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Highest output J pickups?
- Thread starter DuluthDank
- Start date
DiMarzio Model J is going to be your best bang for the buck, just make sure you wire it in series humbucking mode and it'll slay. VERY beefy pickup.
There could be others, but the Model J is one I have a great deal of experience with.
There could be others, but the Model J is one I have a great deal of experience with.
Posted this before.
Had two Peavey Zodiac Scorpio DE basses. Those were designed with Megadeath's Ellefson when he worked for Peavey.
PJ bass with a visual nod to Phil Lynott, stock pickups were Duncan QPs. Chanced across another Zodiac owner, he'd replaced his pickups with Alan Entwistle PBX and JBX units. Duncan QPs use extra wire to boost output but at the cost of some mids, Entwistle uses a pretty standard wire wrap but boost the output with ceramic magnets and keep the mids. DiMarzio also use ceramic magnets to boost output.
I got slightly confused and bought Entwistle PBXN and JBXN, same wire wrap as his others but output is boosted to crazy levels by neodymium magnets.
Top is my Zodiac with the stock Duncan QPs. Below is the Zodiac with Entwistle PBXN/JBXN. Same strings, pickup heights, recording settings.
The Seymour Duncan Hot Stack is a one of the highest output Jazz pickups. It's described as having "increased the output and thickened up the midrange response, which gives rock tones an added push without getting harsh." I'm considering a set of these for my other J Bass.
DiMarzio Ultra Jazz Bridge is listed as their highest output Jazz Bridge pickup. It's described as "Lows are deeper, highs are more percussive, and the mid-range is round but not muddy."
DiMarzio Ultra Jazz Bridge is listed as their highest output Jazz Bridge pickup. It's described as "Lows are deeper, highs are more percussive, and the mid-range is round but not muddy."
Wow, thanks for all that. That looks promising. Are you happy with the sound of your bridge JBXN? These pickups are amazingly cheap in price, but how's the sound?
My Neopunch P pickup obviously has neo magnets, so this might be the ideal pairing actually. It's single coil?
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Afraid I'm not the one to comment. I've never been one for solo bridge pickup, always just used it to flavour my split coil.
It must have sounded OK as I'd two fellas ask to buy it. Weakened and said yes a good few years back.
JBXN is a straight single coil. Reason they're affordable is twofold and simple, pickups contain no expensive parts and Alan has plenty of contacts.
When he headed up Hohner's R&D he dealt with Japanese and Korean factories, when he moved to Australia contacts in China were made. The PBX/JBX and Neo counterparts were developed for Hohner's re-launch into the guitar/bass production. Aftermarket sales were never the big picture.
On a serious note. If you do fancy trying the JBXN, I suggest you move quickly. Alan took ill a couple of weeks back and he's currently being treated for a brain tumour. As he's in his 70s I can see him closing Entwistle pickups pretty soon.
Thanks for the suggestion. I'm having a hard time finding that bridge pickup in the USA, and the current shipment costs direct from the company are higher than the pickup cost, which is sort of tough to swallow.
You'll also have 'T' word to pay.
Combination of the two makes Entwistle a non-starter for you
Alternative suggestion. Make your own
Get your hands on a fairly standard ceramic bridge single coil, helps if it's one you like the sound of but lacks output, and order 4 neodymium bar magnets from Amazon. Look for ones 38mm - 40mm long x 4mm x 4mm; sorry I'm talking metric, splitting headache is stopping me converting on the fly. Knock the ceramic magnet off the pickup and hot glue the neos either side the poles.
Be careful with the neos, even that small they are powerful; if they rattle your finger tip as they snap together then expect to say 'ouch'.
Keep an eye on beefier pickups.
That doesn't necessarily...imv, rarely, equate to a better sounding pickup.
'More' is not always better.
That doesn't necessarily...imv, rarely, equate to a better sounding pickup.
'More' is not always better.
True, but since I already have the Neopunch P which IMO sounds great, getting a decent volume match from a J is a high priority for me. But yes, going for high output for its own sake never made all that much sense to me, seeing as amps have gain knobs.
Please, pardon me if this is a dumb question, but does it matter which way the north and south poles of the magnets are facing or is it more about the direction it's wound?Alternative suggestion. Make your own
Get your hands on a fairly standard ceramic bridge single coil, helps if it's one you like the sound of but lacks output, and order 4 neodymium bar magnets from Amazon. Look for ones 38mm - 40mm long x 4mm x 4mm;
Any chance you can just raise the pickup a tiny bit? If you’re already 90% there?
The bridge pickup is as high as it can really go, but I think I have room to lower the neck pickup to balance it, which I plan to do. I think I'm still open to pickups with beefier mids and higher output though.
There are no dumb questions my friend, its how we learn and improve on what others did before us.
I'm pretty sure Alan places them as opposite. I've one of his split coils in front of me now. Trouble is the neo bars had broke free of their hot glue fixing so they've flipped; it could just be magnetic strength holding them to the poles. Have a brand new pair of jazz singles in the workshop.
Will check how they're aligned in the morning with a compass.
Another idea would be use neodymium discs, facing the same way and glued directly to bottom of the pole pieces.
I think my Ultra Jazz is my highest output... it is in a PJ with a Tonerider vintage-ish P pickup and they aren't quite matched, but they are close.
I don't feel it is particularly middy though.
I have Area Js in one bass and for a few years, had Model Js in another. They are both more middy, particularly the Model Js, but they also have a bass booat vibe going on.
I've always thought of Quarter Pound Jazz pickups as relatively middy. Higher output than traditional Jazz pickups, but not as high as most of the Dimarzios or the Duncan Apollos.
I don't feel it is particularly middy though.
I have Area Js in one bass and for a few years, had Model Js in another. They are both more middy, particularly the Model Js, but they also have a bass booat vibe going on.
I've always thought of Quarter Pound Jazz pickups as relatively middy. Higher output than traditional Jazz pickups, but not as high as most of the Dimarzios or the Duncan Apollos.
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Bardens are fairly high output too, and IMO would work nicely in a P/J. I had a set for awhile in a Jazz V, and to me they sounded like two thirds traditional J pickup mixed with one third G&L MFD humbucker.
You could also get a Lindy Fralin overwound to taste. That would have plenty of mids.
You could also get a Lindy Fralin overwound to taste. That would have plenty of mids.
