Fenderheads please tell me

[Tinman]

What drives you to put replace pickups etc.

This is a genuine question aimed at primarily Jazz owners. I'd like to know what the stock jazz pickups are lacking that makes you swap them for Wizards, basslines, bareknuckle etc.

I've just moved across from Ibanez loaded with crappy Japanese pickups, to a MIA Jazz and to me the sound difference is amazing, but of course being on this forum has got me wondering (and GASsing) whether I should just go ahead now and get a set of Wizards.

So Jazz Fenderheads or Fender Jazzheads. What are the stock pickups lacking and what will a set of, let's say, Wizard 84's give me.

BTW, I've read the Wizard reviews, just wanted a definitive answer is all.

Cheers

Pete

[The Burpster]

Pete,

Swapping pups is normally about getting a particular sound... (Thats why I do it anyhoo!) I have an idea how I want it to sound and get pups accordingly......

Funnily enough, I cannot pick any fault at all with the std PRS setup. They are just awesome with a HUGE variety of tone.....

Maybe I'm trying to get lesser basses to sound like them?

I have one spare SD 1/4lber that you can drop in if you want...?

[i]Just a thought[/i][u][/u] why not just play the new Jazz for a while and see if its deficient in tone anywhere, and then target that with new pups?

[Tinman]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='49925' date='Aug 24 2007, 08:04 AM'][i]Just a thought[/i][u][/u] why not just play the new Jazz for a while and see if its deficient in tone anywhere, and then target that with new pups?[/quote]

Thanks Bob.

I was planning to give the stock setup a go for a while, this is just a subject that intrigues me.
The Jazz is such a lovely instrument and I'm just wanting to get the best sound out of it that I possibly can.

Just out of interest mate, how much would you be wanting for the 1/4Lber? (PM me if you prefer) and which position would be best for it, if I did go ahead.

Pete

[wateroftyne]

I only swap / rewind them when they break.

The stock ones are usually fine.

[Tinman]

[quote name='wateroftyne' post='49928' date='Aug 24 2007, 08:13 AM']I only swap / rewind them when they break.

The stock ones are usually fine.[/quote]
Cheers WoT.

I'm still fairly new to all of this and am looking to circumvent any possible problems before they arise. hence the reason for all the questions

[Simon]

My Jazz actually came with EMG's in it. I really didn't want active pickups in an original Fender Jazz - wanted it to sound as vintage as possible. I replaced them with a set of Passive Nordstrand pickups. Amazing pickups, and if I ever got another original Fender I would probably put Nordstrands in them too! Nordstrand have modeled some of their designs to sound as close to original Fender pickups as possible, but without the hum!

I have a couple of videos on YouTube demonstrating the sound of these pickups if you want to hear them.

[Tinman]

[quote name='Simon' post='49935' date='Aug 24 2007, 08:35 AM']My Jazz actually came with EMG's in it. I really didn't want active pickups in an original Fender Jazz - wanted it to sound as vintage as possible. I replaced them with a set of Passive Nordstrand pickups. Amazing pickups, and if I ever got another original Fender I would probably put Nordstrands in them too! Nordstrand have modeled some of their designs to sound as close to original Fender pickups as possible, but without the hum!

I have a couple of videos on YouTube demonstrating the sound of these pickups if you want to hear them.[/quote]
Just listened to your rendition of 'Space Cowboy'Amazing tone! I have to say mate, you have the sound that I want. Out of interest, what were you playing through and what were your settings? (If you don't mind me asking)

[Simon]

Well Space Cowboy is actually my Overwater 5 string. That has a J Retro in it with Kent Armstrong handwound P-ups. Recorded it quite a while a go so can't really remember the settings. Straight bass in to an Mbox2/Pro Tools though.

Here's the Fender when I had the EMG's - still sounded good, but I wanted a more vintage tone without the power of a battery!

[url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=D_3WWqk3tVw"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=D_3WWqk3tVw[/url]

And here's the Nordstrand passive p-ups.

