"J" pickups discussion and comparisons - PART II

[LoTone]

Does anyone has experiences with Fender's Gen 4 Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups Model #: 0992262000?

Right now, Fender has Gen 3 and Gen 4 Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups plus the Vintage Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups. I am looking for vintage sounding hum-free pickups and my head is spinning.

 

[BlueTalon]

Does anyone has experiences with Fender's Gen 4 Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups Model #: 0992262000?

Right now, Fender has Gen 3 and Gen 4 Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups plus the Vintage Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups. I am looking for vintage sounding hum-free pickups and my head is spinning.

I was wondering the same thing.

 

[TonyP-]

Anybody had a chance to compared the Fender Pure Vintage '74's to Nordstrand NP4's with the 70's wind? Looking for something a bit different than '60's style Jazz pickups. Wouldn't mind a slightly brighter bridge pickup though I've been curious if adding a treble bleed mod to my neck pot might get me where I wanna go.

I have actually in two warmoth builds that where identical except the pickups...(Ash/Maple) one my buddies and the other mine. I thought the Pure vintages were fine but not as defined as the Nordstrand.
What to take from the 70's wind is the it might appear bright of a pickup from the 60's but its true character is that it does not have that little hump in the lower mids that most 60's style have.

 

[Zoobiedood]

I have been using the Apollo Jazz bass which are side by side hum cancelling coils, and they tend to get a really great vintage J bass sound.

 

[UmamiBass]

Anybody had a chance to compared the Fender Pure Vintage '74's to Nordstrand NP4's with the 70's wind? Looking for something a bit different than '60's style Jazz pickups. Wouldn't mind a slightly brighter bridge pickup though I've been curious if adding a treble bleed mod to my neck pot might get me where I wanna go.

I've tried both of these. I had a AVRI Jazz bass that I replaced the stock pickups with Nordstrands. I loved the bass, but both pickups didn't quite do it for me. To be clear though, it was a super light ash/maple jazz, and I think the bass itself may have not played well with 70's wind pickups due to having some lows lacking just from the bass itself.

I do think that the Nordstrands sounded more immediate, and spoke more clearly. The bass I owned had a pretty great slap tone, but I found both sets to be lacking when it came to fingerstyle playing. Personally I would probably go for the Nordstrand pickups. The stock pickups had compressed highs, and didn't punch as hard, but both sets were similar in general flavor. Nordstrand really does something special with their coil shapes which give their pickups a more muscular type of tone. I've found this to be true with big singles, NJ4, NJ4 hum cancelling SE and SV types. While some people say they sound a little more polite, I've found them just to be smoother sounding that Fralins. They are also more even across the spectrum, which I've came to miss on my newest bass, which doesn't have them.

 

[UmamiBass]

Does anyone has experiences with Fender's Gen 4 Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups Model #: 0992262000?

Right now, Fender has Gen 3 and Gen 4 Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups plus the Vintage Noiseless Jazz Bass pickups. I am looking for vintage sounding hum-free pickups and my head is spinning.

I was wondering the same thing.

I would have to say that Gen 4's are more lively and brighter a bit, but still similarly compressed sounding to the split coil jazz pickups out there. I actually have a used set of the vintage noiseless and the samarium cobalt noiseless that Fender put out that I'm not using. If you're interested in trying a set out, I'm thinking of putting them up for sale on the classifieds.

Out of the Fender noiseless varieties, I liked the the vintage the best with a preamp. The samarium cobalts are similar sounding to the N3 pickups, but almost get over compressed at times, and the 4th gen models really need that preamp to shine to get the highs out. The 4th gen are super even sounding though, and don't tend to favor any one string or part of the spectrum. I think they just lack too much in the highs without a preamp. The vintage actually sound pretty good passively with higher value pots! Hope that helps!

 

[rmars]

I have actually in two warmoth builds that where identical except the pickups...(Ash/Maple) one my buddies and the other mine. I thought the Pure vintages were fine but not as defined as the Nordstrand.
What to take from the 70's wind is the it might appear bright of a pickup from the 60's but its true character is that it does not have that little hump in the lower mids that most 60's style have.

Yeah, I found your clips of the 60's and 70's NJ4's and could definitely hear a difference. Being the Jazz is already scooped I was wondering if I would miss the mids but I really like the clarity of the 70's and that they seem a bit less nasally. I was leaning towards the Nordstrands but I'm living on the cheap right now and there are some great deals on the PV '74's. Thanks for your input.

I've tried both of these. I had a AVRI Jazz bass that I replaced the stock pickups with Nordstrands. I loved the bass, but both pickups didn't quite do it for me. To be clear though, it was a super light ash/maple jazz, and I think the bass itself may have not played well with 70's wind pickups due to having some lows lacking just from the bass itself.

