Humcancelling J's

[tbplayer59]

I know there's an answer scattered throughout the J-pickup sticky post, but I thought I'd ask a concise question.

Which makes/models of hum cancelling jazz pickups sound most like a single coil? Which is the most affected?

and why? What causes the change in tone?

 

[rubbadubdub]

Good luck with this one. Are you ready for infinite opposing opinions?
I have only had experience with stacked p90 (P100) guitar pickups which get lots of bad ratings on the web. They sound awesome to me so I would say that you should try some out for yourself.
In guitar world , Kinman stacked pickups are often said to be close to classic strat pickups whatever they are?

 

[JimmyM]

The one I've tried that sounds most like a single coil is the DiMarzio Ultrajazz. Likely not a dead nuts match of course, but sounds pretty close to my ears.

 

[testing1two]

I like the Fralin hum canceling jazz pickups best. The downside is that they cost twice as much as the DiMarzio offerings.

 

[Five String]

Yep, I agree with rubbadubdub, there are infinite opposing opinions, and here is mine, opposing JimmyM, I don' think DiMarzio Ultrajazz sound like single coils, and that's why I got them.

No disrespect to JimmyM, I'm sure his ears are just as good as mine, just different.

 

[JimmyM]

Fair enough. I did say I didn't think they were a dead nuts match, though But out of the ones I've tried, it's the closest. That said, I haven't tried any of the high dollar stuff.

 

[Jazz4]

I just pulled a set of DP123's out of my Jazz and put in the Fender Super 55's. I feel they are very close to the sound of single's. I had bought a Super 55 bridge pup and installed it in my fretless. That's what made me decide on the pup swap on my fretted jazz.

 

[mmbongo]

DiMarzio Area J's are fantastic. They sound spectacular in my Spector.

 

[Five String]

More to the point, why do you want humbuckers at all? If you want the single coil sound, use single coils. There's a lot you can do to reduce the hum if you want to blend pickup volumes, that's what I did when I was running single coils on my Squier VM Jazz.

 

[tbplayer59]

I don't necessarily want humbuckers. But if I can get no hum and single coil sound, why not? If I decide to upgrade my pickups, I'll probably stay with single coils. that's why I was asking for opinions on this.

 

[Davo-London]

I have to say my MIJ 80's Squier Jazz with original and possibly substandard PUs and controls has no hum whatsoever.

There again my Jaco Jazz with Nordstrand 4JSEs (humcancelling) has no hum either.

I'm in the market for replacement J pickups but I won't be ordering hum cancelling.

Davo

 

[Nedmundo]

This is a difficult question to answer, because single coils themselves don't all sound alike by any stretch. It depends on the magnets, wire type, overwinding, etc. So, any given humcanceling J-bass pickup might sound like some single coils, but not others.

That said, if you're looking for a noiseless version of something like stock U.S. Fender singles, I think DiMarzio's Area J are great. It's classic, straightforward J-bass tone IMO. I also use Lindy Fralin's Split-Jazz, which I prefer due to their thicker lows and slight extra growl. They seem to have more "character," though of course that's tough to define, and how they sound depends on the bass too. Really, there isn't a huge difference between the two, and IMO both sound very close to some single coils.

So, what do you lose? Normally, a little "air" in the highs, but if you roll off your treble a bit anyway, as I do, you might not notice. Some noiseless designs seem to hype the treble to compensate for this, which IMO sounds a little artificial, but some might like the modern sheen. You might also lose the "open" quality in the lows you'll find in singles, but this is more subtle IMO.

I also think singles have a more instant response, which I think some call "bark," that for whatever reason gets slightly reduced in hum-canceling designs. This is almost more of a "feel" issue than a "tone" issue, and at low volumes I doubt I'd notice. But after years of playing noiseless J-bass pickups only, I noticed it when I hit the stage with my MIM J loaded with U.S. Fender singles. Again, this is subtle, because the Area J and Fralins do have some bark -- the pure singles just seem to have a touch more.

(Insert all IMO and YMMV type qualifications here...)

 

[rubbadubdub]

"Because single coils don't all sound alike"
A very good point. Add to that the notion that a certain pickup may sound different on another bass means that perhaps it's more a question of looking for a pickup that has the general characteristics you are seeking and not worrying about how close they are to something so hard to pin own and define.
I can't give an informed opinion on bass stacks but I notice a smoothness in the highs on all three of the guitars I have with them on. This is very noticable on one particular guitar which as a variable singlecoil to bucker pot. This guitar is the one with p100's. They definately have some of the attributes of a humbucker but more of a single coil sound in both modes. So I would say that you could expect similar traits with jazz bass pickups.
I would imagine the stacks to be ideal for most styles of music and sound close enough to singles such that the differences would be no more dramatic than comparing say Duncan Quarter Pounders to standard (whatever that is) Fenders.
If anything, I would say that stacks may have a slightly more 'modern' sound but not as obvious as something like EMG or Bartolini. Only going on the experience with my guitars tho' for what it's worth.

 

[mystic38]

then you are simply lucky as to where you play.

Technically its not possible for a single coil to be hum free.. the amount of hum depends on the amount of stray magnetic field.

I have to say my MIJ 80's Squier Jazz with original and possibly substandard PUs and controls has no hum whatsoever.

Davo

 

[walterw]

then you are simply lucky as to where you play.

Technically its not possible for a single coil to be hum free.

unless you always run both pickups full-up, in which case there's no need for individually hum-canceling pickups.

anyway, jimmy have you tried the area Js? they get a little closer to dead-on vintage than the more powerful and maybe a bit scooped ultras.

the common theme seems to be that end-to-end "split-coil" pickups like the dimarzios, the fralin, the nordstrand version and the new fender super 55s all do a better job of keeping the "life" in the tone than typically blander and quieter vertical stacks (like duncans or older fenders).

 

[tbplayer59]

Are the dimarzio area j's end to end?

 

[gimmeagig]

Fender Samarium Cobalt Noiseless. I have them in a few basses and i love them.

 

[walterw]

Are the dimarzio area j's end to end?

yup.

 

[mmbongo]

Are the dimarzio area j's end to end?

they are

 

[bassbenj]

Fender Samarium Cobalt Noiseless. I have them in a few basses and i love them.

I put SCNs in my Fender Deluxe Jazz V and I simply love them compared to the old "noiseless" ones that were in there. Of course I didn't have single coils to compare to in that bass. But then Fender discontinued them. I guess because they were too cool.

I've also got Dimarzio Ultra Js and I like them too, but they are not a true match to single coil as boomie noted. Personally I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of tone to get rid of single coil hum, but not all of it!