[url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=8aySChjGnNY"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=8aySChjGnNY[/url]
[url="http://youtube.com/watch?v=kTlhQpi0jGI"]http://youtube.com/watch?v=kTlhQpi0jGI[/url]

[Tinman]

Doh! If I'd looked more closely I would have seen that, apologies.

I see your point, much nicer, more realistic tone with the Nordstrands. That's not to say the EMGs were in any way bad, I just prefer the others.

Cheers mate

Pete

[warwickhunt]

If you identify a weak link in your sound you tend to want to upgrade, whether that be your bass, amp, cab, lead or whatever. If you have good quality gear then identifying improvements starts to get to the point of diminishing returns... is it worth it. I use a Thunderfunk amp, if I spend £2000 on a Glockenklank amp will my tone improve sufficiently to justify it or will I just get a different tone? I won't be upgrading. Same goes for my bass and my cab... I won't be upgrading.

However, this is where it is contentious, my main gigging bass (MEC loaded) has sounded fine for the last 14 years but improvements/changes in my back-line (or my tastes) left me feeling I needed to do something about it. My bass now sports new pups! They have definitely altered the tone, more open and revealing with a bit more depth and when the HB is tapped the bass takes on a much more Jazz like tone than it had with the stock pups, well worth £135 BUT (runs for cover) I wonder whether on a different bass or with a bassist with amp/cab that wasn't as high end (snobbish way of saying expensive) you might have gotten a similar effect by changing to a good quality set of strings (assuming you were using cheapies) or investing the money in upgrading an amp or cab if it wasn't quite cutting the mustard.

I think £100-£150 on a set of pups in a decent bass is good value for money and may well give any bassist what they want BUT on a so-so bass through OK gear, an upgrade to a better string/bass/amp/cab might give a greater return, we each have to make that decision.

I think you probably are at that point Pete where the pup is justifiable but deciding what to get is another matter

[Tinman]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='49985' date='Aug 24 2007, 10:24 AM']I think you probably are at that point Pete where the pup is justifiable but deciding what to get is another matter [/quote]

You're probably right there. I know I've got decent gear (regardless of what people think of 'New Trace') and have now got a quality instrument, with another on the way. It's just this sound I have in my head that as yet I've been unable to find and if shelling out on pickups gets me there then it's got to be worth it. Hasn't it?

[warwickhunt]

Be very sure that in 6mths time that Shuker isn't going to be whispering your name

Saying that if you do upgrade, a quality set of pups in a bass will make it more saleable (though probably not by the cost of the upgrade).

[Buzz]

Well, I'm looking at upgrading mine as the p-pup in the Aero overpowers the j-pup by quite a bit.

And as I'm considering upgrading one, might as well do the other to give it a bit more clout.

[beerdragon]

I have a MIM jazz, it was all i could afford when i got back into it. i really like the neck and the feel of it. i fitted a pair of Wizard 84's and the sound has changed 100%, i'm thinking about putting a Badass on but where do i stop. new tuners, nut?, i'm wondering wether i should put my money into a MIA jazz or even a Lackland, i'm in a bit of a quandry. but i do highly recommend the Wizards, depends on what sound your after.

[Tinman]

I want mellow but punchy, nothing too bright, sort of vintage-ish but with plenty of cut. Something along the lines of the bass sound on Disco inferno by The Trampps. (Don't want much, me)

[lozbass]

Hi, for what it's worth and from limited experience:

I have a '76 J with '75 pickups (a result of Fender's modular approach to production) - it sounds fantastic (to me): strong, loud and aggressive (loads of honk/growl) at the bridge and clean, articulate, rounded and supple at the neck - the sweetspot (again, for me) seems to be bridge 100%, neck 30-40%;
I also have a Fender fretless J (based on a '64 NOS) with standard vintage '60s pickups - there's little real sound difference in use between this and the '76 (though the bridge pickup is slightly further away from the bridge than on the above). The honk is there but the bass can really sing with some weight from the neck pickup;
I had a Fender fretless J from around 2001 - this was a totally different beast. It had super quiet SD Basslines hot stacks (quite expensive I think - they were on the bass when I bought it and cancel the common J hum). To me, the bass sounded good but not really much like a classic J. The preamp was very subtle and usable and in general, the sound was very clean and fairly versatile. However, I didn't really get the bass to bark and it didn't have that edgy presence and aggression that I've been able to get with the two above.

