Jazz Bass - Bright Pickup Recommendations

[Bassman1974]

Bretheren,

 

My Fender American Standard 4 string Jazz is extremely dark sounding and I just can't brighten it at all. Spec:

 

Fender 9050 flatwounds - I won't change these as they're all I use

POI Cap Solderless Controls - I informed the builder I was after warm vintage tones and he recommended the POI

Tonerider Classic Pickups

 

As a comparison, I have a Fender 70's Vintera Jazz which is far less bassy sounding. Spec:

 

Fender 9050's

Orange Cap Solderless Controls

Standard Vintera Pickups

 

A few questions:

 

*Should I consider fitting Orange Cap controls to the AM to brighten it a bit?

*If not, what are a good set of brighter passive pickups? I'm liking the brightness of the Dimarzio Ultra Jazz set after watching a few vids. Any experience with these using flats?

 

Cheers,

 

George

[Lozz196]

What year is the Jazz? The series it`s part of can make a fair bit of difference. If the Jazzes follow Precisions in similarity:

 

2008-12 - very scooped

2013 - 16 - warm, rich bottom end, a tad scooped, and sound very much like Toneriders

 

[Bassman1974]

28 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

What year is the Jazz? The series it`s part of can make a fair bit of difference. If the Jazzes follow Precisions in similarity:

 

2008-12 - very scooped

2013 - 16 - warm, rich bottom end, a tad scooped, and sound very much like Toneriders

 

It's a bit of a both.

 

2015 neck with a 2008 body. The 2008 neck was never right, so it was replaced.

[Lozz196]

Right, so assuming those pickups follow the same route as the Precision then they’re scooping mids, so it’s these you’re needing to add in. In your position I’d look at the Fender Pure Vintage 74 Jazz pickups, I had a set in a Squier 77 Jazz and they really improved it.

[Bassman1974]

Many thanks for the recommendation Lozz,

 

I'm having some discussions with a chap from Toltec pickups about a bright overwound set that he's had success with in the past. If that draws a blank, I'll be on to those 74's !

 

Thanks again

[Sean]

3 hours ago, Bassman1974 said:

Many thanks for the recommendation Lozz,

 

I'm having some discussions with a chap from Toltec pickups about a bright overwound set that he's had success with in the past. If that draws a blank, I'll be on to those 74's !

 

Thanks again

I've only had excellent experiences with Lee Laverack, he's magic at understanding pickup requirements. I have a set of bright overwound J pickups here that are fantastic. 

[Bassman1974]

1 minute ago, Sean said:

I've only had excellent experiences with Lee Laverack, he's magic at understanding pickup requirements. I have a set of bright overwound J pickups here that are fantastic. 

Thanks Sean. How do you find the mids with them? My Jazz is so annoyingly boomy with the Toneriders that I just don't play it at all !

[Sean]

1 minute ago, Bassman1974 said:

Thanks Sean. How do you find the mids with them? My Jazz is so annoyingly boomy with the Toneriders that I just don't play it at all !

They're punchy and cut through a mix. A pair of Js is scooped by nature but these are bright and sparkly. I was so happy with them that I got Lee to make me a pair of splittable J humbuckers for another bass so that I could effectively have the same j pair available on a push-pull pot. 

 

He also did me P+J set that is brighter and less nasal than typical. They have longer bobbins. I've had three sets of pickupsfrom him and he's nailed what I wanted each time. He changes the recipe to capture what you need.