Dark, Broad, Woody Jazz Pickup Recommendations?

[BenTunnicliffe]

Hello Folks,

 

(MODS - Before I get in trouble - I wasn't certain where to post a question about pickups as search results bring up threads in both 'Bass Guitars' and 'Other' so feel free to move)

 

TLDR - Can you please suggest after market passive Jazz bass pickups that are noise cancelling/low noise floor and that lean towards warm, dark, thuddy, broad, vintage, woody or that naturally have a slight mid scoop?

 

I've recently become the owner of an early 80s Tokai Jazz which I've tried and tried to get to sing in my hands with its stock setup. I've experimented a great deal, arriving on the right roundwound strings for this bass but it's still humming and hissing and poor noise floor aside, it isn't delivering the tone I want. The Jazz is going to be permanently strung with roundwounds and is a weapon I need to regularly have in the arsenal so I've decided to look into replacing the stock pickups. I'm a PBass guy usually and moving from my PBass to this Jazz I'm immediately missing some low end thump, I would like to hear some more open-ness in terms of woody tone and I desperately need to get rid of some of the hum I'm getting.

 

My local luthier has already tried all the usual shielding tricks etc to solve my gripes so I think gutting the bass is the way forward for the time being.

 

Tone-wise I'm drawing a blank RE my favourite Jazz bass tones but so long as it has warmth, thud and has musical, open highs to roll in/out then I reckon we'll be golden. I don't do the Jaco bridge pickup thing any more,

 

For what it's worth, this the most recent bass sound to turn my head although I'm aware it's not in any way a Jazz bass. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIUC-AiuKbA/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MW90a3Q0djE3ajVzbQ==

 

Thanks for the recs!

 

B

[LukeFRC]

see if you can try some Bartolini original series. 

[Chiliwailer]

I really like these - https://www.fralinpickups.com/product/split-jazz/?srsltid=AfmBOooGyRHW3CfNFrEQRSDyeEjulbfhzg4CBm04nOBCQJCtx3RHj8q5

[JoeEvans]

I have an 80s Tokai jazz which I put Bartolinis in many years ago and it sounds great. But it's fretless with flats on so a slightly different thing...

[BlueMoon]

Dimarzio Model J would be my suggestion

[JoeEvans]

On my Tokai, the neck is superb, the hardware is functional and the original electronics were crap - the Bartolinis were a huge improvement, but the passive tone control doesn't do much. So you might also need to contemplate doing something about that.

[Linus27]

Another vote for Bartolini Originals. Best pickups I've ever used.

[HeadlessBassist]

So you basically want a sweet sounding Jazz Pickup set with not too much scoop. I'd have a look at the Aguilar 60's set, or the Fender Pure Vintage Custom Shop 64s. They're the two that spring to mind which have that inner sweet lower mid lift.

[BenTunnicliffe]

6 hours ago, HeadlessBassist said:

So you basically want a sweet sounding Jazz Pickup set with not too much scoop. I'd have a look at the Aguilar 60's set, or the Fender Pure Vintage Custom Shop 64s. They're the two that spring to mind which have that inner sweet lower mid lift.

I'm actually looking for something that does have fairly tame, dipped mids rather than something that is really aggressive in that area. I'm forever pulling out mids so that I can sit beneath everyone else in the band!

 

Thanks for all the recommendations, everyone!