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SX J Bass Pickups - Opinions

#41
fourstringbliss said:
I might have to go with a series switch using a push-pull tone pot.
Click to expand...

I always do the series/parallel thing on all my (7!) SX basses. I love it as a tone option. Personally although I've modded all my SX basses in various ways, I've never had to change a pickup because I hated the tone. (Which cannot be said for my MIM Fender Deluxe V which I only started to love once I put SCN pickups in it)

The only mods I've done on SX pickups were on my SX 6 string basses. Those pickups somehow just seemed weak to me, so I bought some Neo magnets and stuck them under the pups. I just LOVE the results of that!

(there is a thread here back a ways about that mod)

I put a Dimarzio J in my squire PJ mod. (original Squire pickup was awful) It's a great humfree J pickup. One day if I'm flush with cash, I might install a pair in one of the SX basses, but I'm in no rush. I like the SX pickups just fine. (except for the single coil hum, of course)
 
#43
Rip Topaz said:
Can you post a wiring diagram for the series/parallel mod? Seems that one gets talked about a lot here.
Click to expand...

Here is the standard wiring:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I usually don't do this because I don't like fooling with vol/vol to change levels. My "standard" SX mod is below. It's a rotary switch that gives: neck only, both series, both parallel, and bridge only. Gives enough tone variation and can be changed fast when playing with no "dialing in".

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

My other SX mod is a vol/blend arangement with series/parallel push-pull on vol.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The only problem with this is that in series mode the "blend" knob doesn't work very well mostly only switching between pickups at either end of rotation.

Good Luck.
 
#47
bassbenj said:
Here is the standard wiring:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I usually don't do this because I don't like fooling with vol/vol to change levels. My "standard" SX mod is below. It's a rotary switch that gives: neck only, both series, both parallel, and bridge only. Gives enough tone variation and can be changed fast when playing with no "dialing in".

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

My other SX mod is a vol/blend arangement with series/parallel push-pull on vol.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The only problem with this is that in series mode the "blend" knob doesn't work very well mostly only switching between pickups at either end of rotation.

Good Luck.
Click to expand...

Thanks. Guess ill be breaking out the soldering iron this morning!!
 
#48
Duke21 said:
Rip, your SX Jazz sound just as nice as a Fender Jazz, no need for any updates! ;)
The GK with Remaster will make your drummer very happy.
Click to expand...

I agree, though I don't have a lot of experience with J basses. Mostly from my stint at GC. I briefly owned a MIM Jazz back in the early 2000's but I sold it after the bridge fell apart on stage. I know I could've fixed it by swapping the bridge (or even some Loctite) but I was so pissed about it happening during a show that I got rid of the bass.

I've always liked the burpy tone of the Jazz bridge pickup. Plus, Ian Hill used a Jazz just like my SX copy in the early Judas Priest days!!
 
#49
Rip Topaz said:
I agree, though I don't have a lot of experience with J basses. Mostly from my stint at GC. I briefly owned a MIM Jazz back in the early 2000's but I sold it after the bridge fell apart on stage. I know I could've fixed it by swapping the bridge (or even some Loctite) but I was so pissed about it happening during a show that I got rid of the bass.

I've always liked the burpy tone of the Jazz bridge pickup. Plus, Ian Hill used a Jazz just like my SX copy in the early Judas Priest days!!
Click to expand...
Well, I can't say I'm a Jazz master, I own my Geddy and heard some Jazz basses here and there, but still, listening to your clip I could not guess if it is a SX Jazz, a Fender Jazz or a Squier Jazz.

Is it maple or rosewood fretboard on your SX Jazz?
 
#52
bassbenj said:
I always do the series/parallel thing on all my (7!) SX basses. I love it as a tone option. Personally although I've modded all my SX basses in various ways, I've never had to change a pickup because I hated the tone. (Which cannot be said for my MIM Fender Deluxe V which I only started to love once I put SCN pickups in it)

The only mods I've done on SX pickups were on my SX 6 string basses. Those pickups somehow just seemed weak to me, so I bought some Neo magnets and stuck them under the pups. I just LOVE the results of that!

(there is a thread here back a ways about that mod)

I put a Dimarzio J in my squire PJ mod. (original Squire pickup was awful) It's a great humfree J pickup. One day if I'm flush with cash, I might install a pair in one of the SX basses, but I'm in no rush. I like the SX pickups just fine. (except for the single coil hum, of course)
Click to expand...

I had a set of Dimarzios in my SX Jazz, but didn't like the sound as much as the stock pickups. Also have the S/P mod on it, and it's extraordinary. I just used a small toggle switch and it bypasses one of the volume controls when in parallel mode.
 
#53
rmars said:
Being these basses are so inexpensive I would guess pickups may be kind of inconsistant.
Click to expand...

Back in the olden days, Gibson and Fender hand-wound their pickups, and virtually all of them were different from each other, and there were very few duds. I'd guess that a computerized winding machine in China tended by a 60 year old woman is about 1000 times more consistent than that. The point I'm trying to make is that the design of the magnetic guitar pickup is relatively forgiving.

