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Help me complete this "custom J bass"

richnota

richnota

Jan 11, 2005
2,073
171
62
Santa Cruz
#1
I've been building this bass up from a combination of new parts and old. The bass body is mahogany with a flamed koa top.

Currently running a standard MIJ Fender jazz neck, SGD Neo pickups and passive electronics.

I'm not crazy about the results. The combination has resulted in a mid-range peak that doesn't please my ears.

A different wood neck? Other pickups? electronics? What would you try?


koap-bass.jpg
 
#2
How did you wire the SGDs? Are they singles or humbuckers?

If each pup is a humbucker, then you've gotta choose between series, parallel... coil tap, etc... (for each pickup, as well as in relation to each other...)

Did you taste-test them a bit with some alligator clips before you soldered?

I wouldn't mess with wood or neck yet... you've got a solid platform there for messing with lots of pups. There are plenty to choose from.
 
#3
I'm pretty sure the pickups are humbuckers wired in series. The pickup builder is here on TB i'll inquire. I did play around with phase (by accident). Don't get me wrong: the SGDs are very nice, just not the right mix.

Any pickup suggestions?
 
#4
Bartolini are always a safe bet. Very reliable and pretty good sounding. I recently heard about a company called wizard pickups through the U K. This guy Andy hand makes all these pickups and they go anywhere from 90 to 180 so they are pretty cheap. If you go to his website and shoot him an email telling him what your looking for, he will either tell you which of his products to get or make a custom one for you. I've only heard good things about em so I'd start there
 
#6
richnota said:
I'm pretty sure the pickups are humbuckers wired in series. The pickup builder is here on TB i'll inquire. I did play around with phase (by accident). Don't get me wrong: the SGDs are very nice, just not the right mix.
Click to expand...

If they are 4-wire pups, then you have the choice of wiring each pup series or parallel. (Coils in relation to themselves, not the two pups in relation to each other).

Series will give you more mids... if they are series, then try parallel and see if that pleases your ears more. Or even disregard one coil altogether and see what they sound like as singles.

richnota said:
Any pickup suggestions?
Click to expand...

SGD is here on TB all the time, and I'm sure he'd want you to be happy. He's got a bunch of different winds of his own pups, and a couple different designs... if you can pinpoint what it is about the sound you're craving, see if he has some suggestions.

They look like EMG35-sized cases? (either that or Bart BC-sized cases?)

In either case, Nordstrand makes some neat pups that will fit in either Bart BC or EMG35 cases. (Big Singles and Big Splits come to mind.) I love the sound of Big Singles. A nice (honest) compromise between vintage grit and modern clean. If you go with Big Singles, you REALLY have to get the pickup height JUST right. Trust your ears.
 
#8
fu22ba55 said:
If they are 4-wire pups, then you have the choice of wiring each pup series or parallel. (Coils in relation to themselves, not the two pups in relation to each other).

Series will give you more mids... if they are series, then try parallel and see if that pleases your ears more. Or even disregard one coil altogether and see what they sound like as singles.



SGD is here on TB all the time, and I'm sure he'd want you to be happy. He's got a bunch of different winds of his own pups, and a couple different designs... if you can pinpoint what it is about the sound you're craving, see if he has some suggestions.

They look like EMG35-sized cases? (either that or Bart BC-sized cases?)

In either case, Nordstrand makes some neat pups that will fit in either Bart BC or EMG35 cases. (Big Singles and Big Splits come to mind.) I love the sound of Big Singles. A nice (honest) compromise between vintage grit and modern clean. If you go with Big Singles, you REALLY have to get the pickup height JUST right. Trust your ears.
Click to expand...

SGD has been great....First time around I was wiring the PUs out of phase. He diagnosed over email and the problem was fixed. The tone bump is subtle. I didnt realize series gives a midrange bump (this is common in Jazz basses isn't it). I'm going to go to my tech and ask him to wire the PUs in parallel.

thanks all!
 
#9
Hey Rich

Sorry if I missed it but what is it that you would like to hear more?

More bottom end?
More top end?
Or just less mids in general?

Mahogany is going to damper the highs...So you might want to consider a brighter neck.
Just simple maple maple.
 
#12
richnota said:
SGD has been great....First time around I was wiring the PUs out of phase. He diagnosed over email and the problem was fixed...
Click to expand...

Paint the bass black (my black j bass sounds killer) and throw some flats on it.
(I felt it was more important for me to be able to respond with an arcane suggestion rather than acknowledge the fact that you already resolved the issue.);)
 
#13
Diogenes said:
Paint the bass black (my black j bass sounds killer) and throw some flats on it.
(I felt it was more important for me to be able to respond with an arcane suggestion rather than acknowledge the fact that you already resolved the issue.);)
Click to expand...


Forget that phase stuff and wiring....this is the answer i needed.

However are black j basses really better for metal? If i play in a country band, will the black jazz bass make me funkier? Are flats better for polka-metal fusion? What happens if I tune it down to low A? Will I have to repaint?
 
#14
richnota said:
Forget that phase stuff and wiring....this is the answer i needed.

However are black j basses really better for metal? If i play in a country band, will the black jazz bass make me funkier? Are flats better for polka-metal fusion? What happens if I tune it down to low A? Will I have to repaint?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure you would have to repaint for the polka-metal fusion. The Polish flag is red & white so a red/white/black paint scheme would work. The black would have to be matte, of course. :)
 

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