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Noiseless Jazz pickups - close to P?

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by jbiscuti, Apr 12, 2012.

  1. Apr 12, 2012 #1
    jbiscuti

    jbiscuti

    Dec 22, 2007
    NYC / LA
    Endorsing Artist: Grolsch Strap Locks
    My first decent bass was a MIM Jazz that I got back in '01. It used to be fretless; it's been through several fretted necks since. It used to be dark blue; I had Dolan refinish it to Sonic in '07. It has seen a lot of gigs over the years! I'll never sell the thing.

    Lately though, my tastes have really shifted towards the P end of the spectrum and I find myself not very inspired by the tone.

    I have been thinking about dropping some noiseless pickups in it, maybe something like some big fat DiMarzios. My thought process here is that a noiseless Jazz neck/middle pickup soloed will sound really close to a P pickup. Is this accurate? Or are they really different sounding pickups?

    If so, do any of the pickup makers make a Jazz pickup that's specifically voiced to sound more like a P pickup?

    BTW, I'm not mentioning the bridge pickup here because I will barely ever use it anyway. Let's just stick to P position here. :)
     
  2. Apr 12, 2012 #2
    Bass4LifeRS

    Bass4LifeRS

    Oct 18, 2005
    Norway
    From Smash's sticky in the forum: "DiMarzio Model J = 5 (massive tone and punch that's closer to humbuckers/P than any classic J sound)"
     
  3. Apr 12, 2012 #3
    jbiscuti

    jbiscuti

    Dec 22, 2007
    NYC / LA
    Endorsing Artist: Grolsch Strap Locks
    I suspected that the Model J would be a good way to go. Thanks. :)
     
  4. Apr 12, 2012 #4
    Bassics101

    Bassics101

    Feb 3, 2011
    Instead of changing pups, you could try adding something like the S-1 switch that converts the pups from parallel to series. The series wiring should make a J sound more like a P. I think you can find all you need from a search of talkbass, but I know there are other sites that talk about this. I have a 2007 J that has this and it does get close to my P sound.
     
  5. Apr 12, 2012 #5
    Bass4LifeRS

    Bass4LifeRS

    Oct 18, 2005
    Norway
    Great idea!
     
  6. Apr 12, 2012 #6
    walterw

    walterw Supportive Fender Commercial User

    Feb 20, 2009
    alpha-music.com
    also, the dimarzio ultra jazz is gonna have more balls than the somewhat dated model J.

    still not "P", but a strong, aggressive neck J.

    series-wiring a pair of jazz pickups makes for a big fat sound, but not a P tone either.
     
  7. Apr 13, 2012 #7
    Bassics101

    Bassics101

    Feb 3, 2011
    But, IMHO, for the price much more so than parallel J.
     
  8. Apr 13, 2012 #8
    LucienBel

    LucienBel

    Jan 29, 2012
    Boston (Allston)
    Agreed. The first time I played one of the S-1's I was surprised by the sound coming out. It'll never be a P because at the end of the day it is a J, but sonically I think the S-1 switch will get the starter of the thread more in the realm of what they're looking to do.
     
  9. Apr 13, 2012 #9
    Morning Beer

    Morning Beer

    Oct 2, 2009
    Cleveland
    I'd just buy a squier CV
     
  10. Apr 14, 2012 #10
    bassbenj

    bassbenj

    Aug 11, 2009
    I agree. I got a P-bass tone with a Squire P bass! As for my MIM (2002) Jazz, it came with Fender "noiseless" pickups and as for simulating a P-bass, hey, they didn't even simulate a Jazz bass well! Well I himmed and hawed about what to do and finally put in a set of Fender SCN pickups. The bass simply came alive. These pickups are Amazing. And they don't cost a huge arm and leg (like say Nordies do). It's still a J-bass even with new pickups but a GREAT j-bass and the Squire does the p-bass job.

    Rule: you can never own too many basses!
     
  11. Apr 15, 2012 #11
    strke-fender

    strke-fender

    Feb 26, 2009
    This will be your most successful avenue.