Help in taming very bright jazz bass

[RiZzBot]

Had the same problem. Bartolini 9Js worked for me. Very good mids and lows. This video gives a pretty good example.

 

[jg42]

Had the same problem. Bartolini 9Js worked for me. Very good mids and lows. This video gives a pretty good example.

Probably the best fretless J sound I've heard in years. I find Barts are very underrated here on TB.

 

[RiZzBot]

Probably the best fretless J sound I've heard in years. I find Barts are very underrated here on TB.

They work for me!

 

[tangentmusic]

Remember too - the EQ settings on your amp are your friends.

 

[TonyP-]

Fair enough, they seemed pretty dark on my alder/rosewood jazz , every instrument's different though. Some of the Bartolini p/ups are supposedly very dark from what I've read

Yeah I'm sure it is, no doubt...Especially on that combo.

I worked with Carey on making his version of the Model J (which He likes that pickup) on a 5 string single coil. (Basically 60s wind with the 5%, called the 'El Camino')
That El Camino came in with actually more mids...I was a little surprised actually.

 

[mistergoats]

As stated earlier, pot and cap switch. Easy and cheap. I have a '95 '75 MIJ re-issue Jazz and it was unholy bright. New pot and new cap, took about 10 minutes total to get it in there, sounds WAY better. swapped out the crappy plastic wiring for 22 awg cloth pushback while I was at it.

 

[rico bass]

Dimarzio model j's sound much better than stock alnico's fatter and warmer you should have 250 k pots already in a fender j and 047. cap try treble half way on your amp and bass full up try half rounds or flats for nice thump.

 

[FirewalZ]

I had the exact same problem on my 77 Jazz, the brightness was exaggerated a bit after a fret job using SS frets. I put on an old set of passive Bart's and settled on Fender pure Nickle strings and that did the trick. A fret job on a maple bound neck is very $, so the shop recommended SS so I'll never have to re fret again. While they told me the tonal difference would be negligible, I noticed more clicky bright string noise. However the changes mentioned above worked fo me.

 

[Pet Sounds]

Subscribed.
Any thoughts on Lindy Fralins vs Fender Custom Shop pickups in regard to taming brightness?

 

[radioface]

Dead strings conquer the brightest of basses.

 

[Spirit of Ox]

I also recommend the Dimarzio Model Js. You might find them too dark unless you use 500k pots.

 

[buff]

Have new 250 pots on the way with a 047 cap. Had an email back from Dimarzio suggesting Area J's would be the best Dimarzio to fit. Wouldn't have guessed them to be the best for what i need from revues ive read.

 

[RobbieK]

paired with a Sadowsky outboard pre-amp,

Over the last couple of years I've tried some things to get some mids into the mix.

The sadowsky (and for that matter the OBP1) are great pres, but not if you like mids. They are boost only for treble and bass. With the controls in the middle, or even boosted slightly, essentially get a huge mid scoop.

I'd recommend replacing the preamp with an OBP2, or a bart or EMG or pretty much any 2-band pre that is a cut and boost type. They usually have a pretty much flat response when the controls are centred.

 

[dukemasterj]

I like bright basses so feel free to give it to me

 

[Toptube]

Fair enough, they seemed pretty dark on my alder/rosewood jazz , every instrument's different though. Some of the Bartolini p/ups are supposedly very dark from what I've read

Also keep in mind that Model J's are split coils, which can be wired in series or parallel. Parellel will give a bit more bite and articulation.

 

[AMJBASS]

If you are set on new pickups, overwound would be recommendation to tame the highs bring out more lows and low mids. Fralin overwounds(5% or 10%) are excellent, the Duncan SB2's are good too and inexpensive.

 

[buff]

The wizard hot rod 84's each measure around 11