"J" pickups discussion and comparisons - PART II

[craigie]

fender N3 noiseless and custom shop 60'

tell me about the difference.
thank you

Custom shop 60's sound great. Single coil jazz sound with lots of punch. Raised pole pieces that can catch your fingers if you're not careful but give a good balance string to string.

N3 sound like a$$ and are possibly the worst pickup ever. IMHO of course. Split coils that no longer have that single coil jazz bass sound.

 

[JIO]

fender N3 noiseless and custom shop 60'

tell me about the difference.
thank you

Unless I'm missing something the main difference is the N3 is split-coil and the CS'60 is a single. But tone-wise (as Pantone 333 stated in post #438) a good split coil can sound as good as a good single minus the hum.

 

[phanuphong1991]

Unless I'm missing something the main difference is the N3 is split-coil and the CS'60 is a single. But tone-wise (as Pantone 333 stated in post #438) a good split coil can sound as good as a good single minus the hum.

Custom shop 60's sound great. Single coil jazz sound with lots of punch. Raised pole pieces that can catch your fingers if you're not careful but give a good balance string to string.

N3 sound like a$$ and are possibly the worst pickup ever. IMHO of course. Split coils that no longer have that single coil jazz bass sound.

thank you^^

 

[Joe Ty]

Unless I'm missing something the main difference is the N3 is split-coil and the CS'60 is a single. But tone-wise (as Pantone 333 stated in post #438) a good split coil can sound as good as a good single minus the hum.

Where would you put the Lindy Fralin Split Coil J's in that discussion?

 

[bdplaid]

Trying to reuse old stuff I have, I just installed a set of SD SJB-5 5 string pickups in my 4 string Jazz. They are Fender 4-string size, but have a bar magnet that will accommodate a 5-string bass. Love them, they have a tight low end, articulate mids and crisp top end.
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[craigie]

Unless I'm missing something the main difference is the N3 is split-coil and the CS'60 is a single. But tone-wise (as Pantone 333 stated in post #438) a good split coil can sound as good as a good single minus the hum.

I don't agree based on my personal experience with Nordstrand NJ4SE, and dimarzio ultra jazz, area J and model J. They all sound great in their own way but lose a bit of the single coil sound.

 

[doran.dragic]

Hi there,

I want to swap the single-coil pick ups in my Sire Bass (V7 60s version 5 string) for some hum-cancelling ones.

I did some research and I'm leaning toward Delanos. The reviews I read seem to be excellent and they are made in Germany and this makes them much more accessible and also cheaper for me. I also get to play a Sandberg with a MM/P pickups made by Delano and I like the way it sounds.

I use this bass mostly with my soul band. The songs we play differ a lot - from Motown and Stax to Whitney Houston to Amy Winehouse. Occasionally some slapping and disco as well. I also use both pickups in solo mode from time to time, either when I'm trying to imitate the sound of a P bass or when we do a tune that requires some bridge pickup burp.

However, I don't know, which pickups I should choose. Delano offers 2 possibilities:

JC 5 HE
Our fivestring high end twin coil humcanceller JB™ type pickup senses only the small area of the string a standard single coil would ‘see’,only a lot quieter.

The JC5 HEs incredibly full but tight bottom end and low mid warmth, velvet mids and sparkling top presence are the ingredients for world class bass tone, that responds flawlessly to every nuance of your playing. Well defined low-B string even on 34 inch scale basses and your E-string will be still have the integrity of a good fourstring bass. Great in passive, active or hybrid installations. DELANO JC5 HE pickups are available in matched pairs ore as individual units.

JMVC 5 FE
The DELANO difference: Five massive 9,5mm ferrite stud poles capture every slight movement of your strings.

The humfree twin coil JMVC5 FE ultra fast transient five-string bass pickup features state-of-the-art transducer technology combined with avantgarde cosmetics. Strong bass, warm low mids, clean mid response with lightning fast attack and brilliant treble that stays right there from your most subtle into your heaviest playing even if your fivestring bass is droptuned to subzero. Available in matched pairs or singles.

Can anyone compare these two pickups or could offer their opinion based on the technology being used?

Thanks.

 

[JIO]

Where would you put the Lindy Fralin Split Coil J's in that discussion?

I have a set of them in an active J (Audre J-retro) - they deliver a classic J tone minus buzz/hum. (very big/bottom focused w/the Audere) I've yet to try them passive, but I'm sure they would sound good.

 

[NKBassman]

I have a set of them in an active J (Audre J-retro) - they deliver a classic J tone minus buzz/hum. (very big/bottom focused w/the Audere) I've yet to try them passive, but I'm sure they would sound good.

How do you like the Audere? I'm getting kind of tired of my Aggie OBP.

 

[JIO]

How do you like the Audere? I'm getting kind of tired of my Aggie OBP.

I do like the Audere and have it in a couple basses, one I own/play and one I built for Gildaxe (w/Delano oval pu's) - what is most prominent about it is it is huge (big deep bottom) at the bass end and it is flavorful throughout it's tonal options. (3 way T/M/B switch) But I know many people like the Angular systems and I am only familiar w/the OP-2 which is not a direct comparison. Both good regardless. I also like John East pre's with his mid-sweep option.

