dasitor

Well, I have just installed the SD bridge pickup. The specific pickup is a SD SJ5b 67/70. The one replaced comes from an Indonesian Squier ICS11xxxxxx. Edit: I have just checked and on the back of the DD PU it says: "JB105B BRIDGE 1103". It is covered in black foam, that is why I did not see it first. Yes, there is a difference. My first impression is that the SD has more bass and more attack. I recorded a few sounds and then did a frequency analysis (Audacity) on both the SD and the DD recordings. Not very scientific, but in the graph you can see clearly that the SD has louder harmonics, while the DD has a skinny spectrum. Interestingly (i.e. I do not know what it means) in both pickups there is a solitary peak around 13KHz, but the SD's one is 10 dB louder than the DD's. Accepting that this is not an artifact, I would say that it explains the attack part of my perception. On the other hand, I got more or less used to the DD sound, and I now understand why people like it. The recorded sound is quite usable, though I did not like it so much when played through my home amp (Taurus combo). Now I have to find the courage to install the neck PU... I think I will get a new pickguard, not wanting to modify the one I got with the bass... Thanks for your comments! And enjoy your holidays!

Hello. Christmas shopping and all that has taken most of my time, sorry. The good news is that, since I did not take out the DD, I have been able to record a few sounds with them, which I did not do last weekend. On the other hand, the SD neck pickup has a different screw placement, so I will be installing just the bridge pickup for the test. Regarding Squier pots, I have had three Squier Stratocasters (all pre-2000) and they all had 500k pots, while my Fender MIM (1998) came with 250k pots. I had no idea of which pots they use in basses. The one I have now has CTS 250k pots.

OK. I will report back when it is done. Thanks!

Thanks! I am almost convinced now to spend some time on it during the weekend. The thing is that I did an online search on the issue and most people seems to be satisfied with the Duncan Designed ones, even comparing them to the "real" SDs... I thought that maybe it was just a matter of personal taste and that I should try a different type of pickup. But you are right: I will just do it and hear for myself.

Hello! I recently bought a Squier VM Jazz V from someone who had already changed the pots and cabling to a higher standard, but left the Duncan Designed pickups in. I have been playing the bass for the last few days and can't get over the feeling that the low B is not great sounding and the general tone is mid-frequency overloaded. Also, there is quite a bit of noise (that may be due in part to an amateurish soldering job, I don't know). As it happens, a few years ago I got a set of Seymour Duncan SJ5-3. I have never used them and now I am feeling tempted to install them in this bass. But I am not sure if it will be worth the effort. Are they the same type of pickups? Is it any kind of improvement? Or should I look for another set of pickups? Thanks!

Yes, that summarizes it

It looks a lot like my "Talmus Precision Bass Series I", a Spanish branded import from around 1980. It has a laminated body and the neck is as thick as it should. After all these years the neck is fine, but the frets need some work done. I was thinking of drefetting it, but I still play it from time to time. The original electronics were really bad quality, and it weights close to 5 Kg, but its fun to play. These are pictures taken a couple of years ago, when I was changing the pickups and electronics, again. The pickguard is covered with a cheap vinyl sheet. The pickup in the picture is taken from a Fenix PJ Deluxe. It has a nice piano sound. Someday I will add the J pickup which is somewhere in a box.

When I started playing again, my fingers felt wooden and lacking any feeling. It took about three months to gain a bit of strength and confidence. It has been two/three years now and I have made much progress (not saying much really), but I am still quite lost regarding theory. Thank you all for your welcome!

Beautiful! Looks great.

It turned out really impossible to do it that way, because they played differently each time. I could not really follow. Finally I convinced the drummer to meet once a week to practice, just the two of us. And it was a disaster: "Let the music flow! Just play as you feel!", he kept saying, while constantly changing the pattern and playing fill after fill... My theoretical knowledge was/is very limited and the learning curve was not really a curve but a giant cliff.

Thank you! Yes, I checked the Build Diaries, but my projects are far less complex: my main tools are a 10 cm wood file and a solderer About my jazz experience: There was a small jazz trio (drums, trumpet and piano) playing every Friday night near where I live. One day I approached them and they told me that they needed a bassist. "But my skills are limited", I said. "Don't worry. You'll learn as you play", said the pianist. "OK. When are you rehearsing?" "Oh, we don't. We practice at home, and then we meet here each Friday. Come close and watch what we play. That way you'll learn our repertoire."

Thanks! I have learned a lot from this site. I hope I could contribute something at some point.

Hello! I have been using basschat as a source of information for some time now. I decided to register because of the yellow-note on the home page I started playing bass in the 1980s. I did not care much about brands and stuff at that time, I was too busy playing and writing music, just as it should be! But I remember a Samick Jazz and a crappy Precision-type thing, among others. Then in the 1990s I got a Fender Jazz MIM fretless, which I traded for an Ibanez SR800 fretless, which I feel is built much better. Then I stopped playing for about 10 years. A few years back I picked it up again. Now I have the SR800FL and a Fernandes FRB100, plus several cheap basses I have bought here and there for testing parts and modding. I tried playing jazz, but I just can't . Also tried Death Metal, which is fun. But I think my style lies somewhere in the middle, if it means anything. Thank you for keeping up this site!