I do think that the Nordstrands sounded more immediate, and spoke more clearly. The bass I owned had a pretty great slap tone, but I found both sets to be lacking when it came to fingerstyle playing. Personally I would probably go for the Nordstrand pickups. The stock pickups had compressed highs, and didn't punch as hard, but both sets were similar in general flavor. Nordstrand really does something special with their coil shapes which give their pickups a more muscular type of tone. I've found this to be true with big singles, NJ4, NJ4 hum cancelling SE and SV types. While some people say they sound a little more polite, I've found them just to be smoother sounding that Fralins. They are also more even across the spectrum, which I've came to miss on my newest bass, which doesn't have them.

Thanks for sharing. Muscular is good, those description help. I almost bought one of the AVRI '74's but the lighter bodied ones I tried gave them a little different vibe than the heavy ash '77 that I used to own. Sounded great all the same and I love the bound necks.

 

[Captain Chaos]

Does anyone know of somebody who can clone pickups? Every single detail like magnet shape?

 

[Zoobiedood]

Our Custom Shop can and has done that...

 

[NKBassman]

Does anyone know of somebody who can clone pickups? Every single detail like magnet shape?

Curtis Novak

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I'm liking it so far, but I need to find strings that last longer than Rotosounds. they died in 3 days....maybe I'm playing too much.

I understand the thread is old but to say that a pair of roundwound dies in 3 days borders the limit of the ABS definition IMO ... ok, Atomic BS

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Recently picked up a Fender AM Dlx Jazz Bass V (2013 model year). These have been discussed at length on here so I will keep it brief. I found the stock pickups a bit compressed, as others have mentioned, but I like the preamp just fine. I did shield the hell out of it when I got it and that took care of most of the noise issues. I debated heavily on getting either Fralin or Nord split coils but couldn't pull the trigger. I instead went with Lollar single coils. I have these in a 4 string J and love them - classic single coil jazz bass sound. I got them installed today and recorded a little ditty (copped some of the line to Gaslighting Abbie by THE DAN) as comparison. Sound file order is: N3 active preamp on and flat, Lollar preamp on and flat, N3 passive, Lollar passive. Signal is direct via Apogee Duet into REDDI, no compression of EQ. Just meant as a basic means to compare the pickups inherent sounds. Also, I didn't solo either pickup, just both wide open.

Look forward to my gigs this weekend, but given my already great experience with the 4 string set, I feel very comfortable I will love these live. So far these are only reinforcing the love I have for Lollar pickups. I have a Pbass loaded with Lollars as well.

Playing with a pick? N3 sound better in my opinion, Fuller basses

 

[Coughdrops]

Playing with a pick? N3 sound better in my opinion, Fuller basses

Those clips were finger style. Have since sold that bass but still prefer Lollars for any a Fender type bass pickup. That's not to say there aren't a bunch of different, equally good options, as evidenced by this thread.

 

[Pbassmanca]

I understand the thread is old but to say that a pair of roundwound dies in 3 days borders the limit of the ABS definition IMO ... ok, Atomic BS

I only wish I could get a set of rounds to die in 3 days, I don't think I can get them to die in 3 months!

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Those clips were finger style. Have since sold that bass but still prefer Lollars for any a Fender type bass pickup. That's not to say there aren't a bunch of different, equally good options, as evidenced by this thread.

I listened with attention since I am curious about the Lollars ... however I could not understand their tonal dynamics as I thought you were playing with a pick but probably it was just the style you played which didn’t allow for sufficiently long notes to ring .. however, from an outside observer point of view and without prejudice, the N3 pickups seemed to have a rounder tone which, however, is generally in line with the behaviour of humbucking pickups, so, again, it’s a matter of personal taste

 

[Marihino]

I understand the thread is old but to say that a pair of roundwound dies in 3 days borders the limit of the ABS definition IMO ... ok, Atomic BS

True, I wish it was 3 days, most Swing 66 sets that I bought, were dead straight out of the packet :/

Having said that, the good sets, after initial mellowing and losing the top end, kept the growl and intonation for seriously long time.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

I only use Rotosound Funkmaster 66 in all my basses except for the last one which I didn't have those strings available for when I received its body...
They last with a good clear tone for quite a while although for me it's just a matter of gauge and grip...

 

[Pbassmanca]

Our Custom Shop can and has done that...

I listened with attention since I am curious about the Lollars ... however I could not understand their tonal dynamics as I thought you were playing with a pick but probably it was just the style you played which didn’t allow for sufficiently long notes to ring .. however, from an outside observer point of view and without prejudice, the N3 pickups seemed to have a rounder tone which, however, is generally in line with the behaviour of humbucking pickups, so, again, it’s a matter of personal taste

Where did you guys hear these recordings?

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

Old post ... N3 Vs. Lollars !

 

[NKBassman]

I only wish I could get a set of rounds to die in 3 days, I don't think I can get them to die in 3 months!

GHS Pressurewounds sound like a really nice broken in set of rounds right out of the package. Loving them on my P Bass.
But this isn't really the correct thread for that conversation.