Fender MIM Jazz Pickups

[IamGroot]

Just picked up a MIM jazz circa 2000? which I am going to string with flatwounds. Unamplified, sounds great.

Noticed the pickups hum under fluorescent light.

Do the MIMs have different electronics or pups than the USA? If not, what replacement pup and or active electronics would you recommend.

Sorry for the dumb question. I really dont pay much attention to gear details.

 

[CallMeAl]

Are they the (exact) same size? There was a point when the MIM used 2 neck pickups, same wind direction, not hum cancelling... I think they changed to 2 sizes in 2001 (you just missed it!)

 

[CallMeAl]

You could route out the cavity just a hair and install any old pickups you like, or install 2 neck size split coils, like dimarzio

 

[saabfender]

I always replace normal single coils (MIM or MIA sound the same to me) with Fender Noiseless Jazz pickups. They are voiced very similar to the originals but not hum/RFI over-sensitivity. They're what I'd recommend if you want to keep the bass pointed the same way, tonally.

 

[IamGroot]

Thanks for the great answers. Its a 2002 - 2003, very high action, even for me. Should have Thomastik flatwounds delivered tomorrow. Will restring and take to the tech for setup on Monday.

Its a very heavy and very resonant bass. Does adding new pups and a Sadowsky pre amp with bypass switch make sense.

 

[IamGroot]

Are they the (exact) same size? There was a point when the MIM used 2 neck pickups, same wind direction, not hum cancelling... I think they changed to 2 sizes in 2001 (you just missed it!)

 

[saabfender]

It could. I’d give it a shot if that was my idea. The risk/reward equation seems all in your favor on this one.

 

[CallMeAl]

Thanks for the great answers. Its a 2002 - 2003, very high action, even for me. Should have Thomastik flatwounds delivered tomorrow. Will restring and take to the tech for setup on Monday.

Its a very heavy and very resonant bass. Does adding new pups and a Sadowsky pre amp with bypass switch make sense.

Also possible it's just regular EM/RF interference, just the first thing I thought of

 

[CallMeAl]

View attachment 3296826

Hard to eyeball but looks same. I think it's a 3mm difference. A thread on the subject:
Pickup sizes in Fender MIM Jazz basses - new info ?

 

[IamGroot]

Gonna take it out tonite and put it to the stage test.

 

[IamGroot]

Hard to eyeball but looks same. I think it's a 3mm difference. A thread on the subject:
Pickup sizes in Fender MIM Jazz basses - new info ?

Great thread. Will need to digest.

 

[matante]

Thanks for the great answers. Its a 2002 - 2003, very high action, even for me. Should have Thomastik flatwounds delivered tomorrow. Will restring and take to the tech for setup on Monday.

Its a very heavy and very resonant bass. Does adding new pups and a Sadowsky pre amp with bypass switch make sense.

If you're paying for a setup you should have them install the strings for you. It's included in the price.

A lot of people take out single coil jazz pickups even on expensive basses. Get something that is "spllt coil" instead of "stacked coil." You'll get more clarity and they'll sound more like stock pickups which is a good thing.

 

[craigie]

That bass looks beautiful from what you’ve shown. Looks like a vintage reissue? The pickguard looks like a very nice shade and it has the vintage bridge.

If the pickups are the same hum will increase as you turn up the second pickup volume instead of decrease. Also check the magnet polarity with a fridge magnet or something. The pickups should have opposite polarity.

Enjoy!

 

[Bijoux]

[QUOTE="Its a very heavy and very resonant bass. Does adding new pups and a Sadowsky pre amp with bypass switch make sense.[/QUOTE]

If you are using flats and higher type of action I personally would go with the Fender 4th generation noiseless. I got those on my jazz bass and I think they sound fantastic. Maybe,...slightly duller than the standard pu's but so quiet even when I add highs. As a bonus, they look cool too!

 

[HardNHeavy]

looks identical to mine, same year, dropped dimarzio ultra jazz pups and gotoh bridge..the original pups sounded ok, but a bit thin..The Dimarzios are much warmer and punchy......View media item 13518

 

[RBrownBass]

Are they the (exact) same size? There was a point when the MIM used 2 neck pickups, same wind direction, not hum cancelling... I think they changed to 2 sizes in 2001 (you just missed it!)

I had one of those basses- for some reason, I thought I read 1993-2003. Mine was a 2000, IIRC.

I am still dealing with the idea that a company would sell a bass with two pups that didn't cancel each other's hum when the whole point of the RWRP design was to cancel hum. And they did this --were able to do this-- for a decade! In fact, they sold more than Jazz basses that way- their P/J basses at that time were sold with a single-coil J, too. The P/J may have been the reason for the glitch- you pull enough bridge Js out of a set to add the to a P, you're gonna run out of bridge Js for your Js at some point.

If FMIC had simply said "Humcancelling on MIA basses only- if you want your bass quiet, you'll have to spend another $500", I'd consider it an honest advertisement.

