Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

D

dreadguard268

New member
A buddy of mine just gave me, literally just said "here, take it, I don't want it," a Mexican j bass. The catch being, it needs to be completely rewired, new pups, and a new bridge. I already have the bridge covered but I really know next to nothing about bass pickups, I isually play guitar and have only just recently started to actually get into the bass.

I assume the bass has an alder body and it for sure has a maple neck with rosewood board. Since I myself have no opinion (the only Jazz pups I've played before being emgs), I'd like to ask you all what's a good all-around pup, preferably passive, but im not totally against the idea of actives, just want to try something different.

Chances are I'll be heavily researching and looking up whatever is reccomended to me here haha.

If anyone wishes to know, genre(s) will likely be some kind of mix of pop punk through heavy metal as far as playing on my own and something relatively in the middle in a band type setting. Current amp is an ampeg portaflex 350.

Thanks for any assistance.
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

Do you know the year the bass was manufactured? The earlier ones used the same size pickup in the bridge and neck position so if you swap in a true jazz bridge pickup you will need to rework the pickguard and possibly the body route slightly so it will fit. Not a huge deal to do but it does take some rework. I have a 2001 Mexican jazz that has been rewired with good pots and is loaded with SD Jazz "Hots". It sounds very good!
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

If the two stock pickups turn out to be of equal (short/neck) length, EMG offers pickup pairs to fit, on request. Alternatively, buy two separate short Jazz Bass replacement pickups.

The downside to having two identical pickups is that they may not combine to cancel hum.
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

I think the serial tells me it's either 2000 or 2001. And I'll have to measure, I didn't think of that. I've also been toying with the idea of having a pbass pup thrown in. I'm not really a fan of the color of the puck guard as is with that body color. It's a brown tortoise shell guard and a maroon-ish color body.
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

For bass Dimarzio J are good and cheap, for higher end Aguilar and Nordstrand are very good.
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

Bartolini makes passive dual coil pickups inside J Bass housings. Plenty loud and phat. No need for active electronics.
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

Funkfingers said:
No need for active electronics.
Click to expand...
+1
I think EMG and Schaller are the only manufacturers offering active pickups (don't quote me on that). Active electronic in bass is usually passive pickups with active preamp. I used to have a set of Dimarzio J many many many years ago and liked them a lot for the music style you play.
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

Say what?

SD makes active pickups for bass guitar!!! Unfortunately, for the OP, these are only offered in long/short pairs. To arrive at a J pair of equal lengths, it would be necessary to purchase the two pickups individually.
 
Re: Mexi J-Bass complete do over..

The pups are of the long and short variety. However I believe I'm gonna go with a dimarzio will power middle. Figured I might as well go with at least one I know I like haha. Still don't know what to do for the bridge slot. That's probably going to remain a jazz spot. Not sure if I want to go digging where it's visible.
 
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