Yes I find them a bit mid scooped, but not overly, most jazz pups are when both are at full, these still have a tad more bottom and a bit more high end clarity than the typical jb pickup. Also very good string too string balance I think.
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SD Apollo Jazz Bass pickups thoughts?
- Thread starter Javi_C
- Start date
Yes I find them a bit mid scooped, but not overly, most jazz pups are when both are at full, these still have a tad more bottom and a bit more high end clarity than the typical jb pickup. Also very good string too string balance I think.
Hey Javi:
I have been researching these pickups for the last couple weeks. I am real interested in them. Looking forward to your report! I am assuming you have a Jazz bass... what kind? I also heard that these pickups may require some body routing for the bridge pickup to fit in a J bass cavity. Keep me posted, please.
Hey man what's going on!
My Apollo pickups will arrive at my house tonight.
I have a stock sunburst finish Squier by Fender Affinity 4 string Jazz Bass, serial number # CY181000807
I measured my stock pickups and they seem to match with the Seymour Duncan Apollo pickups dimmensions.
I have my bass ready to put in the Apollo pickups. I already removed the old cheap ceramic stock pickups, wich by the way I really dislike the sound of these stock pickups. I also removed all the stock pots and wiring.
For what is worth, in the official Seymour Duncan demo video for the Apollo pickups, they use a Squier Affinity Jazz Bass to demo these pickups.
I will keep you posted when I get an update on this!
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Thanks Javi. Hope it all works out well for you. I’m on the fence between the Apollos and the Quarter Pounds. On sound clips, the QPs sound great! Throaty and punchy with a bit of edge. The Apollos sound like they are more “clear” sounding. A modern sound with punch and clarity... nice sounding highs. Decisions, decisions!
Crossing my fingers that they will fit fine on my bass!!!
Just kidding, they should be fine, since I took the measurenents...
My cousing is a professional bass player that plays for a big local known band in Mexico. He is being playing profesionally for years and he introduced me to the Seymour Duncan pickups. He got the Quarter pounders, says he thought they were "more meaty''. I am a guitarist that recently started playing bass. I have swapped several guitar pickups and never looked at Seymour Duncan products. I was never interested on SD pickups, maybe because I just never gave them a chance. But when my cousing sent me this video:
And I heard the Quarter Punders and the Apollos, I was completely blown away by the awesome sounding pickups!
I chose the Apollos because I am shooting for the maximum clarity and articulation that I can get.
But then again, I have never really heard any of those pickups, except on few videos, but something tells me that I will not be dissapointed...
Thanks for the reply! Yes, I have checked out the video you attached several times. I really like the sound of both the Apollos and the QPs. Will you be using rounds or flats? I love flats, but the tone I'm getting (in a band mix) seems a little dull/muddy with the flats. I mainly play classic rock and modern rock covers. I'm thinking my Jazz bass would sound better with rounds for perhaps GHS Pressurewounds. I know strings can make a difference in tone also.
I also think that string type choice make a great difference. I am using Ernie Ball Cobalt flatwounds with custom gauges .110 .90 .70 .50. Although these flats are supposed to be brighter than other flatwound strings, they still have a little "thump" or little darkness in them, especially the .110 E string. I am hoping that they will mix well with the Apollos being on the bright side, so it will be a good balance.
I will try them with the EB Cobalt flats that I have, I love how they feel. If they turn out to be muddy or dull, then I will have to switch to round wounds for a clearer brighter sound.
I have not received the Apollo pickups yet, since there was an unexpected delay in the package and they should be arriving later today.
I can't wait to have them and get them installed and will report back!
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Hello, I'm back and happy to report my first impressions on these Apollo pickups!
So I installed myself the pickups, the CTS pots B250k, B250k, A250K and the Mallory 150 series 630V 0.022uF 10% tolerance tone cap.
I plugged in to the only bass amp that I have so far, which is a old Laney solid state RB1 15 watt practice amp, which by the way sounds pretty good for a small practice amp.
Immediately I noticed one of the best improvements, which is the perfect even string volume separation. No longer do I have to have the pickups so low in order to try to get a decent sound and string volume separation. I think SD really nailed it with the magnet staggered and whatever they did when designing this pickup. Now I can have the pickups height as high as I want and dial in a great punchy tone without being boomy or muddy. The E and G string where the most problematic in this regard on the previous stock pickups. The G string had a lot of unwanted overtones or extra nasty vibrations and was very difficult to eq or control. Now with the Apollos there is no problem of that, perfect balance in my opinion and a breeze to eq. There is no ugly boomminess anymore.
These are not the loudest or hotter pickups but that is something that I like, because they have the vintage single coil sound in spades. Definition and articulation is out of this world, even though I am using Ernie Ball Cobalt flats which are a little darker than normal round wounds. On the Youtube videos they sounded kind of bright to me, but with my Cobalt flats they sound just perfect on the brightness department. I think they have the perfect amount of low end, which is punchy but not extra thick like maybe the Quarter Pounders. I think these pickups also have the right amount of mid range, a little scooped like others have reported, but perfect for my taste.
My bass now is 110% quiet as a mouse, no hum at all whatsoever. I am glad I did not fall into the pickup and control cavity shielding hype, because in my case is has been completely unnecessary, less work to do.
I am seriously impressed with how tall I can have my pickup height now (not to high of course), compared to other pickups. Maybe it's got to do with how extremely articulate these pickups are, that you can pretty much do whatever you want with them and not sound boomy or muddy and still retain impressive string volume balance and note separation.
I am just getting started with these magnificent pickups, I will report back when I try them in other amps and settings and maybe try to do a nice recording and share it with you all!
