SPB-1 or SPB-3 to pair with SD Apollo Bridge pickup? (PJ)

i think the vintage would be perfect here.

 

I concur. I have never owned either model but for me PJ is always been a vintage sound. Mellow, musical, versatile with potential for melodic lines. I've never liked the SPB3. I wouldn't worry about matching them for output. The Beauty of the PJ is in the subtle P and J blends. In my experience, just a little J goes a long way.

 

Even though I endorse EMG and love the Geezer, credit where it's due...SPB-1 is one of the best pickups on the market. I like it quite a bit better than the QP.

 

Can anyone compare the SPB-1 to the Antiquity II? I'd imagine the AQ II would also be a good fit.

 

The SPB-1 is a better choice to pair with the Apollo Jazz, imo, as the SPB-3 will overpower most any Jazz pickup. The DCR, (dc resistance) is a measurement of the resistance across the pickups coil. It's easy to measure, with any resistance meter, so it's an attribute that can be tagged to a pickup, however, it's only one of quite a few factors making up a pickup, and with so many variables like, magnet type, wire type, and gauge, size of magnet, size of coil, and shape, placement on a bass body, etc., etc. in the end, it's not enough of a description to determine how a pickup will sound, and might even be misleading, if you were to expect "louder", "growly", "balanced", "low output", "vintage", because it isn't enough info to determine any of that, but..it is easy to measure, and publish with specs..... eg. a little higher dcr, more resistance = possibly louder, but, not definitely louder.

 

The only exception, of course, is if you have 2 pickups, the same everything, and one has a higher dcr, it will have more windings, and be a hotter pickup, usually somewhere in midrange.

 

Maybe 2 Quarter Pounds...in series!

 

DiMarzio Model J.

 

The Hot Stack Jazz can do it. It has a more balanced EQ than the Quarter Pound, but it is easily just as loud.

 

Love those pickups, good call.

As for thr original question, for anyone who finds this later and wants the answer... I suggest the SBP2. The QPnis way too hot and scooped for a good pairing, and while the SBP1 has that more known vintage tone, the 2 is probably more consistent in tone and output to the Appollo, since it's basically a slightly hotter version of the 1.
.

 

nope.

a dimarzio ultra Jazz is pretty loud (louder than their model J) but a hot P pickup will still win overwhelmingly.

it's not even really about "balance", that's just not a thing with P/J setups; the J is only there to "flavor" the P pickup, adding treble and scooping mids when you mix it in.

 

^this. It isn't so much about balance (to me). It is a tonal change. The P pickup does the bulk of the work.