• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Looking for the FATTEST sounding jazz pickups

M

Mr Stress

Apr 7, 2005
6
0
Madrid, Spain
#1
Hi everybody!

I own both a Precision and a Jazz bass.
With the Precision I can achieve a fat, ballsy, thick tone that sits great in the mix, but I experience a lack of definition I don’t feel confortable with.
In the other side I love the playability of my Geddy Lee Jazz, with tons of definition, and a great, barky, growly and angry tone, but it sounds thinner in the bass side… I’ve upgraded it to DiMarzio model J’s that are a little more fat sounding pickups, but I still feel that I have not enought bass and low mids, it cuts but not sits, at least not as far good as the precision does…
Have you got any suggestion for a fatter sounding pickups for the jazz?
I’m looking for FAT, THICK, but still GROWLY and WELL DEFINED sound

Thanks in advance!
Regards from Spain!
 
#4
Thanks AqueousView11, I forgot to mention that they are wired in series, with a series-pararell push-pull switch in the tone knob… but still not fat enought ;)

Thanks for the advice phatbass30, I was thinking in both the Sadowsky singles or the Duncans Antiquity II… but here in Spain they are too expensive and very hard to find

any other suggestion?
 
#8
IMO you might never find what you are really looking for. I had to make the same decision between P and J. A jazz will never sound in a mix like a P, and a P will always be a soft kid comparing with the J. I believe a new pickup will not take you there.
Maybe you should try something completely different (Stingray?), or a P/J instrument. I would choose a P with an extra bridge pickup instead of a J with an extra P at the neck. The P has wider neck, slightly bigger body and that perfect pickup position, and I think all the combination of these elements make it sounding like a P.
Rocco Prestia, amongst many others, is using a P with an extra J pu at bridge, and he is using 75% the bridge pickup for his signature sound.
If you still want to experiment some new pickups first I would choose the AntiquityII which is the fattest, dirtiest J pu I ever had. You can find it on ebay at half of the European price.
 
#10
I had SD Ant. II and Model J in the same bass and Model J was definitelly fatter and louder. SD was wider down low but more transparent and balanced overall. Thus it appeared somewhat thinner in comparison to "ball breaker" Model J's, which was also more tamed on the top.

Somebody described Model J's as a J pickup for P lovers.
However, I would agree with dezspet that you can't fully get the P sound profile from a J.
I still think the outboard preamp, the two-band Aguilar or Sadowsky would be the ticket for full and supporting low end.
 
#11
If you need new pickups for your Geddy Lee, look no further than Nordstrand NJ-4 70's Wind Pickups. I just installed a pair in my Jazz (which has the 75' pickup locations like the Geddy) and I finally found "THE TONE". The bridge pickup has more heft than i've ever heard, almost room shaking. The neck has great definition. together, the tone of the two sounds like a lead sled hitting you in the head.

Also don't overlook adjusting the pickups as a way to gain heft. If I need tighter lows, i find that ultimate balance of mm from the string to get it just right. Close to the strings, more volume less highs, narrow string pickup. Farther from the strings, less volume, more definition and wider string pickup.
 
#12
I was feeling the same way with my J's and P's. They were both great but I wanted more out of each. A stingray style bass solved the problem for me. Fat with definition and a bit of bridge-pickup-like growl.
 
#14
You like your P, but it's missing something you like about the J.
You like your J, but it's missing something you like about the P.
There's a pickguard surrounding the neck pickup.

Therefore, the easiest solution it to turn your Jazz into a PJ! (Not only does this make sense tonally, but you've stated you prefer the playability of the J. That's the clincher in my opinion.)

I haven't bothered to look it up, but I'd be utterly unsurprised to see parts suppliers selling J pickguards with P pickups for precisely this reason.

Then, you might discover you don't need the P anymore, and sell it for an amount of cash that would eclipse the conversion cost of the J.
 
#16
I'm assuming you've tried using just the Dimarzio neck pu (with bridge pu off), and that you have it positioned close to the strings

If this doesn't cut it, I would recommend the installation of a true P pickup or an outboard EQ as mentioned above,
 
#17
Have you tried out a Invalid Link Removed? It's got Dual Ps at the neck and a single J by the bridge. It has a P body shape with a J neck. You can also blend between the neck and bridge via a knob. Comes in black and blue I think..
 
#18
4StringTheorist said:
You like your P, but it's missing something you like about the J.
You like your J, but it's missing something you like about the P.
There's a pickguard surrounding the neck pickup.

Therefore, the easiest solution it to turn your Jazz into a PJ! (Not only does this make sense tonally, but you've stated you prefer the playability of the J. That's the clincher in my opinion.)

I haven't bothered to look it up, but I'd be utterly unsurprised to see parts suppliers selling J pickguards with P pickups for precisely this reason.

Then, you might discover you don't need the P anymore, and sell it for an amount of cash that would eclipse the conversion cost of the J.
Click to expand...

+1 you can either turn the jazz into a P/J or turn the P into a P/J , the P in the mid position will give you the fat ballsy tone, the J at the bridge will give you the growl and definition
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back