"J" pickups discussion and comparisons - PART II

[devnulljp]

I put a set of CS60s in my mid 90s MIJ Jazz and I like the sound. They're single coil, so susceptible to 60 cycle hum.
Looking for a replacement set for an old Tokai Jazz too -- So, what sounds like the CS60s but without the hum/more resistant to RF interference?

 

[SteveCS]

Hey guys I need your help. I have a MIA Deluxe Jazz and I really don't like it's tone. So I decided to change the pups.
I have my doubts, but im choosing between the fralin, nordies, SD sjb1 and antiquity II. I like the vintage vibe, and love to play with the bridge pickup.
Hate the metallic sound of the strings, so i'm even using flats. What are your opinions about those? Nordies really grabbed my attention...

I'm really confused here. You have a high-end stock fender jazz and like to play with the bridge pickup. You don't like the metallic sound of the strings, so you have switched to flats. Now you don't like the tone so you are 'upgrading' the pickups, presumably to bring back some of the lively dynamics and mid-range 'honk' or scooped 'fonk' of the classic Jazz sound?

The Jazz bass in an incredibly versatile instrument. Part of that versatility comes from the 2-pickup VVT configuration, but a lot of it is down to the way the bass responds to player techniques. As such, and IME, it is just as easy to get bad sounds out of a Jazz as it is good ones, even with a good setup. IMO, and PLEASE take this the right way as I was once in exactly the same position with my first 'real' jazz bass, the solution is not to change the pickups until you have learnt to control the bass and get the tones you want using your technique.

 

[Vitor Alvarenga]

I'm really confused here. You have a high-end stock fender jazz and like to play with the bridge pickup. You don't like the metallic sound of the strings, so you have switched to flats. Now you don't like the tone so you are 'upgrading' the pickups, presumably to bring back some of the lively dynamics and mid-range 'honk' or scooped 'fonk' of the classic Jazz sound?

The Jazz bass in an incredibly versatile instrument. Part of that versatility comes from the 2-pickup VVT configuration, but a lot of it is down to the way the bass responds to player techniques. As such, and IME, it is just as easy to get bad sounds out of a Jazz as it is good ones, even with a good setup. IMO, and PLEASE take this the right way as I was once in exactly the same position with my first 'real' jazz bass, the solution is not to change the pickups until you have learnt to control the bass and get the tones you want using your technique.

I agree with you buddy. Technique makes the tone... But IMO not the timbre.
So you didn't understand me. Sorry about that, my fault. English is not my first language so maybe I have not expressed myself with the right words.

The best timbre I get from the bass is on the bridge pickup with flats. It's a example I gave for the people who might be wandering my tone preference. I mean i really like the Jaco tone, playing with a fat amp, etc... The famous jazz bass tone. I hate glassy highs in other words. But still hate lack of clarity, or dynamics. I look for that in a pickup.
The problem is: i can't get a classic fender tone in this bass. Even when playing passive.

I have played other Fender Jazz Basses, some from the 70's, some with split coils also, and they all sound better than the N3 Noiseless. You can search here in TB or in other forums on the internet. I have never seen a expensive bass like that having some bad pickups like the n3. Here is Brazil the bass players think the same. Probably because they are stacked coils. When i bought them i tought they were split coils. So it doesn't matter the strings or the technique. Rounds, or flats, soft playing, or hard, the sound is always too compressed. I bought it without testing it first, because here is too hard to find high-end Fenders for testing and this is the only Fender with a good pre amp and a active/passive switch. So as you can see, I did not want to modifcate the bass, but because of its tone, I see no other way. Split coils are nice, but im never again buying a bass with stack coils again. Its sounds awfully compressed (to my ears).

However the bass play like a dream, i must i agree. Thats why I am willing to change the pickups and not the bass... Sorry for the confusion...
What do you think about these: Fralins, nordstrand nj4, antiquity's II?

 

[SteveCS]

I agree with you buddy. Technique makes the tone... But IMO not the timbre.
So you didn't understand me. Sorry about that, my fault. English is not my first language so maybe I have not expressed myself with the right words.

