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A little help for a better jazz sound

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  • A little help for a better jazz sound

    Hello everyone,
    I've just created this account cause I'm willing to improse the sound I have with my bass and... I need your precious advice to avoid making bad purchase(s)

    I own a MIA 4 string Jazz bass for a while now which has an alder body . This bass comes with fender stock pickups which are called vintage-modern something like that.
    I played with this bass the way it sounded but months after months I'm willing to change the tone I have since vintage tones are not my taste in the end

    What i'm looking for is something more modern, with more output. I don't know if output is the correct word to describe it, I feel like the tone lacks of punch and power in the low end registry, somethin fuller.
    I also tried to adjust the pickups height, adding some treeble, but I can't make this bass growl the way I want. I feel also that the stock pickups lack of bite even if I attack the string with more intensity.

    What are the choices? A specific pickup that match the desciption? changing the pots or the eletronics (even if i would prefer to remain passive)?

    I remain open to any advice that would get me the tone I'm looking for

    Thanks in advance

  • #2
    Re: A little help for a better jazz sound

    Welcome to the forum!

    Have you considered going active? It will be more modern, and you can dial in the output boost you want. The Lightnin Rods set sounds like it is up your alley, if you are willing to do active pickups.
    Administrator of the SDUGF

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    • #3
      Re: A little help for a better jazz sound

      +1 Seymour Duncan Actives: Lightnin Rods or old vintage ones with minitoggles on top (discontinued, can only be found used)

      PS there's some confusion on active vs. passive when it pertains to bass... you can have active pickups with passive potentiometers (what I recommend; does just fine if you get a pickup you like, will still need new values though, 10 / 25 / 50k pots), active pickups with an active EQ preamp (more versatile but fussier, and preamps color sound too), passive pickups with an active EQ preamp (what you spoke of NOT wanting)... or passive pickups with passive pots (stock Fender, for example)
      Last edited by Adieu; 11-12-2018, 05:14 PM.
      "New stuff always sucks" -Me

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      • #4
        Re: A little help for a better jazz sound

        Can you describe me so I could understand what would be the difference between a higher output passive pickup and a real active one (which I presume will naturally add some output due to the fact it is active)

        Like I said, I'm not sure that output is the correct thing I want to describe.
        I'm looking for something that would make the bass sound a little less "woody" in the low end registry with more bite and response in the high end (so the attack will sound more agressive when played harder)
        Won't active pickups "erase" this attack to make it sound always the same level of punchiness?
        Thus, the pickup you told me, the lightning rods are descibed as vintage ones. Would it really be a good choice for what I described?

        Thanks

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        • #5
          Re: A little help for a better jazz sound

          Originally posted by 4string View Post
          I'm looking for something that would make the bass sound a little less "woody" in the low end registry with more bite and response in the high end (so the attack will sound more agressive when played harder)
          Steel strings.
          || Guitar | Wah | Vibe | Amp ||

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          • #6
            Re: A little help for a better jazz sound

            Originally posted by 4string View Post
            Can you describe me so I could understand what would be the difference between a higher output passive pickup and a real active one (which I presume will naturally add some output due to the fact it is active)

            Like I said, I'm not sure that output is the correct thing I want to describe.
            I'm looking for something that would make the bass sound a little less "woody" in the low end registry with more bite and response in the high end (so the attack will sound more agressive when played harder)
            Won't active pickups "erase" this attack to make it sound always the same level of punchiness?
            Thus, the pickup you told me, the lightning rods are descibed as vintage ones. Would it really be a good choice for what I described?

            Thanks
            Well, passive pickup circuits allow you to shave off treble as you turn down. Active ones allow you to add or subtract bass, mids, & treble while having a big volume boost. Even buying a preamp for passive pickups can get you closer to that sound and control.
            Administrator of the SDUGF

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