Quiet Jazz Pickups

kingzombie1369

kingzombie1369

Supporting Member
May 4, 2009
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Texas
#1
Hi everyone,

I'm looking to upgrade the pickups in my Fender American Deluxe Jazz V. I just can't deal with the noise of the "noiseless" Fender pickups.

Any suggestions on which way to go? I have a set of Bartolini B-Axis in another Jazz that are dead quiet but I want to diversify. I have looked at Seymour Duncan Apollos and Barden J Style but I don't have any experience with them.

I'm not overly concerned about the pickups sounding modern or classic J but a set that could do both (or close to it) would be awesome. I don't want to be too greedy though.
 
#3
kingzombie1369 said:
Hi everyone,

I'm looking to upgrade the pickups in my Fender American Deluxe Jazz V. I just can't deal with the noise of the "noiseless" Fender pickups.

Any suggestions on which way to go? I have a set of Bartolini B-Axis in another Jazz that are dead quiet but I want to diversify. I have looked at Seymour Duncan Apollos and Barden J Style but I don't have any experience with them.

I'm not overly concerned about the pickups sounding modern or classic J but a set that could do both (or close to it) would be awesome. I don't want to be too greedy though.
Click to expand...

What kind of "noise" are you experiencing with your N3s? They are humbuckers, they will be just as silent as any other humbucker. I'm guessing you are referring to the noise floor of Fender's pre-amp, it is pretty bad. If the noise is a hum that stops when you touch metal then your bass needs shielding, not new pickups.
 
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#4
DiabolusInMusic said:
What kind of "noise" are you experiencing with your N3s? They are humbuckers, they will be just as silent as any other humbucker. I'm guessing you are referring to the noise floor of Fender's pre-amp, it is pretty bad. If the noise is a hum that stops when you touch metal then your bass needs shielding, not new pickups.
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Well there is a significant buzz regardless of whether both pickups are balanced or soloed. It doesn't go away when I touch any metal, so I don't think it's a grounding issue. However, I will admit that I am ignorant noise floors on a preamp. Should I consider swapping out the preamp instead of the pickups?
 
#6
kingzombie1369 said:
Well there is a significant buzz regardless of whether both pickups are balanced or soloed. It doesn't go away when I touch any metal, so I don't think it's a grounding issue. However, I will admit that I am ignorant noise floors on a preamp. Should I consider swapping out the preamp instead of the pickups?
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Pre-amp noise is more like a white noise hiss than a buzz. Going off your description, there may be something up with your bass. I doubt it is the humbuckers acting up since the noise does not change when you balance the pickup volumes. Have you tried a new battery?
 
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#7
I'm agreeing with DiabolusInMusic's assessment of your situation, but if you are bound and determined to change the pups, I had great luck with these pups from Nordstrand.

Nordstrand 4 String SE and SV Jazz Bass Humbucking - Best Bass Gear

Not only are they quiet, but they sound great. If it were my bass, I would probably change the N3s to these anyway. But The N3s are inherently quite pups. So I believe there's something else going on as well.
 
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#8
DiabolusInMusic said:
Pre-amp noise is more like a white noise hiss than a buzz. Going off your description, there may be something up with your bass. I doubt it is the humbuckers acting up since the noise does not change when you balance the pickup volumes. Have you tried a new battery?
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Yeah, I have switched the batteries and have even taken it to my local guitar tech guy. He said it was just the interference the pickups were picking up since the buzz increases when to flip the switch to active. The said everything was connected well and read right with all of his testing instruments. I did forget to mention that buzz is greatly increased when active vs passive.

That being said I don't know enough about that stuff to know whether my tech guy was yanking my chain or not....
 
#9
Geri O said:
I'm agreeing with DiabolusInMusic's assessment of your situation, but if you are bound and determined to change the pups, I had great luck with these pups from Nordstrand.

Nordstrand 4 String SE and SV Jazz Bass Humbucking - Best Bass Gear

Not only are they quiet, but they sound great. If it were my bass, I would probably change the N3s to these anyway. But The N3s are inherently quite pups. So I believe there's something else going on as well.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the recommendation. I'm not necessarily bound and determined to change the pickups. I'm really more bound and determined to not have annoying buzz.

Maybe I should ask my tech guy to take out the preamp and just wire the pickups on passive?

I'm just throwing ideas out there. Again, I am more than willing to admit my ignorance on electronic stuff.
 
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#10
kingzombie1369 said:
Thanks for the recommendation. I'm not necessarily bound and determined to change the pickups. I'm really more bound and determined to not have annoying buzz.

Maybe I should ask my tech guy to take out the preamp and just wire the pickups on passive?

I'm just throwing ideas out there. Again, I am more than willing to admit my ignorance on electronic stuff.
Click to expand...

Same situation here. Did you solve your problem?
 
#11
Cerio said:
Same situation here. Did you solve your problem?
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Unfortunately not yet. I am convinced that it is a pickup issue though. Specifically with the bridge pickup. If I turn the balance knob to full neck pickup the buzz goes away. I am going to get some new pickups for it eventually, its just been on the back burner for now.
 
#12
kingzombie1369 said:
Unfortunately not yet. I am convinced that it is a pickup issue though. Specifically with the bridge pickup. If I turn the balance knob to full neck pickup the buzz goes away. I am going to get some new pickups for it eventually, its just been on the back burner for now.
Click to expand...

I'm going to install a new preamp (j-retro 01) for test purposes, I'll let you know if that solves the problem.

If changing the pickups solves the problem, please let me know
 
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