The best timbre I get from the bass is on the bridge pickup with flats. It's a example I gave for the people who might be wandering my tone preference. I mean i really like the Jaco tone, playing with a fat amp, etc... The famous jazz bass tone. I hate glassy highs in other words. But still hate lack of clarity, or dynamics. I look for that in a pickup.
The problem is: i can't get a classic fender tone in this bass. Even when playing passive.

I have played other Fender Jazz Basses, some from the 70's, some with split coils also, and they all sound better than the N3 Noiseless. You can search here in TB or in other forums on the internet. I have never seen a expensive bass like that having some bad pickups like the n3. Here is Brazil the bass players think the same. Probably because they are stacked coils. When i bought them i tought they were split coils. So it doesn't matter the strings or the technique. Rounds, or flats, soft playing, or hard, the sound is always too compressed. I bought it without testing it first, because here in Brazil it is too hard to find high-end Fenders for testing and this is the only Fender with a good pre amp and a active/passive switch. So as you can see, I did not want to modifcate the bass, but because of its tone, I see no other way. Split coils are nice, but im never again buying a bass with stack coils again. Its sounds awfully compressed (to my ears).

However the bass play like a dream, i must i agree. Thats why I am willing to change the pickups and not the bass... Sorry for the confusion...
What do you think about these: Fralins, nordstrand nj4, antiquity's II?

Hey, thanks for taking my post the right way I can't really comment on the Fralins, etc., but a friend of mine has a deluxe telecaster with N3 pups in it. It is a nice guitar but it is not a telecaster as I know it - I had a '67 telecaster for about 10 years so I know. From that point of view I know what you mean about the N3 pickup, and I am with you on the stacked coils thing - the transparency and dynamics of a single coil are just not quite the same.

I have an SJB-3B in my bass and I have to say it is everything I ever wanted from a Jazz Bass Bridge pickup - go back a page or two to see my comments there. It is perhaps a bit more modern sounding than a classic 60s Jazz, with a bit more of everything - higher output, greater dynamic range at the quiet end, clarity in the lows, bite without too much honk in the middle and zing without pain at the top. I think you would like it in passive mode, but I don't know how it would work with your preamp - might be a little too 'hot'. Perhaps the Antiquity or SJB-1 might be better choices.

It might be worth giving us a little insight into the rest of your rig before you go out and drop $$$ on new pups, just to be sure you are not missing something.

Good luck.

 

[SamuelSandoval]

I agree with you buddy. Technique makes the tone... But IMO not the timbre.
So you didn't understand me. Sorry about that, my fault. English is not my first language so maybe I have not expressed myself with the right words.

The best timbre I get from the bass is on the bridge pickup with flats. It's a example I gave for the people who might be wandering my tone preference. I mean i really like the Jaco tone, playing with a fat amp, etc... The famous jazz bass tone. I hate glassy highs in other words. But still hate lack of clarity, or dynamics. I look for that in a pickup.
The problem is: i can't get a classic fender tone in this bass. Even when playing passive.

I have played other Fender Jazz Basses, some from the 70's, some with split coils also, and they all sound better than the N3 Noiseless. You can search here in TB or in other forums on the internet. I have never seen a expensive bass like that having some bad pickups like the n3. Here is Brazil the bass players think the same. Probably because they are stacked coils. When i bought them i tought they were split coils. So it doesn't matter the strings or the technique. Rounds, or flats, soft playing, or hard, the sound is always too compressed. I bought it without testing it first, because here is too hard to find high-end Fenders for testing and this is the only Fender with a good pre amp and a active/passive switch. So as you can see, I did not want to modifcate the bass, but because of its tone, I see no other way. Split coils are nice, but im never again buying a bass with stack coils again. Its sounds awfully compressed (to my ears).

However the bass play like a dream, i must i agree. Thats why I am willing to change the pickups and not the bass... Sorry for the confusion...
What do you think about these: Fralins, nordstrand nj4, antiquity's II?

