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Marcus miller Jazz pickup replacement
- Thread starter damon106
- Start date
Mark Wilson
Supporting Member
They (the few I've seen) can be identified by the rounded top flatwork and 3/16" (.188", not 5mm or .197") alnico rod magnets. The bottom piece of flatwork has a number (might be used on other pickups too) and often has white handwriting on it. They should have copper colored (Formvar) coil wire and be in the 7.5-8K range. I've seen similar pickups from a Highway One, but don't know if they're the same. I don't think Fender put those pickups in a lot of other basses.
I'm not sure what those pickups were, but I replaced them twice. The first time with Stan Hinesley (HAS Sound) Hot Jazz pickups, which I loved. I later replaced them with Sadowsky Humcancelling Jazz pickups because I had just become a one bass man, and had to avoid the hum.
The HAS Sound pickups were the best I've ever played or heard though.
The HAS Sound pickups were the best I've ever played or heard though.
I put Seymour Duncan Antiquity II's in mine and put a John East preamp in it. It still sounds like Marcus Miller (maybe even more so now) but has a much broader range of tone than with the stock electronics. With these upgrades, the MM is now my all time favorite bass. It has smooth hi-end sizzle, deep powerful lows and a pleasant mid range with some growl and punch. The John East did more for my bass than the pickups but the pickups were a worthwhile improvement too.
To answer the first part of your question, the stock pickups are Japanese reproductions of 70's vintage Jazz Pickups. I thought they were a little harsh and thin sounding personally.
To answer the first part of your question, the stock pickups are Japanese reproductions of 70's vintage Jazz Pickups. I thought they were a little harsh and thin sounding personally.
I have OBP3 preamp in mine for more then 3 years...my first pups upgrade was with dimarzio's ultra jazz, well they are noise less not bad better than stock pups...I can say nice pickups for that bass. After 1/2-1 year I ordered NJ'4s...well these pups are tight but there is less of Marcus taste ...it's more like Music Man or so...I have Antiquity's II for couple days... after few days with them I can tell they have less bright than UJ's but my bass sounds more like Fender now, more like Marcus...also they are better for finger styl...I feel I can play lightly I can make tone easy (sorry my english)
- Aug 25, 2007
- 835
- 6
- Disclosures
- I manufacture for several companies including but not limited to: Bridge City Sound, Catalinbread, more.
i put an audere preamp in mine. sounds good but i think i would have preferred the obp3. still stock pickups, but i would go with the fender noisless jazz if i were gonna replace them. i also dont like the stock pickups, so im gonna do an upgrade here real soon.
+1 about those stock japanese pickups.. they do sound thin.
i have also recently upgraded my mm with sd antiquity 2 and since then it became a lot better instrument even with the stock fender FMEQ preamp. wich will soon be replaced with aguilar obp 2
is the OPB-2 the same size???im leaning to that one i think...and maybe the emg pups with the regular style poles... will it have to be 18v to push the pups too???
Let me know how you like the OBP when you get it. I was looking at those as well but couldn't get past the 18 volts it requires. Where will the second battery go?
Edit: According to BestBassGear.com they can be run in either 9 or 18 volt configurations.
OBP2 and OBP3 is in same shell - 0.98"W x 0.98"L x 0.59"D I use two batteries so 18V never try 9V operation...18V it's fine it's I don't have problem with too hi signal or so...
I have OBP-3's in each of my heavily modded Schecters. The Studio5 runs fine at 18v, the CV-5 prototype runs fine at 9v. There is NO difference in the sound, tone, or usability of tones between the two.
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this is mine...I saw some pic where the batteries where at one place, the old place for batterie was made just little biger... you need good gear to make it nice or some joiner or guitar builder can help you...I don't have problem with mine instalation It's more screws to repalce batteries, but I don't like to make extra room in body
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after gig tonight I can say I like Antiguties II more and more....they have more meat...they are more tight than UJ's but mellower than NJ4's my bass works better for the band...thicker tone but still JB/Marcus grit
Hi Damon106,
I replaced the pickups in my Marcus Miller jazz and went with the Dimarzio Model J humbuckers. They fit in perfectly.
I prefer a darker/thicker sound and the Model J's have that compared with the stock pickups, at least to my ears.
I also had the preamp removed and went completely passive. The tone knob is an old school capacitor and I had one of the switches rewired to be a "kill" switch.
I replaced the pickups in my Marcus Miller jazz and went with the Dimarzio Model J humbuckers. They fit in perfectly.
I prefer a darker/thicker sound and the Model J's have that compared with the stock pickups, at least to my ears.
I also had the preamp removed and went completely passive. The tone knob is an old school capacitor and I had one of the switches rewired to be a "kill" switch.
