Pick up upgrade - Marcus Miller slap tone

[Majid]

Hi Bass lovers,

 

I recently bought a Fender am vintage 75 reissue (AVRI) jazz bass and now I’m considering to upgrade the PUs. As I love Marcus Miller’s slap tone, I tend to get a PU to sound as close as possible to that tone.

 

Do you have any suggestion?

 

As first options, I’m considering EMG J and EMG JVX. I’m not sure how close I can get with either one though.

Any other suggestions which could meet my requirement would be appreciated.

 

Thanks.

 

Best regards,

Bassovsky

[chyc]

I don't own the EMG JVX, but there's a good video demoing in on YT. Slap starts at 4:04 but it has all main styles if you start the video from the beginning. I'll leave it to you to decide if that's a good MM soundalike.

 

 

[Majid]

45 minutes ago, chyc said:

I don't own the EMG JVX, but there's a good video demoing in on YT. Slap starts at 4:04 but it has all main styles if you start the video from the beginning. I'll leave it to you to decide if that's a good MM soundalike.

 

 

Hi Chyc,

 

Thanks, yes I’ve seen this video. Although it’s a nice demonstration video with a great bass tone, first thing I noticed is that it is a bass which lacks 70’s PU spacing therefore, it is not a right bass to be compared with MM slap tone. No matter what PU is installed on a bass with 60’s PU position, it won’t sound like MM.

 

Br,

Bassovsky

[Doddy]

Honestly, I think Marcus's tone is more about the preamp than the pickups (which I believe are stock Fender).  You could look at a Sadowsky preamp or a Bartolini if you want to be authentic (Marcus's bass has a Bartolini TCT preamp). 

I think that would get you closer to that tone than a pickup change would. 

 

[Majid]

32 minutes ago, Doddy said:

Honestly, I think Marcus's tone is more about the preamp than the pickups (which I believe are stock Fender).  You could look at a Sadowsky preamp or a Bartolini if you want to be authentic (Marcus's bass has a Bartolini TCT preamp). 

I think that would get you closer to that tone than a pickup change would. 

 

Thanks for your reply. I have a passive jb and have tried Sadowsky outbord preamp SBP-1 but I didn’t feel a big difference. Is there a Bartolini TCT outboard preamp available in the market?! Or is it possible to find a Bartoli or something similar as onboard preamp which can fit in a passive jazz bass? 

[Dan Dare]

You really need to try things rather than buy on spec' and hope. What rig do you use? Is it capable of giving the desired result? Even if it is, so much is in the player's hands.

[ped]

6 hours ago, Majid said:

Hi Chyc,

 

Thanks, yes I’ve seen this video. Although it’s a nice demonstration video with a great bass tone, first thing I noticed is that it is a bass which lacks 70’s PU spacing therefore, it is not a right bass to be compared with MM slap tone. No matter what PU is installed on a bass with 60’s PU position, it won’t sound like MM.

 

Br,

Bassovsky

100% it’s all in the spacing. Pickups and pre are the icing on the cake but those few mm difference make all the difference. 

[Majid]

2 hours ago, Dan Dare said:

You really need to try things rather than buy on spec' and hope. What rig do you use? Is it capable of giving the desired result? Even if it is, so much is in the player's hands.

For practicing, I use Rumble 100 combo and for recording I use Focusrite 2i2 with Cubasis.

 

 

Fully agree with you!

[Majid]

On 05/10/2022 at 18:32, Majid said:

Thanks for your reply. I have a passive jb and have tried Sadowsky outbord preamp SBP-1 but I didn’t feel a big difference. Is there a Bartolini TCT outboard preamp available in the market?! Or is it possible to find a Bartoli or something similar as onboard preamp which can fit in a passive jazz bass? 

And by the way, EMG J or JVX set comes with pots and electronic whould turn a passive bass into active.