 

[Shishka Bob]

I have the same bass an I use flats. Changed out my MIM pickups for Aguilar Hum-Canceling pickups. They went right in without any modifications. I love them. You will too.

 

[tjh]

I had not seen the link offered in post #9 before, and just gave it a quick once over … after getting stung more than a few times with purchases early on, I made it a mission to educate myself on 'modern era' passive Fender basses … there are a few things in that posted link that should be expounded on and clarified ..

There are in essence, 4 era's of MIM Standard Jazz basses … with regards to OP inquiry, I will mostly touch on electronics and major changes with each era …

MIM Standards were introduced in '91, and for the first year, some of the specs/details/components possibly varied a bit (this is Fender) … from then on, they were poplar bodied, and used two neck sized ceramic magnet pups (app. 3.60" in length), which were mfg'd for Fender by Cort, part #36437, split-splined shaft pots, under press-on Strat style knobs … this continued in production through appr. June of '01, for what was called the '01 model year ..

The next 'era' began appr. July of '01, for the 2002 model year, and was probably the biggest era change to take place for the MIM Standard Series … body wood was now alder, pickups were now conventional Fender Jazz size, with neck shorter/bridge longer (appr. 3.60"/3.74"), part numbers were 58294/58295, and were identifiable by the raised A and D pole pieces, still ceramic magnet … the change was also made to solid shaft pots, and conventional 'top hat' style Jazz bass knobs … this era ran through appr. June of 2005 (2005 model year)

The next 'era' began appr. July of '05, for the '06 model year, and the big changes here, were the switch to medium jumbo fret wire on the necks, fully shielded electronics for reduced hum, and Fender began including a gig bag with purchase … all electronics stayed the same as previous era … this era ran through appr. June of '08 (2008 model year)

The last era of MIM Standards began appr. July of '08, for the '09 model year … changes here were mostly aesthetics, but there also seemed to be an overall attempt to improve consistency in the model … Fender began using a heavier tinting on neck/headstock, and a switch was made to 70's style headstock logo, which also moved the serial # to the back of the headstock … the same hardware/electronics/specs as used through the last 'era', just changes once again in finishes offered … this era ran through to the end of MIM Standard series, until it evolved into the current Players Series ...

Hope this helps clear things up … there is a LOT of confusion on the MIM Standard Series, comments (pro and con) without noting what generation they are speaking … the early era models are a LOT different from later, both in components, specs, and consistency …

 

[matante]

I had not seen the link offered in post #9 before, and just gave it a quick once over … after getting stung more than a few times with purchases early on, I made it a mission to educate myself on 'modern era' passive Fender basses … there are a few things in the posted link to expound on .. and maybe simplify

There are in essence, 4 era's of MIM Standard Jazz basses … with regards to OP inquiry, I will mostly touch on electronics and major changes with each era …

MIM Standards were introduced in '01, and for the first year, some of the specs/details/components possibly varied a bit (this is Fender) … from then on, they were poplar bodied, and used two neck sized ceramic magnet pups (app. 3.60" in length), which were mfg'd for Fender by Cort, part #36437, split-splined shaft pots, under press-on Strat style knobs … this continued in production through appr. June of '01, for what was called the '01 model year ..

The next 'era' began appr. July of '01, for the 2002 model year, and was probably the biggest era change to take place for the MIM Standard Series … body wood was now alder, pickups were now conventional Fender Jazz size, with neck shorter/bridge longer (appr. 3.60"/3.74"), part numbers were 58294/58295, and were identifiable by the raised A and D pole pieces, still ceramic magnet … the change was also made to solid shaft pots, and conventional 'top hat' style Jazz bass knobs … this era ran through appr. June of 2005 (2005 model year)

The next 'era' began appr. July of '05, for the '06 model year, and the big changes here, were the switch to medium jumbo fret wire on the necks, fully shielded electronics for reduced hum, and Fender began including a gig bag with purchase … all electronics stayed the same as previous era … this era ran through appr. June of '08 (2008 model year)

The last era of MIM Standards began appr. July of '08, for the '09 model year … changes here were mostly aesthetics, but there also seemed to be an overall attempt to improve consistency in the model … Fender began using a heavier tinting on neck/headstock, and a switch was made to 70's style headstock logo, which also moved the serial # to the back of the headstock … the same hardware/electronics/specs as used through the last 'era', just changes once again in finishes offered … this era ran through to the end of MIM Standard series, until it evolved into the current Players Series ...

Hope this helps clear things up … there is a LOT of confusion on the MIM Standard Series, we constantly see folk making comments (pro and con) without noting what generation they are speaking … the early era models are a LOT different from later, both in components, specs, and consistency …

I think you mean they were introduced in '91, not '01. I bought one brand new around '94 or so.

 

[tjh]

I think you mean they were introduced in '91, not '01. I bought one brand new around '94 or so.

… fixed typo .. thanks! … too many dates and part #'s for my old brain