-sounding jazz fusion solo.
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I think Nordstrand's NJ4SE would work for this. It uses thinner wire for more windings, which boosts low mids.
 
#54
BoomingBass said:
Being me, who is overly cautious and indecisive, I'm still not entirely sure. I'm currently cutting all bass and boosting all treble, so why would I get an even bassier pickup? I'm not against a dark tone, but for thickness, I want the strength to be in the lo mids rather than bass. I also need something versatile enough to cut through a dense metal mix, hold a solid groove, or do a modern-sounding jazz fusion solo.
Click to expand...

I've been playing the DiMarzio Js since the mid 70'. I also play a 78' unmodified Jazz. Yes, the DiMarzios are a little darker, but only a little. We are not talking about worlds darker. I have been using the DiMarzios in a hard rock band and never had any problem with the highs - cutting through no problem. I also get a modern fusion sound (with the help of my amp).

I guess you need to try them to be able to tell if you can get your sound. I can get my sound with my unmodified Jazz the same as I can get it with my Jazz copy (which has the DiMarzios).
 
#56
I have the Model J's in my geddy lee. Rock tone for days!
darker than your average J, maybe...but never dull or muddy...I still frequently have to use the tone control to tame high end depending on the song!
Fantastic pickups IMO...and the most quiet in my stable.
get them and rock!
 

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