I'm gonna butt in for a moment lol.
I know exactly what @Vitor Alvarenga is talking about. I bought the same bass under almost the same circumstances last year.
The bass feels well, and in my opinion is pretty good as far as weight, dimensions, and even neck feel. Like him, I also couldn't test one before buying so I had to order and then get to know it once FedEx delivered (I live in a small city in Northern Colorado).
To me, the sound wasn't right and it wasn't cause of my playing. I couldn't get the tone I wanted regardless of the technique.
I swapped those N3 pups out within a few weeks of playing it and the sound was amazing!
As far as pickups, if you've heard a set you like go for it, having in mind that it'll probably sound slightly different from one bass to the other. I've heard great things from Nordstrand singles. And I have a hunch you'd love the sound from Aguilar pickups. Dave Boonshoft and the Aguilar gang always get it right when it comes to that vintage bass tone! There are so many great aftermarket pickups, I'm sure the one you'll choose will be much better than the N3s Fender makes. If you want vintage, don't get stacked, probably single coil, possibly split.


And as far as strings, have you tried the Marcus Miller set from afar Strings. I've tried about 15 different brands and those ones were just right (but not very long lasting). My favorite brand is LaBella but they sometimes are a bit harder to get at local shops.

Good luck modifying your Fender. It seems to be the only way to go with them.

 

[Cat-A-Tonic]

I'm intrigued by the possibility of Chi-sonics in a J-pickup package.

 

[narud]

I put a set of CS60s in my mid 90s MIJ Jazz and I like the sound. They're single coil, so susceptible to 60 cycle hum.
Looking for a replacement set for an old Tokai Jazz too -- So, what sounds like the CS60s but without the hum/more resistant to RF interference?

the cs 60's are a pretty tame sounding underwound pickup which is easier to emulate with a humcancelling set. the aguilar hum cancelling set is very nice and not to pricey. and while i havent tried them myself, the dimarzio area j's have a rep for doing a decent single coil sound. if you ever want to get rid of that tokai, let me know!

 

[devnulljp]

the cs 60's are a pretty tame sounding underwound pickup which is easier to emulate with a humcancelling set. the aguilar hum cancelling set is very nice and not to pricey. and while i havent tried them myself, the dimarzio area j's have a rep for doing a decent single coil sound. if you ever want to get rid of that tokai, let me know!

I have a set of Aggies in a Warmoth Jazz, and they sound pretty good.
Just ordered a set of Canadian Pickup Wizards, so will se how they do in that Tokai (it's not going anywhere though

 

[Selim]

I think it just sometimes comes down to the physics of each instrument. And the synergy of its parts. You can go to a guitar shop and play 12 Squire Fenders in a row and they play and sound like crap, and then you pick up the 13th and play and it's all there, the tone and the feel. In that case, all I would do in that situation is maybe upgrade the pickups. Maybe.

I had a Mex jazz not too long ago, and no matter what I tried, I just could not get the tone and feel I wanted. Even after changing every single piece except the body, including trying 3 sets of pickups. I just had to conclude that the bass was a lemon.

I am not saying your bass is a lemon. But you do like it, right? It makes you want to play it?

Then recently, I picked up a 90's Fernandes jazz and from the first note, it was perfect. $300. Plays like buttah, as they say. I love it so much I ended up putting pickups on it that cost almost as much as the bass. But I didn't need to. Bass was just RIGHT, just the way it was.

And I also agree with some other posters here -- never mind the gear for a minute -- it also has to do with what you do with your fingers!

 

[taylor16]

Starting to come around to new relatively new Nordstrand AlNiCo 3 60's wind single-cool pickups. Anyone else have these? Thoughts?

The guys at Nordstrand describe them much like I would. Relatively mellow with an emphasis on low-mids but really can grind and bark when dug into. Compared to the Hanson/Lakland vintage jazz pickups in my DJ4, they tend to get lost a bit in a mix but sound "better" than the Hanson/Lakland pickups with some overdrive. If anything, I'm glad that I have two different tonal palettes to go with. Prefer the Hanson/Laklands at this point, however.

 

[krejza]

Hey guys I need your help. I have a MIA Deluxe Jazz and I really don't like it's tone. So I decided to change the pups.
I have my doubts, but im choosing between the fralin, nordies, SD sjb1 and antiquity II. I like the vintage vibe, and love to play with the bridge pickup.
Hate the metallic sound of the strings, so i'm even using flats. What are your opinions about those? Nordies really grabbed my attention...

