Wizard Jazz bass pickups

[Machines]

Just spotted these - looks interesting. I wonder if the 64 or 84 would suit me best...

[beerdragon]

[quote name='Machines' post='45347' date='Aug 14 2007, 04:54 PM']Just spotted these - looks interesting. I wonder if the 64 or 84 would suit me best...[/quote]

I have a 2004 MIM jazz like yours Machines and i put a pair of Wizard 84 on and its a totally different sounding bass.

[url="http://imageshack.us"][/url]
Shot with [url="http://profile.imageshack.us/camerabuy.php?model=COOLPIX+L2&make=NIKON"]COOLPIX L2[/url] at 2007-08-14

[Crimson Guitars]

[quote name='Dodge' post='43870' date='Aug 10 2007, 05:23 PM']Really? That's interesting. Still, kudos to Bareknuckle - they've made quite an impact on the 'boutique' pickup buyers. Nice to be selling music hardware to the Americans for a change![/quote]
No doubt Tim markets Bareknuckle stuff well, I just disagree with the prices he charges and have an issue with his morals, I know for a fact that the parts he uses come to at most £5 per pickup and I've watched him wind one in about 15 minutes!! Should we pay him the equivalent of a £400 an hour salary? I think not.. not-withstanding the fact that he screwed Wizard over on the whole deal.. I don't work with people I can't respect.. (I sound like a whinging idiot here.. sorry..)

[Dodge]

[quote name='Crimson Guitars' post='45448' date='Aug 14 2007, 09:16 PM']No doubt Tim markets Bareknuckle stuff well, I just disagree with the prices he charges and have an issue with his morals, I know for a fact that the parts he uses come to at most £5 per pickup and I've watched him wind one in about 15 minutes!! Should we pay him the equivalent of a £400 an hour salary? I think not.. not-withstanding the fact that he screwed Wizard over on the whole deal.. I don't work with people I can't respect.. (I sound like a whinging idiot here.. sorry..)[/quote]

Hmm - I'm not remotely familiar with Wizard / Bareknuckle's history and this probably isn't the most appropriate place to discuss it, but my feeling is Andy builds a pickup equal to anyone and superior to many builders in the world right now, and they're an absolute steal at the prices he charges.

On a different note, I've just taken a peek at the guitars on your website - wow, they're beautiful!

[Crimson Guitars]

You're right, I really shouldn't talk about that sort of stuff in an open forum,.. If you check out the diary on my site over the last few days you'll see some clear pickups that Andy has started casting with my perspex guitars in mind.. he does love a challenge!.. he's just posted off a set of humbuckers he calls 4x4's which have two seperate humbuckers with 4 core wires in a single humbucker size case.. I think we worked out that you can get around 160 distinct sounds.. only really for studio guys and you do need a manual to drive the things, but cool nonetheless! Cheers for your comment about the guitars on my site.. my problem is I get bored doing the same old thing so don't often build replica's of someone elses work.. just keeps life interesting! All my best, Ben [url="http://www.crimsonguitars.com"]crimson guitars[/url]

[Beedster]

Well, I emailed Andy with a few questions at 9am this morning. By 9.30 I'd had a very comprehensive response and a couple of emails later I'd oredered a pair of P/J PUPs at a very reasonable price from a guy who, alongside clearly knowing how to make a PUP, also knows how to run a business. He puts some customer service in the USA to shame. Makes you proud to be a Brit!
Having read the posts above I am now in a state of high anxiety about the arrival of the new PUPs!
Chris

[neilb]

Beedster - did you order the stock PJ set or custom?

Im gonna get a set for my aerodyne.

[Lulu]

I'm currently looking for some replacement PUs for my Japanese JB and the sound I like the most is quite close to the CS60s one.
Then:
Can you guys having Wizard PUs on your JBs post some soundclips ?
Which of the 64s and 84s are the closest match ?
Can you advise some sound and output differences with the CS60s ?
Thx.

[Beedster]

[quote name='neilb' post='48743' date='Aug 22 2007, 09:58 AM']Beedster - did you order the stock PJ set or custom?

Im gonna get a set for my aerodyne.[/quote]

Hi Neil
A stock Thumper (great name) and a custom J-PUP (the latter is VERY close to the bridge so is considerably quieter than the P at present). Can't wait

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='Lulu' post='48773' date='Aug 22 2007, 10:38 AM']Can you guys having Wizard PUs on your JBs post some soundclips ?[/quote]

Well, I have a YouTube thing I can post, but my tone veers completely to old-skool, so it probably isn't the best example.

Aaanyway.. here goes:

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohlVyNbPivk"]Jazz with Wizards, flatswounds and the neck pup solo'd[/url].

And, just for Beedster's benefit, [url="http://www.jollybeggars.co.uk/stuff/motwam.mp3"]here's a live recording from a few weeks ago of my P with roundwounds and overwound Wizards[/url].

Both these clips feature my 'other' band who don't really rehearse much (or at all, for that matter), so forgive the sloppy mistakes.

[warwickhunt]

Can anyone please give me a quick bit of advice re. Andy's pups?

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4721"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4721[/url]

[spike]

Another recommendation for wizard pickups here. I got a P/J set for my Aerodyne a few weeks ago and I'm well pleased. Andy suggested the standard 'Thumper' for the P pickup and an overwound pickup for the J. To quote ShergoldSnickers, my bass now only uses woody words. And the Thumper does exactly what it says.

