Jazz Bass dilema!

[Doddy]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1181621' date='Mar 29 2011, 10:59 PM']Does anyone have any experience/opinions/preference between the Dimarzio Model J or Ultra Jazz?

Also, does anyone know where to look for a Sadowsky outboard preamp and how much they go for?[/quote]

I've not tried the Model J,so can't comment,but I really like the Ultra Jazz. They are split humbuckers,
so they are dead quiet.They are also fuller sounding,I think,than the stock Fender Pickups,and with a
hotter output.

The Sadowsky preamp should be pretty easy to get hold of...places like Thomann sell them. They are about
£220,but they sometimes crop up on here for about £150

[TRBboy]

[quote name='silddx' post='1182143' date='Mar 30 2011, 01:19 PM']The onboard J-Retro is a fabulous bit of kit and should fit most Jazzes. What are your cavity length, width and depth?[/quote]

I checked it last night but like an idiot didn't write the figures down! I checked it according to the guidance on the east website, and I think it was just shy on the depth by 1-2 mm.

I'm gonna try it through the Bassbone at band practice tonight and then re-evaluate. Might be that I end up getting the Dimarzio's for now and save up for an Audere or J-retro.

Does anyone know who the BCer is who supplies custom pickguards? Can't remember......

[TRBboy]

Took the jazz to practice last night and I think I'll keep it passive for now bit I'm gonna stick some dimarzios in.

The following info is on the Dimarzio site:
Model j
Output: 150
DC resistance: 6.82

Ultra jazz
Output: 250
DC resistance: 12.3

Does this mean that the Ultra Jazz will be much louder and more punchy, or is the higher resistance a negative thing?


Anyone interested in a pair of quarter pounders in good.nick with boxes?

Edited March 31, 2011 by TRBboy

[73Jazz]

In my oppinion, the easiest way to get the best sounding jazzbass is using a yamaha ne-1, which is a really good parametric mid-eq.
It is an older, maybe unrecognized pedal from yamaha, which is nathan easts eq as a pedal.

i know, if you are up to GAS, this may sound boring to you, but you should give it a try, you will be surprised.
the yamaha ne-1 is around 40 to 60 gbp on second hand market. it is, as mentioned an outbord pedal.
[url="http://usa.yamaha.com/product_archive/guitars-basses/ne1/?mode=model"]Yamaha NE-1[/url]

not really represantative, but maybe you get a little idea of it from this vid on youtube.
You can see the NE-1 pedal on his combo and a friend of him changes sound with it.It is a normal passive jazzbass.

Edited April 1, 2011 by 73Jazz

[TRBboy]

The NE-1 looks interesting, I may well keep my eyes peeled for a bargain!


I had a response back from Dimarzio very swiftly regarding the output of the pickups, and I've gone ahead and ordered the Ultra Jazz set.

Ordered them from The Guitar Workshop Online as they were one of the cheapest sites, and was very impressed with the service. I called them to check that they had stock at about 15:20 this afternoon, which they did. They said that if I ordered them straight away, they would despatch them this afternoon and I should recieve them tomorrow! AND the delivery charge was only £1!!! Sure enough, I had an email within about 15mins to say that the pickups had been despatched!


Thanks for everyone's input, I've got some good ideas for further mods now if the Dimarzios don't hit the spot!

[machinehead]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1185272' date='Apr 1 2011, 09:13 PM']The NE-1 looks interesting, I may well keep my eyes peeled for a bargain!


I had a response back from Dimarzio very swiftly regarding the output of the pickups, and I've gone ahead and ordered the Ultra Jazz set.

Ordered them from The Guitar Workshop Online as they were one of the cheapest sites, and was very impressed with the service. I called them to check that they had stock at about 15:20 this afternoon, which they did. They said that if I ordered them straight away, they would despatch them this afternoon and I should recieve them tomorrow! AND the delivery charge was only £1!!! Sure enough, I had an email within about 15mins to say that the pickups had been despatched!


Thanks for everyone's input, I've got some good ideas for further mods now if the Dimarzios don't hit the spot![/quote]

I'd be interested to hear what you asked Dimarzio and their reply.

