What to Upgrade First?

[jmattbassplaya]

Good morning TB,

I have a 2015 AmStd Jazz bass that is one heck of a player but really seems to suffer in the electronics department. It really only has 2 usable sounds - both pickups full on or the neck at 100% with the bridge cut back just a smidge to bring the mids more to the front. Otherwise, there’s not much play room in the pots between being on and off.

In addition to the pots opportunity, the overall tone doesn’t do much for me anymore, either. These should be CS 60’s pickups. To keep it simple, I just find the sound a bit generic and kind of boring. I’d love something burpier/bubbly up top and growlier and deep down low - more akin to R&B and gospel tones.

I saw a couple neat looking prewired pot sets by both Mojo Tone and Emerson. Would it be worth trying to upgrade the electronics first to see if that help open up tonal opportunities, or should I upgrade the pups instead? Both? I’ve tried throwing several different string sets on them and the DR Pure Blues helped a bit, but the electronics still offer little in regards to variety, and I’m still not getting the burp or growl that I want.

Thanks!

 

[el murdoque]

Sounds like a Stingray would be more up your alley.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Sounds like a Stingray would be more up your alley.

Got one of those already

The Ray definitely does its own thing, and I’ve owned a couple dozen of them over the years. Not quite what I’m looking for as it is very aggressive and a bit too brittle in the highs. The mids also aren’t quite right.

 

[JW56789]

I wouldn't think that the pots/wiring on an American production Jazz would be wonky enough to need replacement, but I can tell you what I did:

I bought my first Jazz Bass just a few years ago, and the two separate volumes drove me nuts after years of playing basses with one volume and a pan pot. I rewired mine that way and would NEVER go back.

Pickups . . . . only you can answer that.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I wouldn't think that the pots/wiring on an American production Jazz would be wonky enough to need replacement, but I can tell you what I did:

I bought my first Jazz Bass just a few years ago, and the two separate volumes drove me nuts after years of playing basses with one volume and a pan pot. I rewired mine that way and would NEVER go back.

Pickups . . . . only you can answer that.

That’s an idea right there. I was just playing my Jazz. The volume pots behave like this:

100% open - full volume
95%-99% - 80% volume
30%-94% - 10% volume
0%-29% - off

There isn’t much play. The tone pot is a bit better but not by much. There just isn’t a lot of usable sweep.

 

[ctmullins]

IMHO, the pickups and the strings determine the basic tone. That basic tone will always be there, but can be adjusted through pickup blending, active and/or passive tone stacks, and technique.

So if you’re unhappy with the basic tone, and you’re unable to resolve that through string selection (which can be a lengthy process in itself), then a pickup swap is next on the list.

I’m not a Jazz Bass guy, so I won’t try to make recommendations, but there are tons and tons of reviews and discussions elsewhere on TalkBass!

 

[el murdoque]

TThe volume pots behave like this:

100% open - full volume
95%-99% - 80% volume
30%-94% - 10% volume
0%-29% - off

Please correct me if I'm wrong - but that's how they work.

At least when you mix them. Let's say you have one pickup on 100% and then turn the other up.
First thing you will notice is that the single coil hum disappears.
Then the other pickup is 'there, but in the back', 'a bit more promiment but still way less than the other pickup'
'full on'.

I've had this behavior on $150 Chinese copies and on custom basses that are $5k+

 

[jmattbassplaya]

Please correct me if I'm wrong - but that's how they work.

At least when you mix them. Let's say you have one pickup on 100% and then turn the other up.
First thing you will notice is that the single coil hum disappears.
Then the other pickup is 'there, but in the back', 'a bit more promiment but still way less than the other pickup'
'full on'.

I've had this behavior on $150 Chinese copies and on custom basses that are $5k+

You might be right. I know there are differences between linear and audio tapered pots. For instance, on my Gibson Les Paul a 10 sounds like a 10, an 8 an 8, 4 a 4, etc… I was thinking I might have some luck swapping them out to get a bit more flexibility.

 

[Reedt2000]

I'd swap pups first. Maybe check out the big j-blades from nordstrand. The "warm & wooly" set definitely has a more burpy, growly thing going.

 

[bikeplate]

www.nordstrandaudio.com

 

[Killing Floor]

I put Fralins in my J and love them.
But if that’s not your jam a really easy mod is moving the middle pot to a blend. Volume, Blend, Tone. Some of the pre wired kits or plates have that as an option. That is an enjoyable and useful option for a J because you don’t lose anything you like but you gain an easier way to catch those middle zones. My favorite J setting is about 60/40 neck to bridge. The Mojotone kits with snap connectors are really well made.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Good morning TB,

I have a 2015 AmStd Jazz bass that is one heck of a player but really seems to suffer in the electronics department. It really only has 2 usable sounds - both pickups full on or the neck at 100% with the bridge cut back just a smidge to bring the mids more to the front. Otherwise, there’s not much play room in the pots between being on and off.

In addition to the pots opportunity, the overall tone doesn’t do much for me anymore, either. These should be CS 60’s pickups. To keep it simple, I just find the sound a bit generic and kind of boring. I’d love something burpier/bubbly up top and growlier and deep down low - more akin to R&B and gospel tones.

I saw a couple neat looking prewired pot sets by both Mojo Tone and Emerson. Would it be worth trying to upgrade the electronics first to see if that help open up tonal opportunities, or should I upgrade the pups instead? Both? I’ve tried throwing several different string sets on them and the DR Pure Blues helped a bit, but the electronics still offer little in regards to variety, and I’m still not getting the burp or growl that I want.