[pipsuds]

Another happy bass player here who has just rewired (new cts pots etc) and shielded and grounded a jazz bass followed by putting a pair of the wizard 84's in as replacement pickups - bass is transformed and I'm delighted!
Thanks for the great service Andy.

[funkysimon]

Now I'm started to get tempted by all these good reviews... I've got a stock passive Warwick Fortress 1; what would a pair of wizard pickups do for it? It's difficult to get an idea from reading the Wizard website, so it would be good to hear from someone who's made a similar swap.

[ZPQ]

Any of you Wizard owners care to comment on how they might improve the sound of my Geddy Lee jazz - when I sitch to my status there is an extra depth to sound that I'd like to get out of the jazz.

More presence and deeper bass is what I'm looking for - maybe I should think about going active but I'd rather upgrade the p/ups if that will do it.

Thanks
John

[beerdragon]

[quote name='funkysimon' post='65008' date='Sep 24 2007, 07:48 PM']Now I'm started to get tempted by all these good reviews... I've got a stock passive Warwick Fortress 1; what would a pair of wizard pickups do for it? It's difficult to get an idea from reading the Wizard website, so it would be good to hear from someone who's made a similar swap.[/quote]

Give them a ring and tell them what kind of sound you are after and they will probably help you out.

[Beedster]

Installed my Wizard Thumper and Custom Overwound Jazz in my '73 Precision/J yesterday. Difference to the Fender PUPs is huge. Not played through a rig yet but I'm anticipating some largeness!
It's probably beeN said ABOVE, but I doubt you'll find a more friendly or professional guy to deal with than Andy.
Chris

[CHRISDABASS]

i believe i have wizard pick ups in my bravewood 60's jazz!!

they sound awesome!!

[Nick80]

Just fitted a p/j set to my aerodyne and the transformation is amazing. I've fallen in love with my aerodyne again. Fantastic pickups.

[The_D]

This thread is not helping my GAS at all. I need a new cab and cant afford that. Now I am itching to drop a pair of these in my Jazz!

Between Basschat and talkbass I am sure I am gonna end up bust by the end of the year!

[mr pablo]

[quote name='The_D' post='72456' date='Oct 10 2007, 10:38 PM']This thread is not helping my GAS at all. I need a new cab and cant afford that. Now I am itching to drop a pair of these in my Jazz!

Between Basschat and talkbass I am sure I am gonna end up bust by the end of the year![/quote]

Tell me bout it Bob, I've not even got my Pbass yet but i'm gonna get a thumper for it when i get paid

[markdavid]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='739' date='May 17 2007, 08:16 PM'](note: I wrote this review about 8 months ago, and I still stand by it.)

Hi all

My search for replacement pickups for my '73 J has come to an extremely successful conclusion.

I've had this bass for nearly a year, and I love it dearly. However, the lack of definition on the E string has always bothered me a bit, which I put down to the non-original pickups of questionable origin. The bridge pup was a bit weak, as was one of the poles on the neck pup.

When it came to swapping them out, I liked the idea of something slightly overwound, and I considered the likes of Fender's 60s CS, Fralin, Aero, etc. While I was looking into this, someone suggested I have a chat with Andy at Wizard Pickups in Scotland.

I believe Andy used to work for Kent Armstrong, and he started his own venture building and rewinding pickups when Kent moved back to the US.

I had a look at his website, and saw he had two 'stock' J offerings - the traditionally vintage 64s and the dirtier, overwound 84s. I emailed him and told him I prefer I prefer a warm, smooth tone with lots of bottom end and not too much in the way of sizzle, but I was concerned the 84s might be a little too dark for my liking. He suggested some custom winds, using the same wire as the 84s, with a few less turns and slightly longer magnets which increases the power, volume and presence.

So, I coughed up a perfectly reasonable £70 (no extra charge for custom winds) and waited...

...for a day! I placed the order on Thursday afternoon, and they arrived via registered post on Saturday morning. They're well packed in a funky little box, with black and white cloth wires.

I took them to my tech chap, who dropped them in (I'm an idiot with a soldering iron) and took it to a gig last night.

What a result! My J has been pushed into a different league. I'm a P-nut at heart, but my J now has an incredible thumpy punch with the neck solo'd. Open both pups up, and it's warm, smooth and growly. Every note is perfectly defined and even, right down to the E. It was the most fun I've had at a gig for a long time.

I can't recommend them enough, and as they cost significantly less than most of the alternatives out there, UK or EU-based folks looking for new pups should definitely have a chat with Andy to see what he can offer. He's made an old, tired Jazz (and it's owner) very happy!

[url="http://www.wizardpickups.co.uk"]Wizard Pickups[/url][/quote]


Sound like good pickups , I am looking to swap out my Quarter Pounders as they have practically no mid range , may try these

[Brave Sir Robin]

I got myself a cheapo Warwick Corvette Ash passive. Knowing how much I love MECs (not!), they sound like a nice alternative.

[CHRISDABASS]

i just dropped a set of 84's in my bravewood jazz!!!!

WOW!!!

what a sound!!

and what a service!! i ordered them on a tuesday lunchtime and they were made that day and arrived at my house on the thursday morning!!

truely the best!! and all for just £70.....awesome!!


if you are thinking about an up grade in your jazz look no further!

Edited February 20, 2008 by CHRISDABASS

[zapp]

Forgive the Noobish question but are these pups passive only?