I have the Ultra Jazz in my 75 RI jazz. I like them but I'm also very impressed with the standard Fender pickups in my MIM 70s Classic jazz.

I think you'll be pleased with your choice.

Frank.

[TRBboy]

[quote name='machinehead' post='1185328' date='Apr 1 2011, 09:57 PM']I'd be interested to hear what you asked Dimarzio and their reply.

I have the Ultra Jazz in my 75 RI jazz. I like them but I'm also very impressed with the standard Fender pickups in my MIM 70s Classic jazz.

I think you'll be pleased with your choice.

Frank.[/quote]


[b]Me:[/b]

"Hi there,

just wondered if you could tell me which of these two pickups is the most powerful and punchy?"


[b]Dimarzio:[/b]

"The Ultra Jazz has an output of 250 compared with the Model J’s 150. Output is a direct measurement of loudness. You’ll find this and other specs on our website in the Specifications section on each pickup page."



That'll do me, the Ultra's are loudest.


I'm hoping they'll be just right. I'm really impressed with the Model P/J I've got in my RBX so I'm expecting good things!

Edited April 1, 2011 by TRBboy

[mcnach]

J-Retro!!!

really good preamp... and there was one on the for-sale forum here on Basschat a couple of days ago, it may still be there!
If it is, get it, install it in 5 minutes and get ready to grin like an idiot

[TRBboy]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1185272' date='Apr 1 2011, 09:13 PM']The NE-1 looks interesting, I may well keep my eyes peeled for a bargain!


I had a response back from Dimarzio very swiftly regarding the output of the pickups, and I've gone ahead and ordered the Ultra Jazz set.

Ordered them from The Guitar Workshop Online as they were one of the cheapest sites, and was very impressed with the service. I called them to check that they had stock at about 15:20 this afternoon, which they did. They said that if I ordered them straight away, they would despatch them this afternoon and I should recieve them tomorrow! AND the delivery charge was only £1!!! Sure enough, I had an email within about 15mins to say that the pickups had been despatched!


Thanks for everyone's input, I've got some good ideas for further mods now if the Dimarzios don't hit the spot![/quote]

Very impressed - the pickups arrived at 8:50 yesterday morning!

I'm gonna try and find the time to fit them later. I'll let you all know what I think.

[TRBboy]

Installed the Dimarzio's yesterday and they sound great!

There's something still lacking though, especially when I'm trying to play slap. I don't play much slap (nor am I very good at it!), but I have a need to play a little in my current band. When you slap the E string, it sounds kind of hollow and woody and lacks the attack and response that you need. Both of my other basses nail it, and the only tangible difference I can see is that my jazz is strung through the body, whereas the other two are top loaded. Could this be the difference?

I'd be grateful if anyone can offer any thoughts on this. If so, I may drill holes in the back of the bridge plate to top mount the strings.

[73Jazz]

Maybe you should adjust the height of the pickups, in my oppinion the most underrated thing to do in a setup.
You possibly have chosen the same height than with your pickups before, due to more output they have now more mids. experiment with it, if you screw the pickups more into the body, they get more bass

Edited April 4, 2011 by 73Jazz

[TRBboy]

[quote name='73Jazz' post='1187703' date='Apr 4 2011, 01:06 PM']Maybe you should adjust the height of the pickups, in my oppinion the most underrated thing to do in a setup.
You possibly have chosen the same height than with your pickups before, due to more output they have now more mids. experiment with it, if you screw the pickups more into the body, they get more bass[/quote]

Thanks for the advice, but I did spend quite a bit of time setting up the pickups. There's nothing wrong with the sound, it's definitely to do with the string response. You can tell the difference unplugged.

[TRBboy]

Just been reading some old threads about through body vs top loading - seems like the general consensus is that there's virtually no audible diference, so I don't think I'll bother drilling the bridge.

Anyone got any other ideas why it's sounding so dead? It's really pissing me off now!

EDIT: The only other thing I've just realised is that the strings are tapered, and the taper on the E starts just before the nut i.e the "full gauge" of the string is not passing through the nut slot. Could this be it?