Thanks!

What are you playing it through? How is it EQ’d? My experience with Fender basses is that they can burp and growl with the best of them, but the magic is in the EQ and amp.

That said, if your bored with your bass, up grading the electronics may help by providing a little hotter signal.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

Good morning TB,

I have a 2015 AmStd Jazz bass that is one heck of a player but really seems to suffer in the electronics department. It really only has 2 usable sounds - both pickups full on or the neck at 100% with the bridge cut back just a smidge to bring the mids more to the front. Otherwise, there’s not much play room in the pots between being on and off.

In addition to the pots opportunity, the overall tone doesn’t do much for me anymore, either. These should be CS 60’s pickups. To keep it simple, I just find the sound a bit generic and kind of boring. I’d love something burpier/bubbly up top and growlier and deep down low - more akin to R&B and gospel tones.

I saw a couple neat looking prewired pot sets by both Mojo Tone and Emerson. Would it be worth trying to upgrade the electronics first to see if that help open up tonal opportunities, or should I upgrade the pups instead? Both? I’ve tried throwing several different string sets on them and the DR Pure Blues helped a bit, but the electronics still offer little in regards to variety, and I’m still not getting the burp or growl that I want.

Thanks!

Changing your pots, to pots of the same resistance and taper, will change nothing except how easy or difficult they turn.

There is never a "blend" and is never going to be. Your pickups are either on or they're off if one is on full. "Blending" in one pickup, is inaudible...with any and all configurations. People who think differently, are crazy and/or deaf.

Besides output, which those pickups are low output, there won't be a better tone. You've got your self a jazz bass. Play it differently to get different sounds. Hit it harder to get more grit, or tight hard plucks to get more bite. Play close to the neck if you want more oomph. Play close to the bridge if you want burp snap. Or, set your pickup heights differently to emphasize either pickup more or less.

Or, get a P bass.

 

[Fernando Costa]

Well, what will change / improve your tone are the pickups. But it doesn't solve changing the pickups if you have problems with the electronics. I would buy one of these pre wired kits - Emerson - and then start experimenting with other pickups.

 

[MikeSpector]

If youre not happy with the electronics then change em out. I will say that I put a set of Ernie Ball Cobalts on my jazz bass and am pleased with the results. I realise a string change isnt going to address your issues but I just wanted to put that out there.

 

[themickster]

Good morning TB,

I have a 2015 AmStd Jazz bass that is one heck of a player but really seems to suffer in the electronics department. It really only has 2 usable sounds - both pickups full on or the neck at 100% with the bridge cut back just a smidge to bring the mids more to the front. Otherwise, there’s not much play room in the pots between being on and off.

In addition to the pots opportunity, the overall tone doesn’t do much for me anymore, either. These should be CS 60’s pickups. To keep it simple, I just find the sound a bit generic and kind of boring. I’d love something burpier/bubbly up top and growlier and deep down low - more akin to R&B and gospel tones.

I saw a couple neat looking prewired pot sets by both Mojo Tone and Emerson. Would it be worth trying to upgrade the electronics first to see if that help open up tonal opportunities, or should I upgrade the pups instead? Both? I’ve tried throwing several different string sets on them and the DR Pure Blues helped a bit, but the electronics still offer little in regards to variety, and I’m still not getting the burp or growl that I want.

Thanks!

How old are the strings

 

[fermata]

Linear taper volume pots will change how well/easily your pickups blend. (For two-pickup basses, I find them more user-friendly than audio taper volume pots. But keep audio taper for the tone pot!)

With linear taper volume pots, you can dial back the dominant pickup to about 8 and then dial in the secondary pickup to taste, and because there's a bit of series resistance between them, the second pickup won't act as much like it's attached to an on-off switch. (You can test this to a degree with your current audio taper pots, but you won't have the fine control linear taper offers.)

As others have said, the pots won't change your tone, but being able to achieve more subtle blends will affect your tone.

 

[Anemic_SluG]

Before changing electronics or pickups, I have found in my Jazz basses they all are really receptive to pickup height changes. Stock height sounds decent but somewhat generic, lower the neck pickup and raise the bridge. How far you’ll just have to play with, but i would try that first to expand the tonal range. I am have also noticed that to get what I want out of the bass you can’t just have your amp on auto pilot. What works for my pbass, Musicman or thunderbird doesn’t always work for a jazz.

 

[two fingers]

Hotter pickups and a series/parallel switch for the pickups. If you don't want more holes in your bass, the switch can be a pull pot. Series is a completely different tone.

The thing I like about hotter pickups is versatility. If it's too loud you can turn them down. But if you need a little extra "life" they work great. Nordstrand has great info on their website.

 

[El Güero]

Would it be worth trying to upgrade the electronics first to see if that help open up tonal opportunities, or should I upgrade the pups instead? Both?

TL; DR version
At a minimum I'd suggest 500k pots throughout, and try different caps; before trying different pickups and/or strings.

I'd change the electronics first, because until you do you'll never know how good any pickups and/or strings (including what's on there now) will sound. Ime/o, 250k pots muffle/choke the sound. I'd go with two 500k pots for the volume knobs. I prefer cap switches to conventional pot/cap for the tone. I you prefer the pot/cap approach for tone, I'd try a 500k, and get a few different caps, experiment, and use the one/s you like. Caps can be wired in parallel ti give "in between" values.

I love a series/parallel option on a J Bass. A push/pull pot will need about 1 1/4" to squeeze between the control plate and the cavity floor, so that's a consideration.