Thoughts on Seymour Duncan Apollo Jazz bass pickups?

[Dardas92]

I have a 2017 American Fender Jazz bass, and I was thinking of replacing the pickups with hotter ones that produce a little more "oomph". My friend recommend Seymour Duncan pickups and they seem to have good reviews.

I did a quick google search and found a video on the Apollo's and they sounded really good to me. I am looking for something loud, powerful, punchy vintage feel, with noise cancellation, pickups for a jazz bass.

Is there another type of Seymour Duncan Jazz pickup or a different brand that would fit the bill better?

 

[Zoobiedood]

Apollos are just a *little* hotter than vintage. They still feel like a vintage pickup. But they aren't 'loud' or 'powerful'. Increasing the power results in a loss of that vintage feel, but that is usually the point for those looking for high-output pickups.

 

[Dardas92]

Hmm, I was afaid of that. I would prefer more power and hotter pickups over vintage tone.

Is there another pickup you would recomend? I noticed Seymour also makes a "hot" pickup. Or is there a different brand that may fit the bill? Also looked at DiMarzio pickups.

 

[Slater]

I would prefer more power and hotter pickups over vintage tone.

Also looked at DiMarzio pickups.

Dimarzio Model J

 

[Dardas92]

I ended up ordering the Seymour Duncan "Hot stack" pickups. I liked how they have noise cancelling because they are humbucker wound and boost the mids more. I always like more mids in my tone so felt that was a good match. I should be putting them in next week and can update with the new tone

 

[Yahboy]

Fralin Std Jazz pup split coil.

 

[Zoobiedood]

I ended up ordering the Seymour Duncan "Hot stack" pickups. I liked how they have noise cancelling because they are humbucker wound and boost the mids more. I always like more mids in my tone so felt that was a good match. I should be putting them in next week and can update with the new tone

This is exactly what I would have recommended. Let us know how this project turns out!

 

[starjag]

At what point of hotness or output is it recommended to change pot and cap values from whatever is vintage-like stock values?

This is exactly what I would have recommended. Let us know how this project turns out!

 

[Zoobiedood]

I believe these pickups were designed to drop right in, and hotter pickups are mostly tested with stock electronics. So, using the stock stuff is always what we are thinking of. I say, however, is that it is worth altering the formula to higher value pots if you, the end user, are finding that things are too dark.

 

[Dardas92]

I got the hot stack pickups installed yesterday and I'm very pleased with them. They are exactly what I expected, little more mid boost and punchier. They are indeed noise cancelling and dead silent when playing the individual pickups on/off tha ke to them being humbucker wound.

 

[DSkellington]

I believe these pickups were designed to drop right in, and hotter pickups are mostly tested with stock electronics. So, using the stock stuff is always what we are thinking of. I say, however, is that it is worth altering the formula to higher value pots if you, the end user, are finding that things are too dark.

I'm Considering 500 k pots in my 5 string pj, as it's lacking a bit in treble, would I lose bass if I do?

 

[iiipopes]

To my ears, the Apollos are a little smoother without losing the essence of a J-pickup, while losing all the noise and hum of a conventional single coil J-pickup. Last Christmas I helped a friend install one in his PJ, and he was most pleased with the smoothness and blend. This comparison video gets posted a lot, especially in Apollo threads:

 

[Zoobiedood]

I'm Considering 500 k pots in my 5 string pj, as it's lacking a bit in treble, would I lose bass if I do?

A tone control is a Low Pass Filter. So you will gain treble, not lose bass.

 

[DSkellington]

A tone control is a Low Pass Filter. So you will gain treble, not lose bass.

Awesome, thanks for that

 

[eastcoasteddie]

This guy compared the Apollo's to stock CIJ Fender Geddy Lee pickups. They have slightly less top end than the GL's (as far as I recall, the CIJ Geddy comes with really good pickups to begin with...Vintage 74's?)


he later changed the pots from 250k to 500k and got that top end back


I have a 5-string set in my active Squier VM (I couldn't wait for the custom build...for which I am still waiting)
Superb pickups - they are everything an more than I was ever looking for.

 

[dfp]

How effective are the staggered magnet pole heights with that radiused Fender/Squier 5 string fingerboard? My experience with those basses is the A string sound suffers if the magnets are all the same height.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

How effective are the staggered magnet pole heights with that radiused Fender/Squier 5 string fingerboard? My experience with those basses is the A string sound suffers if the magnets are all the same height.

I find no issues with string output balance with the staggered height pole pieces.

since my last post mentioning the 500k pots, I have installed 500k in my bass, and the pickups sound beautifully brilliant. A worthy change.

I don't know how SD did it, but I have installed Aguilar AG 5J-HC pickups into another bass, and those are not exactly silent.
Being that the coils are a 3/2 split, some noise will still be heard. But the Apollo's are dead quiet.

 

[DuluthDank]

I find no issues with string output balance with the staggered height pole pieces.

since my last post mentioning the 500k pots, I have installed 500k in my bass, and the pickups sound beautifully brilliant. A worthy change.

I don't know how SD did it, but I have installed Aguilar AG 5J-HC pickups into another bass, and those are not exactly silent.
Being that the coils are a 3/2 split, some noise will still be heard. But the Apollo's are dead quiet.
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How would you compare the Aguilars and Apollos?

 

[Lownote38]

I would 100% recommend the Apollos. They still sound like a Jazz, but capture some of that P bass character in the neck pickup. I replaced a set of Fender reissue jazz pickups with Apollos, and they sound way bigger to me.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

How would you compare the Aguilars and Apollos?

I would say the Apollo's have slightly more output have a more modern tone, and are punchier. The Aguilar's have a more vintage vibe.

As I mentioned in my earlier post (#17), the AG's still do pick up some noise being that the coils are different lengths. But the Apollos's are dead-silent even though they are built in a similar way. I don't know what the secret sauce is.

I have the AG's in my Fretless, and in my opinion they are perfect. I have used the Apollo's in Fretless and I feel they are better suited to a fretted bass - but that's just my opinion…
As @Lownote38 mentions - the Apollo's sound huge.