Your point about Fralins is understood. They're going to be an improvement over 90 percent of stock bass pickups. Yeah, they're that good.
 
#54
Scott in Dallas said:
Back in the olden days, Gibson and Fender hand-wound their pickups, and virtually all of them were different from each other, and there were very few duds. I'd guess that a computerized winding machine in China tended by a 60 year old woman is about 1000 times more consistent than that. The point I'm trying to make is that the design of the magnetic guitar pickup is relatively forgiving.
Click to expand...

I get that with modern automation they COULD be more consistant but I don't think they care. Super high quality control and total uniformity isn't the goal in their manufacturing process. These aren't a 100% pure copy of a Fender, it's a Chinese knock off. Different size pickups, neck pocket, pickguard etc.

From batch to batch there could a difference of materials, change of specs etc.. For that matter they could be sourcing of the pickups from an all together different factories.

After seeing all the issues with mine I find it difficult they the believe are concerned with the consistency/tolerance/output of a pickup going into a $119 bass. The pots and wiring on mine were the worst I've ever seen. I pulled the wires of the pots by barely tugging on them, the soldering was really, really bad. My bridge pot was broken, no ground to the bridge, truly amazing it worked at all. Fret weren't even close to level or evenly pressed in, big fills in the neck, nut was really bad (I think it was made of aged swiss cheese).

FWIW I absolutely LOVE my SX! One of my favorite basses ever, if anything ever happen to it I would be heart broken. Leveled the fret, replace the nut, rewired, replaced bridge and I've been gigging it almost every weekend for the last 3 years. Great project basses if you want to put the work into them, they have potential.
 
#55
I agree. They are great project basses, and even better to learn setups and repairs. And they're cheap so if you eff something up, you're not messing up a good bass.

I'd be pretty upset if something happened to mine, too. I've put a ton of work into it to get it playing the way it does. I think I may end up getting a second one, just to experiment on.
 
#56
Rip Topaz said:
I agree. They are great project basses, and even better to learn setups and repairs. And they're cheap so if you eff something up, you're not messing up a good bass.

I'd be pretty upset if something happened to mine, too. I've put a ton of work into it to get it playing the way it does. I think I may end up getting a second one, just to experiment on.
Click to expand...

Right on. I've learned a lot about set up with mine and I don't cry when I put a scratch in it. Thinking about getting a P bass version myself.
 
#57
rmars said:
Right on. I've learned a lot about set up with mine and I don't cry when I put a scratch in it. Thinking about getting a P bass version myself.
Click to expand...

I'm actually thinking about getting another J. They have one in natural with the blocks and binding. Or I could get a second burst and relic it like I was planning on doing with this one, but the finish looks so nice I can't bring myself to do it.
 
#58
Kind of 'off-topic' now that the thread has taken a bit of a different direction, but I replaced the pickups in my SX 4 Jazz with Duncan Quarter Pounders. I thought the stock pickups actually sounded pretty good, but I needed a thicker and tighter sound since I strung it BEAD to play heavy rock. While I was at it I replaced the pots and jack with CTS and Switchcraft, respectively, and fully shielded everything. Thing sounds pretty mean now, and for a ~$200 total investment, I'll take it!

The stock pickups had a little hiss, but copper shielding fixed that :) Like others have said, if you think they sound good, keep 'em!
 
#60
rmars said:
I get that with modern automation they COULD be more consistant but I don't think they care. Super high quality control and total uniformity isn't the goal in their manufacturing process. These aren't a 100% pure copy of a Fender, it's a Chinese knock off. Different size pickups, neck pocket, pickguard etc.

From batch to batch there could a difference of materials, change of specs etc.. For that matter they could be sourcing of the pickups from an all together different factories.

After seeing all the issues with mine I find it difficult they the believe are concerned with the consistency/tolerance/output of a pickup going into a $119 bass. The pots and wiring on mine were the worst I've ever seen. I pulled the wires of the pots by barely tugging on them, the soldering was really, really bad. My bridge pot was broken, no ground to the bridge, truly amazing it worked at all. Fret weren't even close to level or evenly pressed in, big fills in the neck, nut was really bad (I think it was made of aged swiss cheese).

FWIW I absolutely LOVE my SX! One of my favorite basses ever, if anything ever happen to it I would be heart broken. Leveled the fret, replace the nut, rewired, replaced bridge and I've been gigging it almost every weekend for the last 3 years. Great project basses if you want to put the work into them, they have potential.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm with you on that. All three of mine are gig-worthy instruments, though I don't know that I would call them that when I bought them. Most of us here on TB, you and me included, likely knew that SX was worth the cost if the only thing you kept was the body and the neck. :bassist:

I still maintain that the imperfections in 50-year-old guitar pickups are likely larger than the imperfections of current computer-controlled equipment. Even if the people making them don't care, the machines do all the work. Though I don't think I've ever seen it mentioned about the type of magnets or wire in those pickups, and that could change from batch to batch quite easily.

If memory serves, the magnets are attached to the underside of the SX pickups. I wonder if replacing them with alnico magnets would change the sound. Might be a good experiment for someone with the parts sitting around.
 

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