I'll begin by saying that I'm traditionally unimpressed with a standard Jazz Bass sound, but every bass player needs a Jazz Bass in their arsenal, right? So I have an inexpensive Squier Paranormal 54 Jazz Bass. It's a great little player with cool retro vibes, but the pickups have so little output that they are useless. I've already put some money into this bass with a set of ultralite tuners, a high mass bridge, and a new pickguard, so I don't want to spend money on pickups. But I'm in luck! I already own two sets of jazz bass pickups. I'm not really familiar with either set -- I was gifted one set and bought the other as B-stock but have never used it -- so I'm asking your opinions. Even though I understand that in the end, it's my bass and my opinion is the one that really counts, I will take your opinions into consideration...I promise. The two sets of pickups I have are the Aguilar AG 4J HC 4 hum cancelling pickups and the Seymour Duncan SJB-1 Vintage Jazz Bass set (not hum cancelling). Simply state your opinion and why you have that opinion. Even if you have only used one of the aforementioned pickups, offer your opinion on that and what you liked or disliked about that set. Thanks in advance.
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Your Opinion on these Pickups Matters
- Thread starter jglunt
- Start date
LoveThatBass
Supporting Member
It sounds like you have lost your love once you removed the EMG Pre-amp. I have not found a Seymour Duncan Jazz Pickup I liked as much as the Aero single coil Jazz pickup this included Fender Single Coils Nor Fender Noiseless and Lindy Fralin Noiseless (two clean with little soul). The only Fender pickup I have liked is the Fender 63 P (first) or 62 Custom P Shop (2nd)I liked the Aguilar Noiseless with EMG Pre-amp. Those are about all I can say. I do not think you are going to be happy with a Jazz with no pre-amp. Of the two pre-amps I like the EMG 2 band better than the Seymour Duncan 2 band or a couple 3 bands pre-amps I have tried.
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Pickup swaps are easy so you gotta try em both out in the bass and see what your ears like.
Having never used either of those particular sets, I would start with the Agular set because hum cancelling.
This guy does great reviews. Here, he sings the praises of the Aguilar 4J-HC and is a fantastic player, so he really showcases their potential.
Your story sounds very familiar. I’m on my 2nd paranormal ( the 1st was a complete boat anchor, although very pretty, the 2nd is in my current stable pictured above)
The problem with the paranormal’s is they need …..everything. Tuners, bridge, pickups, POTs. The OEM pups are ridiculously low output. The OEM concentric POTs suck and the double stacked design is inefficient. I opted to install a traditional J wiring setup with a .10uf cap, with great success.
Regarding your pickup choices, as stated above, pickup swaps are easy, and you can audition both sets at your leisure. I installed Split Coil Artec’s. And found them to be more than satisfactory. (See below)
Typical overwound split coil ,but they’ve succeeded in making the bass very usable. If I was to select which of your choices I’D prefer, it’d be the split coils. I’ve used Duncans (Quarter Pounders) and hated them in my Geddy Bass ( way too clanky) but ironically i LOVE the old Duncan Design Alnico V’s that used to come in the Squier VM & CV models.
Please let us know what you ultimately decide to stick with. They’re pretty basses, and are excellent additions once sorted.
LoveThatBass
Supporting Member
That describes 95% of Squires I have owned an 60% Fender Standards and 40% Fender Americans.
I appreciate you sending this video, but I'm sorry, these sound like mud to me. No real articulation or definition, just rumble. Is this really how these pickups sound or is it a bad recording?
I beg to differ. I had a Squier VM 4 with duncan design alnico V’s stock. Its sounded killer outta the box. the hardware upgrades weren’t required as they were a better quality than the later stuff. I never buy Fenders as they’re just not my thing, but a single lower cost squier with the right upgrades is always handy in the stable….once sorted.
But the paranormal is notorious for these whisper quiet pickups. They belong right in the trash.
I think it might be an issue on your end (phone speaker or something?).... It's a pretty classic bright spanky j-bass tone
I am using my phone but using a set of Groovz Bluetooth earbuds that I use all the time. I'd listen through speakers, but the rest of the house is in bed. I will check it out further in the morning.
2000s MIM J bass here stock ceramics are fine imo I run rounds.
However I have all kinds of various boost and dirt pedals and I admit Istay from any bass with preamps because of the dirt and EQ pedals and I like things simple.
I would carefully read reviews there are LOTS of J bass pickups! Good luck!
However I have all kinds of various boost and dirt pedals and I admit Istay from any bass with preamps because of the dirt and EQ pedals and I like things simple.
I would carefully read reviews there are LOTS of J bass pickups! Good luck!
I humbly apologize to you all. It was indeed the Groovz Bluetooth earbuds that were the problem. I pulled out my hardwired stage monitor earbuds, and the bass in the video sounds great. It sounds almost like I was playing it myself, except that his talent level is on a whole other level from mine!
Not that muddy but yeah they are not bright, The reviewers amp is scooped and I do not know how his compressor is set up
These guys because they sell pickups, do it as neutral as possible, no amp no compression and if applicable they even bypass the tone stack. You will find the Seymour Duncan also there. The player is very consistent. Almost the same riffs for all pickups
Aguilar
I am not sure if the SJB-1 is discontinued but the Antiquity 2 is very similar and maybe the SJB-1 slightly scoope, a bit modern sounding.
My opinion. If you shield wel - the cavity , the pickup routethe pickgouard around the pickup and make sure there is continuity and you hvae a well grounded system, it will be very minimal hum. I would go with the true single coil.
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