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pickup recommendations for MIM jazz 5

A

almightycrunch

Apr 21, 2011
230
1
#1
Just picked up a reeeeeeeeeaalllllllyyyyy nice Mexi Jazz 5, plays incredible, feels incredible, sounds incredibly MEHHHHHH

I play through an SWR WorkingPro400 into a pair of SWR 4-10 cabs. I play cover tunes, and go for a very clean, warm, organic tone, I do not like it gritty or agressive. The MIM PU's are very dark and muddy, any recommendations for replacement?? I have half a mind to buy some Am Std replacements, quick easy and cheap???????
 
#2
I have one and I think the pickups sound decent enough. If I were you, I would change the strings or do some pickup adjustments before looking for pickups.

Why don't you try out a new set of bright strings first? :)
 
#3
I had a beautiful midnight wine MIM Fender Jazz V. I put Nordstrand noiseless split coils in it. I loved that bass. Unfortunately that and my Spector Euro ReBop were stolen out of my car on my way to a rehearsal.
 
#4
almightycrunch said:
Just picked up a reeeeeeeeeaalllllllyyyyy nice Mexi Jazz 5, plays incredible, feels incredible, sounds incredibly MEHHHHHH

I play through an SWR WorkingPro400 into a pair of SWR 4-10 cabs. I play cover tunes, and go for a very clean, warm, organic tone, I do not like it gritty or agressive. The MIM PU's are very dark and muddy, any recommendations for replacement?? I have half a mind to buy some Am Std replacements, quick easy and cheap???????
Click to expand...

Your Mexi jazz V sounds just like mine...was! Incredible bass, nasty pickups. My first choice was Nordies. Listening to sound clips they really do it in my opinion. However, take out wallet! So I cheaped out. I found some Fender SCN pickups that TBers claimed were nearly as nice as the Nordies but way cheaper. Put them in and the bass just came alive! TB comes through again! Bad news is Fender has discontinued them and you really have to search hard online to find any these days. (They used to be the pickups in the Am. Std.)

Now it's an incredible bass with incredible tone.
 
#5
Senator said:
I have one and I think the pickups sound decent enough. If I were you, I would change the strings or do some pickup adjustments before looking for pickups.

Why don't you try out a new set of bright strings first? :)
Click to expand...

The pickups lack clarity, strings will make it brighter, but wont solve the mud issue. For the record, I think it sounds "decent enough" as well, but not decent enough for meto play it as is live. E string is the biggest mud culprit too, moreso than the B. odd
 
#7
Pickups and tone are difficult, everybody's ears and needs are so different. I am wrestling with several different avenues at this time. I know it needs pickups, but then I struggle with the thought of either adding an active onboard preamp, or just changing out all the cheap pots and wiring with some good CTS stuff, and then adding an outboard preamp like the Sadowsky or the Aguilar Tone Hammer. As primarily a guitar player, I guess I always just figured basses go "thud" and they all sound the same, hmmmmmmmmmm :ninja:
 

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