Try DIMARZIO DP123 pickups + strings Fender Nylon

 

[krejza]

I have a Squier Vintage Modified fretless jazz and find the plugged-in tone to be lacking. This bass has fender pickups instead of the Duncan Designed as some older models had.
I am thinking of replacing the electronics with this:
DiMarzio® Model J™ Pickup Set for J Bass | DiMarzio
The set of Dimarzio DP123 (Model J) with a pre-wired electronics plate.
First, would it be worth it to spend close to $200 to replace the electronics in such an inexpensive bass or would it be better to just buy a better bass?
If I do the replacement, will I notice a dramatic change?
Thanks

You surely will !!!

 

[Ragul]

A theory of Fender’s decreasing Jazz p/u dcr over the 1960s.

Copper prices were flat at less than $700 MT up to 1964, and then spiked, trending up to peak at $1900 in 1966.

 

[RyanKW]

I just installed a pair of lightly used DiMarzio Js into a Vintage 70s Reissue Squire Jazz (Marcus Miller), tossing aside the Duncan "designed" pups it came with. Holy effin s***, what a difference. The punch and tone control (being able to put the volumes and tone anywhere with no hum. Also, I noticed the all of my effects, including those on my Zoom B3, are now much more robust and defined. My cheapest bass is about to get the most use.

I never thought that I'd want to replace the pups on my other 4 string, an American Fender PJ..passive (the one in my avatar), but now I'm super tempted to put DiMarzios in that too.

Oh, we wired the Squire neck parallel/bridge series, in case anyone cared.

So, yeah, if anyone wants a sick sounding J bass on a budget, I recommend this setup. That Vintage reissue already feels and plays really nice out of the box, so it's a great upgrade.

 

[acebase62]

I just installed a pair of lightly used DiMarzio Js into a Vintage 70s Reissue Squire Jazz (Marcus Miller), tossing aside the Duncan "designed" pups it came with. Holy effin s***, what a difference. The punch and tone control (being able to put the volumes and tone anywhere with no hum. Also, I noticed the all of my effects, including those on my Zoom B3, are now much more robust and defined. My cheapest bass is about to get the most use.

I never thought that I'd want to replace the pups on my other 4 string, an American Fender PJ..passive (the one in my avatar), but now I'm super tempted to put DiMarzios in that too.

Oh, we wired the Squire neck parallel/bridge series, in case anyone cared.

So, yeah, if anyone wants a sick sounding J bass on a budget, I recommend this setup. That Vintage reissue already feels and plays really nice out of the box, so it's a great upgrade.

Which Dimarzio J set did you install?

(Model J, Area J, or Ultra J)

I'm a fan of the the Area J and Area PJ sets I'm using in a couple Warmoth basses.

 

[invalidprotocol]

Which Dimarzio J set did you install?

(Model J, Area J, or Ultra J)

I'm a fan of the the Area J and Area PJ sets I'm using in a couple Warmoth basses.

If you were to pick a single coil J set that is comparatively similar to the tone profile of an Area J set, what would it be? I'm trying to get an idea of what these sound like. The YT sound samples aren't all that great.

 

[RyanKW]

Which Dimarzio J set did you install?

(Model J, Area J, or Ultra J)

I'm a fan of the the Area J and Area PJ sets I'm using in a couple Warmoth basses.

Model Js

 

[acebase62]

If you were to pick a single coil J set that is comparatively similar to the tone profile of an Area J set, what would it be? I'm trying to get an idea of what these sound like. The YT sound samples aren't all that great.

The only SD Jazz pickups that I have used are the STK-J 2 Hot Stack set, which sound different than the Dimarzio Area Js (sound good, but less like single coil, etc.)

The Area Js use Alnico II magnets, which have a somewhat softer, older sound to me (compared to some other hum-cancel J pickups I have heard).

Perhaps one of the SD Antiquity sets or the SJB-1 Vintage J set would be a good choice if you want a SD single coil J set.

 

[Captain Chaos]

So I was wandering around guitar center and noticed they had a shelf full of pickups! So I bought a set of DiMarzio Model J's, I just want to know if they will help with the noise in my Marcus Miller Jazz. Since I like the configuration of the Fender pre or is it the pre that is just as noisy?

 

[Captain Chaos]

Called local guitar shops and both told me backlog is 15 days to a month. Is this normal? My soldering skills aren't the best but I've gotten a few pickups to work. I'm just not comfortable to wait that long.