In this article, we'll trace the fascinating journey of its founder, Lindy Fralin, from his early days of curiosity and dissatisfaction to becoming a revered pioneer in the pickup industry.
What if we started with the absolute bottom of the barrel? I'm talking about the kind of bass you might find gathering dust in a pawn shop, or maybe that first starter bass you bought way back when and haven't touched in decades
...Flash forward to today, and we’ll find a huge amount of basses that have the now classic P/J pickup configuration. From entry-level basses by brands like Ibanez, all the way to hand-built high-end basses from builders like Spector and Sadowsky, they’ve all embraced the P/J...
I recently gave my 5-string Deluxe Jazz Bass a major makeover. I swapped the original pickups for Nordstrand Big J Blades (warm & wooly wind), added an Aguilar OBP-3 preamp, replaced the old bridge with a Hipshot KickAss, and even threw on some cool black metal knobs.
The MM bass pickup introduced in the Stingray bass became the first choice for bass legends like Louis Johnson, Flea, John Deacon, and Tony Levin. The MM gave these players something that they weren’t able to get before.
Whether you're seeking vintage vibes, new-vintage tones, or modern sonic possibilities, there's a pickup out there for you. Whichever path you choose, upgrading your 5-string bass with the right pickups opens up a world of sonic exploration and personalization.
Unlike the standardized designs of P-Bass and J-Bass pickups, soapbars offer a wider canvas for experimentation for pickup designers. The larger format allows manufacturers to inject their unique voice and push the boundaries of bass tone...
Aside from the Precision Bass, Fender’s Jazz bass became one of the most widely used electric basses ever since it was released in the early '60s...And if you’ve ever played one, you begin to understand why the J Bass has such a strong grasp on the electric bass market.
