Pickups in my Modulus Flea 5

[slapagroov]

I have a modulus Flea 5 with Bartolini's. A MM in the bridge and a jazz in the neck position. I've used it 95% of the time with both pickups full. Great sound for slap and general grooving for the type of music I do.

I want to solo the mm for some faster jazz things I've been back into lately, but I find it a little thin soloed. I even like my passive Bart J in my jazz bass better. If I roll the high knob back it just gets dull. Maybe I'm just digging passive better lately. Looking for punchy, burpy, fodera-esque tones like Garrison and Gwizdala etc.

Will a Nordstrand mm 5.2 or 5.4 fit without routing? Also will it sound good with the Bart J, and will I need to replace the preamp? I believe it's the Bart NTMB (3 band with stacked bass and treble knobs).

I asked this question in a sticky, but it may have been the wrong place. Sorry if so.

 

[mmbongo]

A standard Nordy should fit, but not the wider 'Lakland/Tobias' one. You can see the measurements of all the different MM pickups at Bass Pickups | Preamps | Bartolini | Aguilar | Leo Quan Badass Bridge II

BUT, how is your MM pickup wired? If it's parallel, it will be thin. Series is fat and juicy...I would just add a 3 way switch or a push/pull pot to switch between series and parallel...if it's parallel now.

 

[slapagroov]

Wow - great idea! Didn't even think about that. Do I need to take it to a luthier to tell if it's wired parallel?

 

[slapagroov]

Ok, one more question. I like the sound of my passive VJ. I want a less "zingy, modern" tone sometimes out of the Flea. What pickups are recommended for that situation. I'd ideally like to switch between passive and active. Right now it's active only.

Thanks again.