So, for me (and I admit my experience is not too extensive), I'd be happy to stay with the stock pickups. I really haven't experienced problems with hum and changing pickups risks losing the characteristic J tone (not necessarily a negative outcome if you're not enamoured with the latter). There was nothing 'wrong' with the SDs that I tried but I was surprised that they didn't really sound like J pickups (or, at least, the bass didn't sound like a J) - there again, the pre may have had much to do with this.

I hope this helps!

Edited August 24, 2007 by lozbass

[Tinman]

Cheers everyone.

I'll finally be able to give the Jazz a good workout on Sunday, so I'll know better after that. It's been really frustrating not being able to use it in anger.

Pete

[nash]

i replaced mine because fender make crap pickups

[Tinman]

[quote name='nash' post='50311' date='Aug 24 2007, 05:49 PM']i replaced mine because fender make crap pickups[/quote]

Now you see, you've just gone and done it. Just when I was settling down and getting my head straight about what I'm going to do.

[BassBod]

Ok, people may think this is b@ll*cks, but I've found that P bass pickups tend to sound pretty much the same, and I've never really heard a bad one.

But Jbass pickups do seem to all have a different character. The worst I've heard were from an early 90's Fender (Japanese?) - very hard and edgy sounding, low output and did the bass no favours. Kent Armstrong (Korean made) replacements sounded very full and punchy (for the money) but still had a bit of harshness. DiMArzio (humbuckers) sounded great, good and honky, but not really the classic bright tone you'd expect form a J. EMG's are fantastic for a modern clear sound, but can sound much more traditional if you turn the tone down at least half.....

That's the ones I've played....oh and a SD Antiquity (bridge only). Easily the best sounding, most traditional etc but was pretty microphonic and hummed like a bee

BB

[paul, the]

[quote name='The Burpster' post='49925' date='Aug 24 2007, 08:04 AM']Pete,

Swapping pups is normally about getting a particular sound... (Thats why I do it anyhoo!) I have an idea how I want it to sound and get pups accordingly......

Funnily enough, I cannot pick any fault at all with the std PRS setup. They are just awesome with a HUGE variety of tone.....

Maybe I'm trying to get lesser basses to sound like them?

I have one spare SD 1/4lber that you can drop in if you want...?

[i]Just a thought[/i][u][/u] why not just play the new Jazz for a while and see if its deficient in tone anywhere, and then target that with new pups?[/quote]

This is wonderfully ideal but I have no idea how a certain pickup will sound.


And certainly cannot afford to chop and change.

You sometimes get descriptions but it's hardly the same.

[Tinman]

[quote name='paul, the' post='50346' date='Aug 24 2007, 06:52 PM']This is wonderfully ideal but I have no idea how a certain pickup will sound.
And certainly cannot afford to chop and change.

You sometimes get descriptions but it's hardly the same.[/quote]

Very true. When one person says, for example, 'warm', it could mean something completely different to someone else.
Sound is such a tricky subject.

[paul, the]

I thin it's the pickup companys' responsibility to supply sound clip. I spent so long raving about Fralins. I recently listened to the Bob Glaub on basstasters expecting a stunning a Jamerson tone. Was left disappointed.

Where am I left; too scared to ever spend the money.

[bass_ferret]

The thing is - even with sound clips it still wont sound the same when its on your bass played through your rig using your fingers.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Hi Pete,

I found the stock pickups on my MIM Jazz V were very weak & the output was uneven, but my Geddy Lee has the USA vintage pickups, so more noise about them, but what a sound! Wouldn't change them for the world!

Rich.