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Jazz Basses with Soap Bar Pickups
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
While this is usually the case, I, too, was under the impression that soapbars specifically for Fender Jazz Basses were single coils?
Once you get into other 2 pickup basses, then humbuckers become more prevalent. All of my "jazz" basses have single coils, all of my 2 pup basses that aren't "jazz" basses have humbuckers.
All my recent builds have ether Bartolini BC or p2 shaped pickups - none of them are Bartolinis, however - they're Nordstrands. Nordstrand makes a decent variety of pickups in those shapes - single coils, in line hum cancellers, twisted in line hum cancellers, stacks, sidewinders, and true dual coil side by side humbuckers. You want it to be a real jazz bass? They make that pickup structure in that housing. Those pickups also have the correct number of mounting screws - 3. Leo got that part right... the fourth time. (two Ps, a J, and then the MM Sting Ray)
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I would say it's because pickups position. More than the shape.
After all, if you pick a Precision pickup and put it on a Jazz Bass body, it will sound no more like a Jazz Bass.
If you put the same pickup on a Jaguar body, it will sound like a Precision anyways.
Pickup positioning is way more important, when you want your bass to "sound like a jazz bass", than the body shape alone.
And there's a LOT of singles with "soapbar" shapes. So being a soapbar no more means it's automatically a humbucker.
Also, the same happens with J pickups with stacked coils. It's a humbucker in a J pickup cover.
Also, the same happens with J pickups with stacked coils. It's a humbucker in a J pickup cover.
I don't think anyone would disagree with you, but "sound like a jazz bass" is pretty subjective thing. As soon as one steers away from single coils in those sweet spots, it no longer "sounds like a jazz bass." At that point, it's all just a matter of degree.
Do EMGs and all those other "jazz" pickups sound like a jazz just because they fit in the same route?
I am not being argumentative, per se. I get where you are going. But, I think there is merit to the idea that a body cut, neck feel can be identified as a "jazz" bass.
And what of basses like below that offer nothing "jazz-like" apart from the PU style and placement?
Squier Vintage Modified Precision Bass V | h breen
According to Fender, the bass above is Precision despite having two single coils in the Sixties Jazz positions. It is a Precision because of body shape. Since Fender has the trademark, I accept their definition.
I own an Ibanez Ergodyne EDB605. It was my first 5-string bass, purchased new. Some say it's Ibanez's take on a 5-string active J. However, to me, it sounds nothing like any 5-string Fender Deluxe Active Jazz I've ever played, so I don't even think of it as a Jazz bass. But it successfully fills a specific role in some of the stuff I do – particularly studio work – so I've kept it.
To help your point, here is a Fender Blacktop Jazz Bass. Jazz body style but two precision pickups. Still a jazz bass.
https://www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/fender-blacktop-jazz-bass
I terms of Jazz Bass tone, some of the best sounding basses I have ever heard are the old Peavey Foundations with semi-soap bar looking Super Ferrite pickups. The body also was not shaped like a Jazz Bass either.
I must say that the Peavey Foundation is one of the best sounding basses I've heard. It has a Jazz bass on steroid tone.
Well ... recorded through the tiny camera tiny microphone ... it can't sound good at all.
My current favorite j bass is set up with a set of Dimarzio Ultra j pickups and i love the sound. It’s like a hotter jazz pickup without the single coil hum. The pedal steel i guy i play with from time to time always asks me to bring the blond jazz bass.
I played one long ago. It has a fingerboard about as wide as a Warwick Broadneck. Stock, it sounds good, but it should be very easy to mod.
Sadowskys sounds amazing with soapbars in the J locations! 
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While I suspect Sadowsky's and a few other J bodied basses sound great with Soap Bars I'm not a fan. There is something about the traditional J body with 2 J pickups, same thing with P/J's IMHO, I don't like them on J bodies (I say this with apologies to Verdine White). My take is if you want a J bass to sound like a modern bass buy a modern bass, Fodera, MTD, Schjold and a host of others do a great job making comfortable modern basses. I like my Sadowsky's because the tone is still very much in the J bass family. But to each his own right 