 

[JJR58]

Very interested in swapping out my Lollars, which by the way sound awesome.
And considering putting in Fralin splits.

Any thoughts on this?

 

[JIO]

Very interested in swapping out my Lollars, which by the way sound awesome.
And considering putting in Fralin splits.

Any thoughts on this?

In your '66 trib J? In mine (BG bass) I have Fender Super 55 (split-coils) and they are keepers. I've toyed with replacing them w/singles (Fralins or Nordy's) but I've grown to rely on the way it sounds as is. They don't make them anymore but some NOS can still be found on eBay. I think most of the top-end makers split-coils all sound good.

 

[JJR58]

In your '66 trib J? In mine (BG bass) I have Fender Super 55 (split-coils) and they are keepers. I've toyed with replacing them w/singles (Fralins or Nordy's) but I've grown to rely on the way it sounds as is. They don't make them anymore but some NOS can still be found on eBay. I think most of the top-end makers split-coils all sound good.

Yes, in the '66 trib.
I've heard nothing but good things about the Super 55 splits.
But just curious at this point, i wouldn't mind leaving the arena of the traditional single coil tone.
I've just never been able to do a side by side comparison to know for sure.

 

[JIO]

Where would you put the Lindy Fralin Split Coil J's in that discussion?

I don't agree based on my personal experience with Nordstrand NJ4SE, and dimarzio ultra jazz, area J and model J. They all sound great in their own way but lose a bit of the single coil sound.

Yes, singles are inherently different and in being so are not 'replicated' by a split-coil regardless of marketing accolades. All the split coil pu's out there made by pretty much everybody now sound really good, but will never replicate exactly a single set. Aside from that they all sound really good and I imagine there is a 'shoot-out' somewhere comparing one to the other.

 

[JIO]

Yes, in the '66 trib.
I've heard nothing but good things about the Super 55 splits.
But just curious at this point, i wouldn't mind leaving the arena of the traditional single coil tone.
I've just never been able to do a side by side comparison to know for sure.

I use 2 (J's) basses at our rehearsal space - one w/the Super 55's, one with Nordy NJ4's - I cover any needed tone between them and wouldn't consider one over the other in general.

 

[JJR58]

I use 2 (J's) basses at our rehearsal space - one w/the Super 55's, one with Nordy NJ4's - I cover any needed tone between them and wouldn't consider one over the other in general.

Thanks JIO, The Nordy's are also a consideration as well.

 

[JIO]

Thanks JIO, The Nordy's are also a consideration as well.

Love mine - YOMV

 

[Pantone 333]

Love mine - YOMV

Me too ... I love mine. Great website and great customer service.

 

[InnerBass]

I've been considering the Klein 62' Jazz pickups for my Highway 1 04' Jazz bass. The stock pickups in that bass are ridiculously bright. I have to turn the tone 3/4 of the way down just to get to the usable range of treble. Do you use the Klein? If so, how do they rate in your opinion? I'm looking for a really traditional J pickup sound, and a nice clean but fairly moderate high end response.

I had Mike Lull install a set of Klein '62's in a V4 I picked up here on TB.

I was told there was a set of Fender Selects in there previously.

I had heard the Klein Strat p/u's and they just knocked me out - so I gave the Klein J 's a chance.

All I can say is these pickups seem to pair perfectly with an alder/rosewood combo.

Mike shielded the cavity so the hum is negligible.

Our guitarist's lead channel hum drowns out any hum these put out, anyway

But I really dig 'em for live, so far - nice presence. They're not boomy but they have more than enough smooth punch induce everyone in the house to get their groove on.

I like that they have a nice smooth top end, but without sounding 'muted'. That open-ness is still there, but when you dig in there isn't that nasty top end harshness you get with really aggressive single coils.

They leave me a lot of room to manipulate the tone with my fingers - dig that a lot.

Studio will be a whole nuther ball o' wax, though.

 

[Pbassmanca]

View attachment 1156148

I had Mike Lull install a set of Klein '62's in a V4 I picked up here on TB.

I was told there was a set of Fender Selects in there previously.

I had heard the Klein Strat p/u's and they just knocked me out - so I gave the Klein J 's a chance.

All I can say is these pickups seem to pair perfectly with an alder/rosewood combo.

Mike shielded the cavity so the hum is negligible.

Our guitarist's lead channel hum drowns out any hum these put out, anyway

But I really dig 'em for live, so far - nice presence. They're not boomy but they have more than enough smooth punch induce everyone in the house to get their groove on.

I like that they have a nice smooth top end, but without sounding 'muted'. That open-ness is still there, but when you dig in there isn't that nasty top end harshness you get with really aggressive single coils.

They leave me a lot of room to manipulate the tone with my fingers - dig that a lot.

Studio will be a whole nuther ball o' wax, though.

Excellent thanks for the review. The fact that they are dynamically responsive without having an overbearing top-end means they just might fit the bill of what I'm looking for. If you have the cavity shielded well and the studio is wired properly, you might be able to get away without running both pickups on full..