There are so many Jazz Bass pickups on the market today that choosing one can be a little overwhelming. But, if you’re looking to upgrade the sound on your current J-Bass, there’s no better cost-effective way than to change the pickups.
Thankfully, the huge selection of Jazz bass pickups gives you plenty of options to nail down that specific bass tone that you’re looking for.
Reviewing every Jazz Bass pickup on the market today would take forever. However, I have personally played the four models here in this article. Everyone hears things a little differently. But, I’ve tried to describe each pickup as specifically and objectively as possible. Hopefully, that way you can get a good idea of what to expect in terms of tone.
Fender Custom Shop 60’s Jazz Bass
I used these pickups for years in several Jazz basses and have really liked them. They have a nice warm tone with some clarity in the upper mids. They’re not for anyone looking for a modern hi-fi sound but are perfect for the bassist after a vintage tone. The Custom Shops will give you a little more output than most other standard Jazz Bass pickups.
The tone is nicely balanced with good, solid lows and a sweet mid-range. The highs are not zingy or biting, but then neither is a real vintage Jazz pickup. Instead, you get a nice mellow, singing quality when you’re playing up high. All in all, a really good vintage-sounding Jazz pickup made by the original company that started it all.
- Custom '60s jazz bass& pickups are patterned after vintage pickups but are overwound for more punch, midrange, bass, and output.
- Uses alnico 5 magnets and formvar magnet wire.
- Sold in pairs only and includes all mounting hardware.
Lindy Fralin Vintage Jazz
I have these pickups currently in my Fender ’62 reissue bass and, I’m a big fan. They sound a little more focused than the Fender Custom Shops with more detail and clarity in the highs. The lows are full and growly and the mids are strong with lots of punch.
Fralins are generally more expensive than the Fenders, which I believe is in part due to the fact that they are hand-wound. The Fralins will also give you a little more output than the Fender pickups and a more refined sound that I would describe as modern-vintage. I actually think the Fenders are more accurate to a real vintage Jazz pickup, but the Fralins give you that extra punch that can really help when trying to cut through while still retaining that vintage tone.
- 4 String Pickup Set includes Neck (short) and Bridge (long) PickupsDirect Replacement for American Fender Jazz Bass and many othersPassive Design works with most preampsIncludes black pickup coversLoud, clear and even tone
Seymour Duncan Antiquity
I’ve never owned these pickups, but I have played them on other basses. They sound very similar to the Lindy Fralins. However, they have slightly less mid-range and are a tad leaner in the bottom end. They still give you that vintage vibe, sounding real smooth and warm.
These pickups are “aged” to look like real, old vintage J-Bass pickups. Some people will find them really cool, and others not so much. Overall, I like the vintage tone and look of the Antiquitys, and I would definitely recommend them to anyone who wants both a good vintage sound and an old look to match. These Jazz bass pickups are very useful if you’re replacing pickups on a vintage Fender.
Fender Original Jazz Bass
This is Fender’s standard 60s style Jazz pickups that were found on their ’62 reissue Jazz Bass and their Geddy Lee Jazz Bass model. These are similar to the Custom Shop set in tone but with a little less overall output and slightly more mid-range.
I found these pickups to be a little nasally sounding but still very faithful to the original 60s sound. The lows are full, if a little boomy, and the highs are crisp with pretty good articulation. These pickups are definitely a step up from the standard Fender Jazz models found on most of their basses.
- Formvar magnet wire for bright, glassy tone
- Flush-mount pole pieces for even string response
- Alnico 2 magnets for complex harmonics with warm attack and less-aggressive midrange
- Period-correct cloth output wire and fiber bobbin
- Installation hardware included
Obviously, there are many more Jazz Bass pickups out there (Lollar pickups are next on my list), but this will at least give you an idea of how some of the most popular
Last update on 2024-02-19 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
