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MIA stock vs CS 60 jazz pickups

P

pattyløve

Apr 7, 2009
238
14
34
Sydney, Australia
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Disclosures
Endorsing Artist: Ashdown Engineering, D'addario
#1
So i'm looking at buying an MIA Fender jazz bass at the end of the year and have played a few different 2012 models (which have the fender custom shop pickups now as stock).

What i would like to know is how do these compare to the older pickups in say the 2011, 2010 models? Ive had basses with CS60s in them before but ive never heard the older MIA jazz pickups. Although i do like the CS60s, i find them just a tad dark for my tastes, will the older models be a better choice?
 
#5
I found the stock pickups in my 2008 to have boomy lows and very grindy high-mids. The CS60's I replaced them with we're more even, sounded sweeter to my ear, more responsive to finger articulation although a bit darker. I have better low mids without the boom. If I want those same lows or highs I have to eq them in. I am not able to duplicate the high-mids though which had a very defined signature.

The biggest change was in the neck pickup. It sounds far better soloed than the stock one did, more of an old school P like sound. Overall I'd say the CS60 are more conservative and flexible with less of a signature.

In the end it turned out to be a good match for what is a very bright maple fretboard.
 
#6
Don't know if this will help much, but I have an Am Std 5 string Jazz bass (maple fretboard) that I bought in December 2011. While I have no idea of what differances they may be with the sound of the pickups in mine vs a 4 string model from 2011, I can tell you that mine are fairly dark sounding.

I compare this with two other 4 string Jazz basses I have. My '73 with Seymour Duncan Antiquity II's (rosewood fretboard) can be very bright sounding. Next is my Squire VM fretless bass which isn't as bright as the '73, but not as dark as the Am Std.

But I really like the sound from my 5 string. It's dark but not what I would call muddy at all and I find the overall sound to be very even. It's a differant sound compared to my other Jazz basses but one that still works for me.
 
#8
I think were actualy saying the same thing.
The CS have that low mid thump while the stock seem to be wider ranged into the bass and highs.

I gotta say once again that the 75 reissues have the upper mid bark that is more apperent then the upper mids on the stock pickups. On the other hand, the stock have more apparent upper mids compared to the CS.
All very nice pickups i must say.

The quality control sux on the CS, loose windings, lead wire bearly soldered on. But thats annother story I guess.

invalidprotocol said:
I found the stock pickups in my 2008 to have boomy lows and very grindy high-mids. The CS60's I replaced them with we're more even, sounded sweeter to my ear, more responsive to finger articulation although a bit darker. I have better low mids without the boom. If I want those same lows or highs I have to eq them in. I am not able to duplicate the high-mids though which had a very defined signature.

The biggest change was in the neck pickup. It sounds far better soloed than the stock one did, more of an old school P like sound. Overall I'd say the CS60 are more conservative and flexible with less of a signature.

In the end it turned out to be a good match for what is a very bright maple fretboard.
Click to expand...
 
#10
Ray man said:
I think were actualy saying the same thing.
The CS have that low mid thump while the stock seem to be wider ranged into the bass and highs.

I gotta say once again that the 75 reissues have the upper mid bark that is more apperent then the upper mids on the stock pickups. On the other hand, the stock have more apparent upper mids compared to the CS.
All very nice pickups i must say.

The quality control sux on the CS, loose windings, lead wire bearly soldered on. But thats annsaother story I guess.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Reading it again a simple +1 would have saved me a bit of typing. :hmm:

My CS60s also had QC issues... extra wax squeezing out from every which direction. I couldn't even get the covers on without scraping a bunch off.
 
#12
Nice topic - I just find out that 2012 MIA models have CS60. And I was wondering what kind of pick ups were stock pick ups on older models? Were that some "standard" pick up or it was maybe "original" fender pick ups? ( original = vintage, pick ups that are in 62 RI MIA; let's called them "original", cause otherwise there is always a mess at this topic :) ).
So, what about comparison: old stock - CS60 - 75 RI - original ?? How it is with a bottom and punch?

I also have CS60 in MIM, likeable, I little to warm for me.
 
#13
invalidprotocol said:
I found the stock pickups in my 2008 to have boomy lows and very grindy high-mids. The CS60's I replaced them with we're more even, sounded sweeter to my ear, more responsive to finger articulation although a bit darker. I have better low mids without the boom.
Click to expand...

