Fralin Jazz Pickups

[HolmeBass]

I have Fralin single coil pickups in my Jazz. They are susceptible to hum when both pickups are not at the exact same volume.

Honestly unless you are recording I don't think it's a problem.

 

[Grinderman]

This all got me thinking. Seeing as I have both types of Fralin pickups and considering I have my gear set up in a different location I decided to swap out the splits for the single coils this afternoon.

I still think the split coils are very good but the single coils do sound better. They're a bit more open sounding.

Of course I still get some 60 cycle hum if I turn down the bridge but with where I'm set up now its much less than what I was dealing with before I took them out nearly 2 years ago. It's no longer an intolerable din. I'm glad I switched them back.

If you tend to not use both pickups wide open, you're in a particularly noisy situation and you want or need dead quiet for recording or your sanity I still recommend the split coils as the next best thing to Fralin single coils. They're ever so slightly darker sounding but if that's a problem for you then you might want to try a .033uF tone cap instead of a more common .047uF or .05uF cap. If you're running VTVT perhaps put .033 cap on the bridge pot.

 

[micguy]

I have Fralin single coil pickups in my Jazz. They are susceptible to hum when both pickups are not at the exact same volume.

Honestly unless you are recording I don't think it's a problem.

How much of a problem hum is or isn't depends on your situation. I play church gigs, where I need to be able to (we do this a lot) go from a full rock band roar down to playing quietly underneath someone who comes up and talks (not yells). We'll also "swell in" to begin a set - try turning up a VVT instrument's dual volume controls at the same time to avoid hum, while also holding a note - you need 3 hands and really good coordination. Any hum in my basses means I can't do my job well at all - it just doesn't work in my world. If I played in a loud rock band that did only that, it'd be easier to get way with some hum.

 

[micguy]

If you tend to not use both pickups wide open, you're in a particularly noisy situation and you want or need dead quiet for recording or your sanity I still recommend the split coils as the next best thing to Fralin single coils. They're ever so slightly darker sounding but if that's a problem for you then you might want to try a .033uF tone cap instead of a more common .047uF or .05uF cap. If you're running VTVT perhaps put .033 cap on the bridge pot.

With a tone control wide open, the capacitor value in the tone circuit does NOT affect the tone enough for you to ever hear it - it's effectively out of the circuit. To change the tone when the tone control is wide open, you need less capacitance in your cable.

 

[Hankenstein]

I have Fender 5er with Fralin jazz pickups with a 10% overwind. THEY KICK BUTT!!

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Even in my experience I had to say that this importance of this matter (noisy single coil J pups) has been a bit exaggerated IMO.
Never really had an issue in this regard with the PV '64 single coil pups on my J, which, moreover, is not shielded in any way.
I tried some noiseless J pups in the past .. I liked the Fender SCN but the growl of the single coil pups is another thing ..
Don't know about the LF noiseless but there's a noiseless pickup which sound like a single coil to my hears and it is the Aguilar HC .. check it out on the relevant YouTube videos with Mr. Boshoff.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

So, I have a Fender Japanese Short Scale Jazz bass and I'm thinking of having Fralin pickups installed. They list their Jazz Pickups and the more expensive Split Jazz which is noiseless. I'm asking if the regular Jazz Pickups will have some noise. If the answer is yes than I'll get the noiseless. Just trying to save a bit of money if I can get by with the regular set. I figure that some here have had experience with both. Thanks for any info.

They are my favorite jazz bass pickups. To me, they are raw, responsive, and neutral. A blank canvas, if you would. Exactly what I could ever look for in single coil pickups.

Also, their splits are almost direct copies of their singles. Tone wise. Just not quite as responsive, and not quite as open feeling.

If you use both pickups on full, there will be no hum. Same as any single coil pickup.

If your bass isn't properly shielded, or your room/power source sucks, the splits will also hum.

 

[J Wilson]

I'm hum allergic. Whatever small difference their may be from single coil to split coil Jazz pickups is nothing alongside of fighting single coil noise. Granted it doesn't happen everywhere, you can shield smartly, but sooner or later I'm in the wrong place at the right time, and the aggravation is far greater than splitting hairs over fine differences in the two constructions.

 

[klaatu]

Just out of curiosity which short scale Jazz bass do you have, a Smart Scale or Junior Collection?

I've put split coils in mine recently. A set of DiMarzio DP123 pickups.

The Junior Collection.

 

[klaatu]

Thanks for all of the input and suggestions. Helps to save money and to make good decisions. My Jazz has stock single coil pickups and I haven't noticed any hum plus at one time I owned a Lalkand SS Hollowbody with single coil pickups and again no hum. So after reading here and thinking about this, my conditions at home should be fine with single coils.

 

[Bass_Kiwi]

I placed Fralins classic (not split) in my American Pro II. No hum. Love the pickups.

 

[41Hz To Go]

Fralin split coil Jazz pickups do not sound dull.