Edited April 4, 2011 by TRBboy

[73Jazz]

You have checked this with another set of strings? They sometimes die, while getting them on and off a bass
the difference between string through and topload is so minimal it is just a nuance in attack and sustain

Edited April 4, 2011 by 73Jazz

[TRBboy]

[quote name='73Jazz' post='1188226' date='Apr 4 2011, 07:57 PM']You have checked this with another set of strings? They sometimes die, while getting them on and off a bass
the difference between string through and topload is so minimal it is just a nuance in attack and sustain[/quote]

I changed the strings recently, and used D'addario XL's 45-105 which I've used countless times before. Maybe I should just stick another set on.

[TRBboy]

Ok, slightly embarrasing, but it seems like the strings were playing a big part in all this. I think the combination of a slightly dodgy set of D'addario's and the taper issue were causing the problem. I dug out a set of GHS Boomers and they made a huge difference.

I've just been playing for a while, and those Dimarzio's are awesome! They're absolutely perfect for me, they kinda sound like my favourite aspects of active and passive rolled into one. Loads of guts, clarity and response with zero noise.

I know people have mentioned before about some Fenders not being that well put together in terms of neck/pickup/bridge alignment, and I've noticed that my bridge is a little squiffy and the bridge pickup is off-center (toward the control plate). You'd think they'd be able to get it right by now! Just a bit annoying because I can't get the strings to line up directly between the pole pieces on the bridge pickup.


Anyway, thanks for all the help.

[73Jazz]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1188453' date='Apr 4 2011, 11:37 PM']Just a bit annoying because I can't get the strings to line up directly between the pole pieces on the bridge pickup.[/quote]

Do not loose too much time with geometrics.
The sound is the only thing that counts and if the bass sounds amazing to you, it doesn`t matter.

The laws of aerodynamics prove that the bumblebee should be incapable of flight,
as it does not have the capacity in terms of wing size or beat per second to achieve flight, however the bumblebee does not know this... it just flies

Edited April 4, 2011 by 73Jazz

[machinehead]

[quote name='TRBboy' post='1185336' date='Apr 1 2011, 10:03 PM'][b]Me:[/b]

"Hi there,

just wondered if you could tell me which of these two pickups is the most powerful and punchy?"


[b]Dimarzio:[/b]

"The Ultra Jazz has an output of 250 compared with the Model J’s 150. Output is a direct measurement of loudness. You’ll find this and other specs on our website in the Specifications section on each pickup page."



That'll do me, the Ultra's are loudest.


I'm hoping they'll be just right. I'm really impressed with the Model P/J I've got in my RBX so I'm expecting good things![/quote]

Thanks for getting back to me.

The Ultra Jazz are great pickups and I love the sound they give but surprisingly, there is more output from the standard pickups on my MIM classic 70s jazz. And the MIM are the more aggresive and ballsy sounding of the two. Not necessarily better, but different, and both superb pickups.

Frank.

[TRBboy]

Took my jazz to band practice last night, for the first outing at full volume since changing the pickups, nut, strings and giving it a good setup.

I plugged it in, and...... SWEET JESUS!!! I nearly blew the rhythm guitarist through the wall of the studio! Those pickups have so much output! I have never owned or played a passive bass that sounds like that. SOOO much power, growl, clarity with a very even string to string volume and response, and zero noise. Interestingly though, I could turn the input gain up just as much if not more than I could before without it clipping.

I have NEVER used the neck pickup soloed on my jazz until now. Because of the split coil humbucking design, I can get almost a p-bass sound with the neck pickup soloed and the tone rolled back a bit. I have also never been able to hear higher notes as clear and loud as I can now. I can play anywhere on the fretboard and it really cuts through the mix, even in a rock band with two guitarists!

I would highly recommend these pickups. They still sound like a passive bass, but more modern and "hi-fi" if you like. They are definitley not for traditionalists, nor for the faint hearted, but if you are a balls-out rocker, or just like a punchy, modern sound, these are well worth trying. I've now got Dimarzios in both my passive basses and can't imagine ever using anything else in a passive bass.

Edited April 7, 2011 by TRBboy

[73Jazz]

a happy end:)