For now I don't know what else to say, except expressing my maximum respect for Seymour Duncan pickups for having conjured these wicked clear and balanced Jazz Bass side by side dual coil noiseless that sound like true vintage tones without the hum...
So I installed myself the pickups, the CTS pots B250k, B250k, A250K and the Mallory 150 series 630V 0.022uF 10% tolerance tone cap.
I plugged in to the only bass amp that I have so far, which is a old Laney solid state RB1 15 watt practice amp, which by the way sounds pretty good for a small practice amp.
Immediately I noticed one of the best improvements, which is the perfect even string volume separation. No longer do I have to have the pickups so low in order to try to get a decent sound and string volume separation. I think SD really nailed it with the magnet staggered and whatever they did when designing this pickup. Now I can have the pickups height as high as I want and dial in a great punchy tone without being boomy or muddy. The E and G string where the most problematic in this regard on the previous stock pickups. The G string had a lot of unwanted overtones or extra nasty vibrations and was very difficult to eq or control. Now with the Apollos there is no problem of that, perfect balance in my opinion and a breeze to eq. There is no ugly boomminess anymore.
These are not the loudest or hotter pickups but that is something that I like, because they have the vintage single coil sound in spades. Definition and articulation is out of this world, even though I am using Ernie Ball Cobalt flats which are a little darker than normal round wounds. On the Youtube videos they sounded kind of bright to me, but with my Cobalt flats they sound just perfect on the brightness department. I think they have the perfect amount of low end, which is punchy but not extra thick like maybe the Quarter Pounders. I think these pickups also have the right amount of mid range, a little scooped like others have reported, but perfect for my taste.
My bass now is 110% quiet as a mouse, no hum at all whatsoever. I am glad I did not fall into the pickup and control cavity shielding hype, because in my case is has been completely unnecessary, less work to do.
I am seriously impressed with how tall I can have my pickup height now (not to high of course), compared to other pickups. Maybe it's got to do with how extremely articulate these pickups are, that you can pretty much do whatever you want with them and not sound boomy or muddy and still retain impressive string volume balance and note separation.
I am just getting started with these magnificent pickups, I will report back when I try them in other amps and settings and maybe try to do a nice recording and share it with you all!
For now I don't know what else to say, except expressing my maximum respect for Seymour Duncan pickups for having conjured these wicked clear and balanced Jazz Bass side by side dual coil noiseless that sound like true vintage tones without the hum...
Here are some pictures:
By the way, I just love this ''rough coarse'' looking finish on the pickups covers that SD chose on the Apollos...
By the way, I just love this ''rough coarse'' looking finish on the pickups covers that SD chose on the Apollos...
I almost forgot to mention, these Seymour Duncan 4 string bass Apollo pickups fit just ''like a glove'' on both pickup cavities. A perfect fit, no extra modification needed!!!
Hey Javi... so happy to hear that you’re pleased with the Apollos! Sounds like they give you exactly what you’re looking for. Very nice (and detailed report)!
Since yesterday (and last night’s band rehearsal), I have decided to forgo getting pups and guts (cap and pots) for my J bass. I am going to need to use a bass/pickup combo with a lot of bottom end and available grit. About a third of the songs we play are on the heavy side and we have a drummer who pounds hard and a guitarist that runs through a 100 watt Marshall head and 412 cab... and these guys aren’t bashful when it comes to output. So, I am going to need a “weapon” that can compete. I’ve decided to go with modding my Squier Classic Vibe FSR P bass. Same route as far as the guts and pup are concerned. I’m currently researching pups... also cap and pot values that will suit my needs best.
Thanks again for the report! Fine job. And I bet you can’t wait to hear those pups through a larger, more powerful rig! I’m sure they will sound awesome! Keep us informed. Rock on!
Since yesterday (and last night’s band rehearsal), I have decided to forgo getting pups and guts (cap and pots) for my J bass. I am going to need to use a bass/pickup combo with a lot of bottom end and available grit. About a third of the songs we play are on the heavy side and we have a drummer who pounds hard and a guitarist that runs through a 100 watt Marshall head and 412 cab... and these guys aren’t bashful when it comes to output. So, I am going to need a “weapon” that can compete. I’ve decided to go with modding my Squier Classic Vibe FSR P bass. Same route as far as the guts and pup are concerned. I’m currently researching pups... also cap and pot values that will suit my needs best.
Thanks again for the report! Fine job. And I bet you can’t wait to hear those pups through a larger, more powerful rig! I’m sure they will sound awesome! Keep us informed. Rock on!
Zoobiedood
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- Sep 1, 2015
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I currently use a set of the QP’s in a 5-string Fretless bass I put together, using a Squier Affinity Jazz V body and a custom Fretless neck.
The QP’s have huge bottom end with lots of growl.
Here are few other videos that helped me decide on getting the QP’s
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Hi, guys. May be this audio can tell you something about SD Apollo jazz. My bass is American Professional Fender Jazz Bass V (2017), Seymour Duncan Apollo Jazz pickups, Jonh East J-Retro 01 preamp.
I can tell u that I love sd apollo jazz. Very punchy and powerful tone. Deep and clean.
Bass > Presonus Audiobox 22vsl > Studio One 4
No any vst were used
Use your headphones
I can tell u that I love sd apollo jazz. Very punchy and powerful tone. Deep and clean.
Bass > Presonus Audiobox 22vsl > Studio One 4
No any vst were used
Use your headphones
Attachments
Can you tell me which size fits an American Standard/Pro Jazz V? 67/70 or 70/74?
I like the tone of these. Looks like they make a 5-string version now.
Seymour Duncan Apollo 5 String Jazz Bass® Pickups
Seymour Duncan Apollo 5 String Jazz Bass® Pickups