No doubt.

Being allergic to the common 60 cycle hum, I recently upgraded my '70s' MIM Jazz with a set of Fralins split coils. Neck standard wound, bridge +5%. These sound so amazing, I usually find it hard to put it down and needless to say this is now my primary bass. The fretboard is alive with harmonics, and the amount of tone variability is incredible.
Highly recommend anyone to upgrade to these. I know they're expensive but they have put an end to all of my bass GAS.

Edit: I paired the pups with an Emerson prewired kit with the volume mod.

 

[Yahboy]

I compare both Fralin Split J and Cort VTB-ST J pup, at the end i return the Fralin and VTB-ST just stay on my Bacchus J.

 

[Hundred proof]

I always used my Fralin Jazz pickups in "unbucker" mode as described on the Fralin Site under the guitar humbucker section. Just roll one pickup back about 2 clicks and no scoop or hum.

 

[Nedmundo]

I have Fender 5er with Fralin jazz pickups with a 10% overwind. THEY KICK BUTT!!

Just curious--with the overwind, do they have less of a midrange scoop with both pickups at 100%? I would expect this, and it could be a solution to the hum issue if you want more fatness and don't mind the loss of treble from the overwind. I normally roll back the treble a bit, so it might work for me.

But on my 2003 Jazz, I have noiseless Fralins, and IMO they are amazing. They don't give up much at all to pure single coils. I've tried several noiseless J-bass pickups in three different basses, and the Fralins are my favorites, but DiMarzio's Area J is fantastic too. It's about 90% of the tone for half the price.

Then there's the Lace Man o' War, which I have in my G&L USA JB. They are true single coils with greatly reduced noise through the Sensor shielding technology. They have modest output and sound thicker than traditional J-bass pickups, but in a band mix they are great. The extra thickness makes them sit in the mix almost like a P-bass, and at high volume they can sound pretty aggressive. Overall, I think they're great. Extremely versatile.

 

[Hankenstein]

Just curious--with the overwind, do they have less of a midrange scoop with both pickups at 100%? I would expect this, and it could be a solution to the hum issue if you want more fatness and don't mind the loss of treble from the overwind. I normally roll back the treble a bit, so it might work for me.

But on my 2003 Jazz, I have noiseless Fralins, and IMO they are amazing. They don't give up much at all to pure single coils. I've tried several noiseless J-bass pickups in three different basses, and the Fralins are my favorites, but DiMarzio's Area J is fantastic too. It's about 90% of the tone for half the price.

Then there's the Lace Man o' War, which I have in my G&L USA JB. They are true single coils with greatly reduced noise through the Sensor shielding technology. They have modest output and sound thicker than traditional J-bass pickups, but in a band mix they are great. The extra thickness makes them sit in the mix almost like a P-bass, and at high volume they can sound pretty aggressive. Overall, I think they're great. Extremely versatile.

I don't know about mid-range scoop. They are very punchy. Have a serous edge to them

 

[skycruiser]

You're lucky. This is not the norm. I cant play single coils without noise. Perhaps my environment is noisier.

It bugs me, so split coil is the way for me. I've heard that LF, Nordstrand, and bart biaxis split coils sound very much like single coils, even though they're splits.

Do you only get the low frequency hum or other types of noise? I've had a few basses with single coils and at my house the all pick up a sort of static or clicking noise that is very annoying. I found that it can be nearly eliminated by putting a metal guard plate around the pickups, like the anodized aluminum pickguards that are fairly common. I'm still trying to figure out exactly why it works.

 

[mrperkolator]

Do you only get the low frequency hum or other types of noise? I've had a few basses with single coils and at my house the all pick up a sort of static or clicking noise that is very annoying. I found that it can be nearly eliminated by putting a metal guard plate around the pickups, like the anodized aluminum pickguards that are fairly common. I'm still trying to figure out exactly why it works.

Please see posts #2, #10, and #22 of this same thread. Have a nice day.

 

[skycruiser]

Please see posts #2, #10, and #22 of this same thread. Have a nice day.

Thanks. Not quite what I was asking about but it's always nice to re-read the standard practice posts for hum reduction.

 

[mrperkolator]

Thanks for all of the input and suggestions. Helps to save money and to make good decisions. My Jazz has stock single coil pickups and I haven't noticed any hum plus at one time I owned a Lalkand SS Hollowbody with single coil pickups and again no hum. So after reading here and thinking about this, my conditions at home should be fine with single coils.

Let us know once you get the new pickups and give a "before/after" sort of assessment. I'm interested in hearing about it. I'm always curious about various short scales. BTW, the junior series has been discussed quite a bit in the short scale club. I'm particularly interested in knowing what you think the difference is in a standard jazz neck pickup and that one. The difference in scale should give some subtle changes in how the string vibrates, and thus a different sound (I said *different* because some may like better or worse...)