Squier replacement pups

[bassartist]

Okay, so I have installed the Audere JZ 3 preamp in my Squier VM J 5 String. I like, but it's still missing something. What would be a good recommendation for pickups? Something that will give that Marcus Miller tone with lots of bite and growl. Noiseless would be preferred. I like the sound of single coils but not the noise when they are soloed.

 

[LoveThatBass]

I use Aguilar noiseless pickups with Audere ProZ in me Squier 40th Anniversary Jazz and Fender American Pro Jazz

 

[bassartist]

Are they single coils or dual? If dual coil, how do they compare to single coils?

 

[LoveThatBass]

They are dual coil. No dual coil will sound exact like single coils but with the Audere ProZ 4 band preamp they sound really nice and absolutely quiet

 

[LoveThatBass]

Here is a nice demo

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I vote for Aguilar HC’s

here are two vid’s, the first one got me hooked on their tone:
I believe actual playing starts around 6:00


This one is older, but the pickups are in a Marcus Miller signature Fender:


I have the Marcus Miller single coils out of a signature bass in my latest parts-build.

They sound great, but the noise sometimes gets to me…

here is a vid of how those singles sound, and the noise that comes with them:


I just may get those Aguilar’s one day…

[side note]: I have a set of Duncan Apollo’s and I wasn’t overly happy with their tone until I got 500k volume pots. They are a bit over-wound and slightly darker than single coils. The 500k pots opened up their top-end. I put them into my fretless (in my avatar).
I am dying to try the Aguilar’s.

 

[sonojono]

I would suggest the Nordstrand NJ4SE. I liked them better than the Aguilars, the Nordstrand were more growly and punchy IME. Nordstrand also pair extremely well with Auderes mentioned from tons of people on this forum.

 

[roller]

I, too, favor the Nordy pickups over the Aguilar... particularly the single-coil NJ4. Nordy's sport a deeper tone to my ears vs. the Aguilars which I find a bit trebly.

Preamp is huge. Landing an onboard Sadowsky preamp is a challenge these days, but this is a nice box that'll get you in the neighborhood...

 

[LoveThatBass]

I would suggest the Nordstrand NJ4SE. I liked them better than the Aguilars, the Nordstrand were more growly and punchy IME. Nordstrand also pair extremely well with Auderes mentioned from tons of people on this forum.

Haven't tried Nordstrands but have to say I do not care much for growl.

 

[sonojono]

Haven't tried Nordstrands but have to say I do not care much for growl.

You'll like Aguilars then if you're about tame and polite tone. Kinda odd considering Marcus Miller tone is quite the opposite. YMMV.

 

[LoveThatBass]

You'll like Aguilars then if you're about tame and polite tone. Kinda odd considering Marcus Miller tone is quite the opposite. YMMV.

Yep all about polite!
I do have a G&L SB-2 that is anything but polite. I 'm thinking about sending it to an all about manners class. Not sure it would stick though
Seriously, everyone has their likes and dislikes. Whats made the world go around. It would be boring if everyone were the same! I do have a limit to tame. I had some Lindy Fralin Noiseless Jazz pickups and they were too tame for me. My favorite pickup is the Aero Single Coil but didn't want any noise with a preamp plus found out that Aero Owner said they do not work well with Audere preamps.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I would suggest the Nordstrand NJ4SE. I liked them better than the Aguilars, the Nordstrand were more growly and punchy IME. Nordstrand also pair extremely well with Auderes mentioned from tons of people on this forum.

I, too, favor the Nordy pickups over the Aguilar... particularly the single-coil NJ4. Nordy's sport a deeper tone to my ears vs. the Aguilars which I find a bit trebly.

Preamp is huge. Landing an onboard Sadowsky preamp is a challenge these days, but this is a nice box that'll get you in the neighborhood...

View attachment 4818015

Just to mention one thing, the OP’s bass is a 5-string. Nordstrand’s 5-string hum-cancelling pickups all seem to be modeled after the NJ4SV - “a tame version of the NJ4SE”, so no real growl in these…the might be pretty close to what the Aguilar’s sound like.