A JB2 style 5-string with MFD Jazz pickups might be just the thing for me...
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Seems unlikely they will pop up on the webstore. Recall reading that the MFD J pickups require deeper pickup routes than a standard J pickup. I am sure some would buy them and happily do the routing, but probably not enough demand there to bother with it given the modification required.
I would buy one. Played a JB2 and loved it. 4 strings so never bought one. Feel like I should have bought an MJ5, but active J is not really my thing either. Still debate eventually buying an MJ5 and swapping in a preamp with active/passive switch and tone control... but then I would just have my 5 string JB.
If you're gonna dream, might as well dream big!
I really wish G&L would do a BTO or Fullerton deluxe run of nitro basses. Didn't they do them in the past?
I wonder how deep a route is required. I got a set of Seymour Duncan Apollos for a Fender jazz, and those pickups are a quarter inch taller than a standard jazz bass pickup. I didn't need to do any routing at all.
I wonder if the delay in actually making the JB MFD was caused by them wanting to develop a pickup that would actually fit in their regular JB body without having to re-tool.
I love my JB2. I'd snatch one up in a heartbeat w/ MFDs.
Wouldn't that be spiffy? I have to say though, I'd be hesitant to pull the pickups out of my JB until I heard the MFDs at volume in a band setting. I know they would sound different, I hope they still sound like a jazz bass just with more ... what's the technical term..... oomph. Yeah, that's it!
They sound "fuller". Less "honk". Can be used one pickup at a time because they are stacked Humbuckers. I still run full dime and let the pre and pedals do their jobs. They are definitely MFD hot. I had to readjust the signal gains on my wireless to not overdrive my pre ( GED 2112 rack ) and always on pedals.( comp , EQ. , Chorus ). After the gig test , I'm sold. Will be adding another one to the herd soon . Probably selling some other JB 4s and my sb2t real soon to either try to upgrade my favorite BTO JB 4 or just get the red one on SW for merry Christmas to me
Would the adjustable poles help with that?
Vs routing the body? Yeah, that can be tricky. I once did that for a set of DiMarzio model J's. Everything looked great on the workbench. Then I turned it over to see the points of the pickup screws bulging out. …doh! It can be done right, of course. I fixed it.
Yes, raised poles under the A and D strings would help. DiMarzio Area J pickups are a great option. I used them for awhile on my G&L JB, and even with its flatter 12" radius, I got better string-to-string balance. Honestly, I don't understand why so many J pickups have flush poles, especially pickups for fives.
Of course, these MFD J pickups probably have adjustable poles like other MFDs, which is ideal. If they release them in a size that would fit my Sandberg TT-5, I'm all in.
The stock pickups don't have adjustable poles, so, unfortunately, that's not an option.
