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Do jazz-style neck & bridge pickups differ in any way other than size?

Thunder Pulse

Thunder Pulse

May 12, 2007
1,570
66
#1
On some (most?) jazz-style basses the bridge pickup is slightly larger, while on others (like an MIM Fender, as I understand it), both pickups are the same size. A lot of pickup manufacturers sell jazz-style pickup "sets." So say you have a MIM jazz and you want to replace the pickups. You can't buy a "set" because one pickup will be the wrong size, so I guess you have to buy 2 individual bridge or neck pickups?

So you buy whatever it is you need to buy to fit your bass. Is the end product any different when you have 2 of the same pickup vs. a "set" ?
 
#2
Generally the bridge pickup is overwound as the vibration of the strings nearer the bridge is less. Are you sure about the pickups being a different physical size? I can't recall noticing it on any jazzes, but it's not something I looked for.
 
#3
robthegaff said:
Are you sure about the pickups being a different physical size?
Click to expand...
I don't know it from personal experience, only from what I've read. The difference in size is so slight that you wouldn't even notice it by casually looking at them.

BestBassGear.com has some info. Most of the pickups listed on the left have size info if you click on them. I didn't go through all of them but the bridge & neck dimensions were different on the ones I looked at.

http://www.bestbassgear.com/
 
#6
It's clear that the bridge pickups offered by several manufacturers are larger.

Again, I only "know" this based on what I've read, but I've read that both pickups are the same size on MIM Fenders and G&L Tribute JB-2's. What other basses also fit that mold I don't know.

My question is - if you have a bass where both pickups are the same size, what do you do if you want to change the pickups? MIM Fenders are out there in big numbers... what are the owners doing for replacement pickups?
 
#7
Thunder Pulse said:
It's clear that the bridge pickups offered by several manufacturers are larger.

Again, I only "know" this based on what I've read, but I've read that both pickups are the same size on MIM Fenders and G&L Tribute JB-2's. What other basses also fit that mold I don't know.

My question is - if you have a bass where both pickups are the same size, what do you do if you want to change the pickups? MIM Fenders are out there in big numbers... what are the owners doing for replacement pickups?
Click to expand...

Many pickup builders can make you a custom set.

I know that a few mass production pickup companies offer sets for MiM Jazzes.
 
#8
Hmm, I know this might be a bit brutal for some of the readers, but if the difference is just 1 mm or less, why not shave some material off the pickup until you can squeeze it in the slot? That's what I did a few years ago when I put a pair of Dimarzio Ultra Jazz's on a Squier JB I had back then.

Obviously while using the file I was constantly checking that the coils in the p/u weren't becoming exposed. And likewise obviously, I'm not responsible for any damage that might happen, though this would be the first method I'd consider for other pickups as well ;)
 
#9
kumde said:
Hmm, I know this might be a bit brutal for some of the readers, but if the difference is just 1 mm or less, why not shave some material off the pickup until you can squeeze it in the slot? That's what I did a few years ago when I put a pair of Dimarzio Ultra Jazz's on a Squier JB I had back then.

Obviously while using the file I was constantly checking that the coils in the p/u weren't becoming exposed. And likewise obviously, I'm not responsible for any damage that might happen, though this would be the first method I'd consider for other pickups as well ;)
Click to expand...

The mounting nubs are in different locations for one.
For two, it's 1/4", not 1mm.
And for three, you re-route the bass, not destroy the pickup...
 
#10
OK, the mounting nubs could be a problem.
2. in my case, it was ~1mm, nowhere near 1/4". But it does seem to vary; with some quick googling the difference in EMGs is 1.6 mm, in Bartolinis 4 mm.

3. Not destroying the pickup: there's always a few mm of plastic around the coil, plenty to remove some. The distance between the polepieces should give an upper limit to the coil diameter. And no worries about the finish on the bass.

Edit. Oops, it seems the coil actually goes around all the polepieces (or some of them in case of split coils p/us). A revealing pic here: http://www.nordstrandpickups.com/bass-pickups/index.shtml. Sorry.
 
#13
The other difference between the bridge and neck pickups in a set of single coils is that they are usually (always?) wound reverse to each other and the polarity of the magnets are opposite. This is to cancel out RF hum when the pickups are used together.

Also, the bridge pickup on my 2005 American Standard Jazz is 3 mm wider than the neck pickup. Bridge pickups are usually wider because the string spacing is widest at the bridge.
 
#14
I guess we need someone with a MIM Jazz to chime in on whether their pickups are the same size or not.

It's a pretty common bass, and if everyone who replaced pickups in one was getting a little "surprise" when they went to put new pickups in it you'd think there'd be plenty of posts complaining about it.
 
#16
Looking at my mim Jazz that I just put Fender US V-62 / 60 J pups in, they do fit in mine. The bridge is 1/8 wider measured on the covers, but the P-up coils cound be more like a 1/4. Is the out-put the same on both of them ? I'm not sure...

The original mim p-ups measure about the same on the covers, I bet I could use the mim covers on my US V p-ups.
 
#17
Thunder Pulse said:
I guess we need someone with a MIM Jazz to chime in on whether their pickups are the same size or not.

It's a pretty common bass, and if everyone who replaced pickups in one was getting a little "surprise" when they went to put new pickups in it you'd think there'd be plenty of posts complaining about it.
Click to expand...

I've got a 2000 MIM fretless Jazz with Dimarzio model J's in it. It had the same size stock fenders, and I only had to file and then sand a little bit past the original paint on the sides (width) to fit the Dimarzio in the bridge route. It's not a big deal at all.

IIRC, around 2006 or so Fender started using different sized pickups in MIM jazzes, in which case you won't need to do any modification at all.
 
#19
I am staring at my 2001 or 2 MIM jazz bass, which has the stock pick ups in it, and the bridge does indeed look a little bit bigger than the neck. Jaco who probably summed it up best, but I thought I would throw two more sense in with a non modded instrument.
 

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