Third Pickup in Jazz Bass

[Deleted member 271037]

Just be aware that installing a third pickup will introduce more magnetic pull on the strings which MIGHT introduce fret buzz with low action, depending on the condition/properties of neck and what types of pickup you use.

I'm not saying this WILL be a problem but it MIGHT. Especially if you normally set your action for the lowest you can get away with. I would at least avoid pickups that are known to have particularly strong magnetic pull.

 

[BlueTalon]

There isn't enough difference between the outputs of the neck pickup and the middle pickup to worry about having the neck pickup underwound. Volume-wise, they're the same on my bass.

 

[jamro217]

I'd try a weaker humbucking pickup in that spot. A Mustang pickup would be a good choice.

 

[burgerdj]

I’ve posted this a number of times. It’s got three on/off switches so you can use them in any combination. Neck pickup is nice and warm. Custom pickguard from Pickguardian.

View attachment 4813263

Now THAT is cool. Assume this are humbucking rather than single coil pups?

 

[micguy]

Skygzr did it right. Butting a pickup against the neck, won't give you more lows. It'll just be a muddy, deep and tubby sounding pickup- or one that will overdrive an amp- if that's what you want.

OK, let’s review. You say it sounds tubby, which means it won’t have treble or mids. But it will overdrive the amp, which means it will have more of something - if that something isn’t more lows, what is it that you’ll have more of?

 

[Durham52]

There’s also the original P bass pickup, the single coil. You could have it hum cancelling with the bridge pup or go for one of the hum cancelling versions available. Sound is more beefy than the jazz single coil in my experience. Listen to some ZZ Top for an example of the scpb.

Funny you should mention that, I just bought a stacked 51P bass pickup from Bloodstone in the UK, it's wound quite low, around 7.8 so I'm thinking it will match quite well for output with either some original output alnico MM pickups I have, or a set of Bartolini split coils. I'm thinking of using the 51 as a neck pickup,, just a bit further forward from the usual placement and having all three pickups on individual switches, so any combination available. I really just picked the humbucking 51 P over the split coil P due to it taking up less real estate, and therefore giving me more space to move it around and find a spot that sounds OK, before I rout it a home.

 

[skygzr]

Now THAT is cool. Assume this are humbucking rather than single coil pups?

Single coil.

 

[wncBass]

My guitar player says this is the best sounding bass he's ever heard, FWIW.
View attachment 4813338

thats one cool bass for sure!

 

[DJ Bebop]

What kind of pickup is that at the neck? Sweet bass!

Guild DeArmond without the cover and ring...

 

[Jimbowhit7]

Okay, so after reading all your thoughts, I'm actually leaning toward an H22 pickup - I think someone recommended that somewhere in the thread but I can't find the comment. I'm gonna talk to my luthier and see what his thoughts are, but the sound clips sound great, really fat but clear, and the design would allow for minimal routing outside of cutting a hole in the pickguard. Once I get everything figured out and ordered and installed I'll be sure to upload sound clips!

H22 Goldfoil

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Okay, so after reading all your thoughts, I'm actually leaning toward an H22 pickup - I think someone recommended that somewhere in the thread but I can't find the comment. I'm gonna talk to my luthier and see what his thoughts are, but the sound clips sound great, really fat but clear, and the design would allow for minimal routing outside of cutting a hole in the pickguard. Once I get everything figured out and ordered and installed I'll be sure to upload sound clips!

H22 Goldfoil

I don’t have experience with the Novak H22 but I have several instruments with goldfoils both original and repro. My advice would be to make sure your strings are all inside the space of the pickup. IME goldfoils are some of the few pickups that don’t sense strings very well once they’re outside the edge of the pickup.

 

[Jimbowhit7]

I

I don’t have experience with the Novak H22 but I have several instruments with goldfoils both original and repro. My advice would be to make sure your strings are all inside the space of the pickup. IME goldfoils are some of the few pickups that don’t sense strings very well once they’re outside the edge of the pickup.

I'll definitely check that, based on the photos on the site the Novak H22 is plenty big, there's clips online of one on a P bass in the stock pickup position and the strings don't hang off the side.

 

[howlin]

That sounds pretty sweet. So a P-bass pickup right at the neck, plus the two J pickups?

Pretty close to the neck but not right at the base of it. Why not see if you can figure out the best placement to your ears? Find a way to run them to a cable that’s hooked up to an amp and hold them over the strings and see if you can discern any audible preference. FWIW-every time I see pickups slammed right up against the neck or bridge I question if the builder actually knows what they’re doing but that’s just me.

 

[ctmullins]

Pretty close to the neck but not right at the base of it. Why not see if you can figure out the best placement to your ears? Find a way to run them to a cable that’s hooked up to an amp and hold them over the strings and see if you can discern any audible preference. FWIW-every time I see pickups slammed right up against the neck or bridge I question if the builder actually knows what they’re doing but that’s just me.

A nice clear pickup slammed right up against the neck is a joy. My Artcore came from the factory with just the one pickup. I added the neck pickup over the weekend. It’s delicious!

 

[Jimbowhit7]

So I haven't added a third pickup to my parts bass yet, but I did wind up finding a really cool 3 pickup bass. For now I'm just gonna use this and see how it works, and eventually I'll probably add that Novak gold foil pickup to the parts bass, once I have some spare $ to do so.

 

[Grinderman]

I've considered kind of the opposite; a Jazz bass with one Fralin split coil Jazz pickup in the standard Jazz neck position, no bridge pickup. I tend to be a less-is-more sort.

 

[Heavy Blue]

I’ve posted this a number of times. It’s got three on/off switches so you can use them in any combination. Neck pickup is nice and warm. Custom pickguard from Pickguardian.

View attachment 4813263

That's pretty sweet! Looks like you put the 3rd pup at the 24th fret harmonic a la strat. I've often wondered what a good pickup placed there would sound like.

Quarter pounders aren't enough low end for you? A set is cheap, and there isn't any phasing issues.

Way too scooped. No thx.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

That's pretty sweet! Looks like you put the 3rd pup at the 24th fret harmonic a la strat. I've often wondered what a good pickup placed there would sound like.


Way too scooped. No thx.

They really aren't scooped. They're just voiced for more low mids.