Re: Looking to Upgrade J Pickups in my Fender (Mexico) 5 string Jazz Bass

Sounds like you got the hum and tone fixed so if it' only more output or=20
overdrive=C2=A0you want what about a rack mount type tube preamp sitting on=
 top of=20
your amp head?

I've seen them on eBay for less then a C-Note


Smoke




________________________________
From: JohnL <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Mon, September 20, 2010 1:38:07 PM
Subject: [Bass Place] Looking to Upgrade J Pickups in my Fender (Mexico) 5=
=20
string Jazz Bass

=C2=A0=20
Hi Fellow Bass-Heads and Tone Freaks... Looking for Suggestions here... I b=
ought=20
this Mexican Jazz Bass New around 1999 (Mostly choose it over the American=
=20
Standard because it actually had 3/16" WIDER Fretboard at the Bridge than t=
he=20
American Standard! and the deep WINE color, blew away the other choices at =
the=20
time) The stock pickups sounded awful (I knew this before I purchased it kn=
owing=20
I was going to upgrade the Pickups anyhow and since I paid less than half t=
he=20
cost of an American Standard, should be plenty of justification in that=20
direction.

Well over the years the 5 string hardly saw any use as my 4 string Basses a=
nd=20
Drop D Tunings seemed to negate the use of a 5 string for me until recently=
... I=20
now play in a HEAVY Modern Rock Band with a lot of Low B requirements.. Som=
e=20
Funk & Slap, Some Over-Drive, but a lot of punch and attack (In yo Face Bas=
s!).=20
My Main 4 Strings (and preferred tone by choice) are two near identical Vin=
tage=20
G&L Basses with stock active Pickups- through a full Hartke 8x10 XL Stack..=
=20
sometimes powered by beastly Crest Solid State and sometimes by '69 Ampeg V=
-4=20
(all tubes). I use a plethora of modded analog pedals, but the heart of my=
=20
pre-amp tone comes from a Vintage Modded Boss Bass EQ, and an EBS Compresso=
r. I=20
was also using an American Washburn 4 with single passive P-Pickups, tuned =
down=20
to C Standard (took a lot of tweaking with Truss rod and such, but trying t=
o get=20
it down to B kinda exceeded the "Threshold"..) That's when I blew the Dust =
off=20
my Jazz 5.

First of all, I hate the fact that if Both Volume Controls are not complete=
ly=20
equal on passive single coils, it's "hum noise" from HELL (much worse on ch=
eapo=20
stock single coil pickups, like magnified!) 1st thing I did was wired both=
=20
pickups to the top Volume Control (like it is configured on my G&L's) so it=
=20
instantly makes them noise-canceling (for the most part anyhow). Next I Shi=
elded=20
both P/U Cavities and control Cavity with Copper tape (this helped even mor=
e).=20
Last I replaced the 2nd (no longer used) Volume Pot with a "Guitar Fetish"=
=20
rotary selectable, 9-volt active preamp (Hell of a time fitting the 9 volt =
in=20
that cavity after shielding, but got that sucker packed in there). Replaced=
 the=20
stock knob and Walla- the Jazz Bass still looks completely stock and SEXY a=
s=20
hell. I thought the preamp would give it enough "push" to compete with my G=
&L's=20
but after about the 3rd HEAVY gig using it (It's way quieter now), it still=
=20
lacks output and high end punch (the G&L's sound much like an Active Music =
Man=20
Bass). So that's is where YOU, my good friends, come in??
What would be the best choice to upgrade for the type of performance and to=
ne=20
that I'm looking for??

I've always been partial towards active pickups for Bass and even 6 string.=
.. So=20
much quieter and no dealing with Bridge Grounded system HUM. I have a singl=
e=20
Bartolini J (in the sweet spot) with active Bartolini Preamp in my Fretless=
 and=20
it kicks serious ARSE (but there are so dam many different Bartolini's avai=
lable=20
now.. which one to choose? Active or Passive? I've used EMG's and they are=
=20
better than nearly all Passive Pickups I've tried, but a little on the plai=
n=20
vanilla side. I've heard that the 1/4 pounder's actives are noisy junk, and=
 I've=20
scrapped DiMarzio's before. I was never that into passive pickups until I=20
started using this Washburn (as noted above)sounds really dam good, even tu=
ned=20
down to Baritone C! So I was also reading about NORSTRAND Passive Bass Pick=
ups=20
and praise that they are the BEST.. Okay, for those that don't know, the Me=
xican=20
Jazz has 2 identical sized J pickups (same size as the Bridge on a US model=
)=20
where as the American has a slightly smaller sized J Pickup at the Neck. I =
don't=20
feel like messing with the pick guard so I'm going with the stock-sized set=
=20
replacements. I will be tuning it in Standard B with Heavy emphasis on low =
end=20
and some slap..

Suggestions, Opinions, Recommendations Folks???

Thanks Much in advance,

John LaPietra (J-man)





=20=20=20=20=20=20

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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