Three pickup Jazz Bass

[BrunoBass]

I just came across this picture of Nicky Wire from Manic Street Preachers with a three pickup Jazz Bass. It’s a grainy photo but I’m pretty sure it has a Fender decal. The photo dates from early 1995.

Did Fender ever make a J with a third pickup, or is this more likely a modification? I’ve never seen one like this before. 

[ahpook]

Looks like a mod to me - I'm not aware of any stock 3-pickup jazzes

[yorks5stringer]

Didn't the T Bass made by Status for Trace have a a hidden 3rd pickup under the scratch plate?

[LewisK1975]

Definitely looks like a mod to me, one nearest the neck has been added...that bass is one of the 'longhorn' types Fender did for a short while too...nice basses.

[bubinga5]

As Lewis said, thats a LongHorn with an added J pup.  

Edited July 24, 2018 by bubinga5

[bubinga5]

Same bass here. 

[Chopthebass]

I think Clover make a three pup bass.

[ikay]

This wiki about Nicky Wire mention a Fender Jazz with a custom third pickup (under Musical Equipment) - https://wikivisually.com/wiki/Nicky_Wire

The old Clover Avenger had three Delano jazz style pickups, I've always fancied one of these (the new model has two soapbars).

[Funkfingers]

I reckon that Wire's Jazz Bass has been professionally modified. I have a good idea what sort of tones a pickup near the end of the fingerboard might yield. Mr. Bridgehouse might also have an opinion on this matter. 🤐

The important question is whether all three pickups are operational. Perhaps, the pickup mounted near the end of the fingerboard is in circuit and one of the other two is not? It is possible the one of the pickups now only serves as a noise-cancelling dummy for the other two. 

 

Edited July 25, 2018 by Funkfingers

[ead]

I used to own this bass (until I realised that I couldn't play 5-string fretless basses).

All three pickups were active and the controls included a 4-way pickup up switch and a blend control as the filter preamp only had two channels.  The bridge and neck were switchable between bridge only/both series/both parallel/neck only and the combo selected could then be blended with the middle p/up.  Massively flexible tool but did also produce some odd phase cancellations.   I recall that my favourite with a combination of the bridge and the middle pickups.

[chaypup]

On 24/07/2018 at 15:06, yorks5stringer said:

Didn't the T Bass made by Status for Trace have a a hidden 3rd pickup under the scratch plate?

The T bass had a 3rd pickup for hum cancelling only

[Skybone]

Mr Wire is known for using Ric's as well, so I think it would more than likely be a mod to a standard J, so that he can get Ric-like sounds out of the J without changing basses. Just a theory though.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

On 28/07/2018 at 09:53, Skybone said:

Mr Wire is known for using Ric's as well, so I think it would more than likely be a mod to a standard J, so that he can get Ric-like sounds out of the J without changing basses. Just a theory though.

I think I'd concur with that as when you listen to YouTube vids you can very often hear the Ric grindy thump, but see a Jazz Bass...possibly a N+B tone?

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

On 25/07/2018 at 21:14, Funkfingers said:

I reckon that Wire's Jazz Bass has been professionally modified. I have a good idea what sort of tones a pickup near the end of the fingerboard might yield. Mr. Bridgehouse might also have an opinion on this matter. 🤐

The important question is whether all three pickups are operational. Perhaps, the pickup mounted near the end of the fingerboard is in circuit and one of the other two is not? It is possible the one of the pickups now only serves as a noise-cancelling dummy for the other two. 

 

Listen to some of Nicky’s live work, and Glastonbury 2014 has him playing that 3 pickup longhorn on iirc. It’s not unlike a Ric thud, but more complex. I was building a JB at the time, and thought ok. I’ve never looked back

[NancyJohnson]

On the subject of three pickup basses, the Deimel Firestar has three and a piezo.  It's a slab of Germanic loveliness.

Just for good measure and the lols, Frank also builds them with a whammy bar.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Here’s Nicky playing that 3 pickup Longhorn, what tone😍