Jazz 5 options, recommendations?

[rojo412]

Man, I hope this thread hasn't been beaten to death so far, but I figure this one is a bit on the harder to answer side, being that it's for some 5's.

1) I have a Fender J Plus 5, 1993. It has 2 Lace Sensors in it that have been beaten to sh...... and I was going to cover them with a veneer, make em pretty, but it failed, they look worse. I want to find some pickups for it, but the options are few and far between, unless I'm looking in the wrong spaces.

They seem to be the same size, which I found odd for Fender. They both measure 3-11/16th" wide. What 5 pickups will work for this? I know they are about the same as a 4, but with pole pieces, 4 p.u.s would look stoopid. Also, they must run passive, as it's an active/passive pre in the bass.
And is there a problem if I ran 2 bridge pickups? That seemed to be the size closest according to Seymour Duncan

2) I have a Fender J Dlx 5, 2003. It has the SC Fender pickups. I do like them, so I'd be asking this for future reference. Who makes pickups that fit this bad boy? Seems like most of the usual suspects won't touch these. Also, looking for passive, using a J Retro in it.

What can you tell me?

 

[David Wilson]

OK, so here you're going to have to deal with the fact that there is no one standard size for 5 string J's. So a set from one mfr may fit one five string J but not another.

For each of the basses you mention, you don't say whether you want single coils or humbuckers, what sound you want, what woods in your bass etc...

1) Could you measure the existing pickups *exactly*. If they're both the 3.73" size, then the ones that spring to mind include Bartolini 59J, Dimarzio Ultra Jazz 5, Sadowsky S/C 5, Sadowsky H/C 5, Nordstrand S/C 5

You *can* use two bridge pickups, but the neck will be somewhat overpowering. Bridge pickups are usually wound a lot more than a neck pickup, since a neck pickup gets more string vibration above it.

2) What size are the existing pickups *exactly*

 

[rojo412]

Please forgive some of my lack of detail.

The J Plus has pickups that are 3.6875" wide, 93.5mm or 3-11/16". The tone I want on this is a snappy, hum-free set suited for aggressive play and slap. I love the tone of the single coil stuff, but it hums like mad wherever I am.

The J Dlx 5, it has a 4.something" width, but so few companies make the size anyway, I figured I'd just get names.

 

[David Wilson]

The J Plus has pickups that are 3.6875" wide, 93.5mm or 3-11/16". The tone I want on this is a snappy, hum-free set suited for aggressive play and slap. I love the tone of the single coil stuff, but it hums like mad wherever I am.

Are you 100% sure on these measurements?
Are they not 3.73" bridge, and 3.60" neck? Or 3.73" bridge, 3.73" neck?

The J Dlx 5, it has a 4.something" width, but so few companies make the size anyway, I figured I'd just get names.

OK, If you mean that the bridge is 4.13"ish and the neck is 3.98", then for that route size your choices are even more limited.
Bart make the 57J humbucking set, Nordstrand make the 5JF size, as do Lindy Fralin and Aero. The Fralin and Aero's might be OEM only, don't know if they're available to public but don't see why not - but Lakland put them in the Osborn and Daryl Jones 5 string basses.