American Standard Jazz - Quiet Pickups?

[theevilplankton]

Recently grabbed a 2012 US Standard Jazz. It's got the year upgrade of the Custom Shop pickups.

Superb bass, except the volume level of the pups is a little low - this is in comparison with my '74 Ricky, and more importantly, my newer Fender Flea bass.

I've raised the pups, adjusted everything else, but compared to the Flea....it just lacks guts. The Flea sounds alive and punchy, whereas the US just sounds so much quieter. The volume just is so much less.

Obviously I can crank it up (gigged it on Friday) and it sounds amazing. Just wondering why the difference between them...are the CS pups just a lower output variant?

Over to you!

 

[Malak the Mad]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of strings are you rockin'?

 

[west al]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of strings are you rockin'?

That's a very good question. The CS60's pups, are usually up there for performance.
I'm playing a 2015 Am. Std. Jazz, with ETB92 Nylons, with plenty of volume.

 

[Malak the Mad]

That's a very good question. The CS60's pups, are usually up there for performance.
I'm playing a 2015 Am. Std. Jazz, with ETB92 Nylons, with plenty of volume.

When I got my first-ever MIA Jazz, a used 2013 American Standard, I wanted to treat it to a nicer-than-usual set of strings, so I strung it up with a set of Thomastik-Infeld Powerbass'. I don't hear any appreciable lack of volume when comparing it to my other basses, just a different tonal palette and tactile feel.

 

[jallenbass]

Are you able to check the resistance to see if they might be faulty?

 

[theevilplankton]

Just out of curiosity, what kind of strings are you rockin'?

Using Fender 9050 flats. Swear by these on all my basses.

It sounds fine when turned up at the amp, but just if I go from one bass to another, there is a definite drop compared to the others.

 

[craigie]

Strange. I have a 2012 American Standard and an American FSR which has similar pickups but without having raised pole pieces. I also have a MIM 60's J and all three basses have a similar output such that no gain adjustment is needed when switching during gigs.

 

[Malak the Mad]

This appears to be rather irregular. Maybe @jallenbass is on to something and there's something up with your pickup(s). Who knows, maybe all it needs is a tweak to the wiring?

 

[theevilplankton]

Further investigation needed....does seem a bit off!

 

[pineweasel]

I have the same model and it has a lower output level than my Squier VM Jazz, so perhaps it's normal.

 

[theevilplankton]

I have the same model and it has a lower output level than my Squier VM Jazz, so perhaps it's normal.

Hope so! I find the difference not dramatic, but definitely a change. Who'd have thought a VM would pack more power!

 

[brianrost]

It could also be the frequency response. Pickups that have more mids will sound louder.