Fender Jazz Special pickup question?

[Anemic_SluG]

Ok all I have a 80’s Fender Jazz special with all original electronics minus the bridge pickup has been replaced with a SD qtr pounder. The tone in this bass is really mid forward, and boxy. Which for some things works really well and it gets that sound so many look for if you were in a GnR cover band. I really want to like this bass and have played it a lot however it’s just not the tone I am going for these days. What I am wondering is that the tone for this bass or if maybe something in the electronics is going wacky. The bridge pickup is really thin and quiet as well with the p being boomy.

anyway is there something I am missing or should I just get a more moderne set of pickups?

Added pics for funzies.


thanks

 

[eastcoasteddie]

Judging by the pole pieces, is it possible the P pickup is also a QP?

A QP should never sound quiet and thin...there’s something going on...

 

[Anemic_SluG]

Judging by the pole pieces, is it possible the P pickup is also a QP?

A QP should never sound quiet and thin...there’s something going on...

The neck p/u is stock 80’s Fender Jazz special.

 

[Anemic_SluG]

I also happened to stop by guitar center today and they had a new boxer bass, which is similar to this, the one thing they didn’t reproduce was this style pickup. It sounded good but just like any other pj bass I have owned. However the tone between pickups was very similar besides the obvious placement differences. It was a cool bass. I have double checked the electronics in mine and basically feel like this is the tone of tuis bass with these pickups. So I may have to replace them, get a qtr pounder to match the bridge or just let it collect some dust for a while.

 

[micguy]

Bridge pickups do sound thinner and, if not set height wise to compensate*, will usually be somewhat quieter. If you mean A LOT quieter and REALLY thin sounding, you may have a busted wire somewhere.

*Typically, you raise the bridge pickup fairly close to the strings - how close depends on string pull from the pickup. Then you lower the neck pickup away from the strings until you like the balance.