Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

I am looking to replace the pickups on Fender Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz bass. The "Duncan Designed" pickups that came with it are OK but a bit noisy.

I am looking for suggestions to get the best noiseless "waahhh" fretless sound.

First of all, for truly noiseless must I get split coil pickups? If so how much do theytake away from the sound I want?

I am looking at Lindy Fralin's, DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan Antiquity II (not split), etc. Probably something from this site that I have gotten nice quality parts from before:

http://www.bestbassgear.com/bass-pickups.htm

Any comments appreciated!

-Greg

Hey Greg,

I went with a set of Lindy Fralin's +5% P/J combo pickups.

VERY QUIET, great classic Fender tone.

I love 'em.

The DiMarzio Ultra Jazz pickups are also very nice.

I am quite happy with the tone and the noiselessness of the SD Classic Stack J pickup in the bridge position of my California Precision Special. If fact, it is quieter than the SD Vintage P pickup on that bass.

I bought the SD Quarter Pounders for my P-bass. I love them and there is no boise like on the Jazz. I wondered if having 2 single coil pickups so close together on the P-bass gets more of a noise canceling effect that the further spaced pickups of the J-bass design. I guess it's just because the SD Antiquity II single coil pickups are "designed for Jaco" that they seem good but would they be noise canceling at all and if so why aren't the current pickups on this J-bass canceling noise out?

If those "Jaco" pickups are single coil they will not cancel hum.

Isn't the Precision quiet because the two coils of the pup are would opposite to cancel hum?

That's what I wondered too. Some of the Jazz options I am looking at are single coil but are wound in opposite directions on the two pickups. Being inches apart as opposed to right next to each other on the P-bass, I wondered how well they would cancel each other's noise.

Classic J pickups cancel hum just fine as long as both are at the same volume level; once one of the two is changed in relation to the other the hum is "unmasked", so to speak. With pickups such as the SD Classic Stack humbucker even with only one pickup on it is totally silent. P pickups are would as a humbucking pair, but from my experience with the P/J setup on my CPS the J is quieter than the P which does produce a bit of hum when cranked up.