That quite sounds like what im looking for. I find the CS60s in my jazz have a low hump that clash too much with the guitars in my band yet it doesnt have the boominess to support them nor the clanky highs that usually cuts through. Your description sounds like the kind of tone i usually like in a bass.
Your description of the CS60s sounds like how i hear them too - sweet sounding and dark. Great pickups but just not my thing, im not a fan of that mid-hump overwound sound. Would you say the stock MIAs have a more modern sound?

Thanks for the replies guys, really helpful. And i agree that the quality control on the CS60s arent great. Got wax everywhere when i was installing them and then the ground wire of one of them dropped out of its solder joint.


Edit: Which were hotter out of the stock and the custom shops?
 
#14
I have a stock 2010 MIA and a fretless I put together with CS60's. I find the 2010 MIA more modern sounding. I guess that is more pronounced or clear mids and highs.

The CS60's are more low end smoothness, and less highs, dark as you say. Both sound great.

So older 2008-2012 model seems more like what you would be looking for. I've got nickel coated round wounds on both basses.
 
#15
lawrence2 said:
Nice topic - I just find out that 2012 MIA models have CS60. And I was wondering what kind of pick ups were stock pick ups on older models? Were that some "standard" pick up or it was maybe "original" fender pick ups? ( original = vintage, pick ups that are in 62 RI MIA; let's called them "original", cause otherwise there is always a mess at this topic :) ).
So, what about comparison: old stock - CS60 - 75 RI - original ?? How it is with a bottom and punch?

I also have CS60 in MIM, likeable, I little to warm for me.
Click to expand...

The stock pickups I used to compare were listed as Standard Vintage Alnico Magnet Jazz Bass pickups. I think there the same as the 'original'. Although the pole peices are flat and not beveled. Maybe someone can clear this up.
If they are the same then my comparison is still the same too.
 
#16
2008-2011 the pickups are definitely more modern sounding. If I was playing rock/alt I'd have kept them in and tried to EQ out a hair of the low end thump. There was little subtlety to the lows, and tons of clack. Dead roundwounds were my friend. They did cut crazy good. All kinds of upper mid grind even without a Sansamp which I loved. However, the neck pickup lacked a certain "vintage" sweetness and the bridge really lacked low mids. Two things I wanted to hear from my bass. I've accomplished both with the change but at the loss of the upper mids. Output is pretty strong in comparison to the CS60s. Less magnet pull and I could get them closer to the strings - flush poles also.

I'm not as intimate with pre 2007 pickups since I don't own any. My experience with them is limited to what I've played out shopping. From what I remember, they are pretty ideal for stock pickups, somewhere in-between the two.
 
#17
Thanks invalidprotocol! Your experiences were very helpful.
I play in a rock/alt band and need that low end thump and high end grind and clack so sounds like its the perfect fit. I dothink the CS60s are great pickups, i cant stop playing them when im by myself. But as soon as i play with either of my bands, my tone becomes mud.

I find the low mids are too overpowering in my bridge pickup, it makes my blended tones sound too nasal so its also good to hear that you thought they lacked the low mid.

Looks like the MIA 09-11 stocks are they way to go!
 
#18
Thanks Rayman and Invalidprotocol for that information.
So the stock, so called "standard alnico" can be close to the "original"; anybody here try the "original"? Otherwise I think I like the comparison of Rayman about stock ones; if they have middle bark somewhere in the middle - between CS 60's and 75, I like that; casue 75 have a little too much that for me; but what abuot putting 75's pickups in 60's position?
So, we all agree that CS 60's are more in low mid and are warm. What about bass, low end in "original" or "stock" ones? Wider range means more in low and more in highs?
Cause I don't know about you, but in my CS60's I feel like I am lacking real lows and definition.
So, I am thinking about getting "original", like the sound, like the vibe, bark enough for me; but I am afraid about lows, how is gonna be with a band.
 
#19
here we go :rolleyes:

after a couple of decades the cheap molded-plastic bobbin american standard pickups are finally upgraded to proper vintage-construction custom shop versions, and people start getting it in their heads that the old ones were actually better somehow!

don't get me wrong, the regular ones were OK, but they weren't as good as the rest of the instrument.
 
#20
Pattylove, seems like we have similar problem; so let's check this out;
the same player, the same recording ( I hope) and you can really hear the difference - try to find time ( more at the end), where he plays some fingerstyle on both pickups, and try to compare.

special: very similar to CS60's -


The same experience, mud ton with a band ( and with a band it is important to me, nothing else matters).
 

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