Author Topic: JB Activators on Fender Jazz Bass - who uses this setup? (Read 340 times)

haddimudd · « **on:** August 31, 2004, 05:40:05 AM »

...and what is your opinion/experience? I have this old, cheap Japan Fender Jazz Bass sitting around and can't really think of getting rid of it. On the other hand it isn't such a great bass to begin with (this particular model I mean) so I thought of doing some upgrades to it.

Who else here is using the JB Activators on a Fender Jazz Bass and what is your experience compared to the original electronics? (Expecting the obvious... )

Mine is a fretless, btw.

Thanks!

Hartmut

joram · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2004, 08:25:04 AM »

Hi Hartmut,

I have a custom swamp ash jazz bass with an extra P-bass pickup between the two J's (the setup Stu Hamm uses). I use activator electronics, but without the pickups, there are pickups in it that are pretty similar to normal Fender's. It works really well, actually, although I'd recommend adding a q-switch. If you're upgrading, I also would recommend installing a proper bridge (tailpiece, what's the proper english word?). Maybe a badass or a schaller 3-d.

Joram

btw, mine is fretted, haven't tried the e'tronics on my fretless

haddimudd · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2004, 10:24:28 AM »

Thanks Joram! Does the Activators/Pickup set come with a q-switch or how would I order this?

Don't worry, I have planned quite a view upgrades. I am already using a Gotoh bridge but currently I am looking into installing a badass bridge instead. I am switching to gold hardware though, which doesn't seem to be common stock for badass retailers...

The bass requires quite some drastic customisation also on the neck I guess, as the overall playability isn't particularly great. I think the neck must be heightened a bit because even with it's lowest bridge setting the string height isn't low enough. This isn't a short term project really...

Also, what do people think about installing a metal nut on a Jazz Bass? Any reasons why I wouldn't want to do this?

Thanks a lot!

Hartmut

joram · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2004, 05:30:59 PM »

I guess the Activators don't come with a q-switch. You can order one from Alembic($75 I think), or make one yourself. Making one yourself is quite easy actually, although it can be tricky to get a good (radial) capacitor.
The neck problem shouldn't be too hard to solve, putting some shims in the neck pocket can get you enough tilt. Personally I think I wouldn't prefer a brass nut on a fretless, but I don't have experience with it. Whether it's a Jazz Baas won't make a difference. I use bone nuts on my basses, graphite ones on my guitars. Works well for me.

haddimudd · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2004, 10:24:46 PM »

I heard of the shims solution but I have no experience with it. I need to give it a try. I was also looking into extending the fingerboard to the additional length of 24 frets. I think THAT is somewhat ambitious especially since I want to keep the Fender neck (purely for the Fender logo reason - silly, I know).

Regarding the metal nut, I have a fretless Alembic series II with all gold hardware and can't see where the tonal disadvantage to a bone nut would be. The Alembic fretless sounds great and doesn't lack any of the warmth I would naturally associate with bone nuts. My motivation for the metal nut was to get an adjustable nut for better control on the strings settings.

BTW. Does the JB Activator come with three (like the original Jazz Bass routing) or four controls? The Alembic shop mentions four controls but the dedicated price list website on the Alembic homepage lists only three. I guess it would be three, right? Although I wouldn't mind four and relocate the plug to the rear of the bass, maybe even integrated into the strap lock.

Thanks a lot for every input!

Hartmut

rraymond · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2004, 11:15:07 PM »

Hartmut,

I can't comment on the Alembic Jazz Bass Activators, but I do have a Made In Japan Fender Jazz fretless bass that I did the following mod's to in order to get a good sound: replace the bridge with a BadAss II, replace the pickups with EMG-JV pickups and electronics, replace the tuners with Schaller BMTs, attach a FatFinger to the headstock to alleviate the MASSIVE deadspot on the neck. The FatFinger is a near-miracle device I tell you. The deadspot on this neck ranged from G to G# on the D string, and B to D on the G string, I'm talking complete thud on those notes. I put the FatFinger on the bass, and only the C on the G string is noticable and it has been greatly improved! As I recall the FatFinger was only about $30.00 USD. Anyway, I've read that the Alembic Activator JB pickups are really good - as you would expect. I imagine the JB Activators can be ordered with either Volume, Pan, Bass, Treble controls, or Volume, Pan, Filter controls, hence the three, or four control listings. Good luck with the upgrade and let us know what you think - I've been considering another set of electronics and pickups for the bass, and the Alembics are what I want.

At this point I've spent more in upgrades than I did for the bass - not an uncommon tale - but, I've had it long enough that it's like an old pair of jeans, I'm really comfortable with it, and it gets great MWAH! It's a keeper.

Reid

haddimudd · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2004, 04:46:32 AM »

Hey Reid,

Thanks a lot for your comments! Great to hear about the fat finger from a user's view as I just came across it inside a music store catalogue and was wondering if it would be of any use. On the other hand I don't find it particularly pretty or suttle in the first place. Did you get the MWAH from the fat finger or were you lucky enough to have it on the Japan Fender from the beginning? I don't have it on mine and planned to cover the fingerboard with a layer of epoxy as I just heard that's what Jaco did to his defretted Fender (and that's how the Fender Jaco Relic bass is offered). I thought it might be useful for my case since I will probably attach the extra fingerboard length as a seperate piece of wood. Covering the whole fingerboard altogether with a layer of epoxy might allow me to create a consistent look too (maybe even paint the fingerboard first). But as with all my planned changes this is something I have no experience in. As I said, it surely won't be done fast or anywhere soon. A good MWAH sound is really the final goal. I was also fooling with the idea of totally replacing the fingerboard on the neck with a longer fingerboard for the 24 fret length. In that case I could possibly also incorporate more weight into the neck, i.e. add metal rods or whatever. Not sure how brilliant this idea really is. Just so I would get a similar effect as with the fat finger.

In any case I never really understood what makes an expensive Fender sound better than the cheaper ones. As you said, with all my upgrades it probably isn't any cheaper than the more expensive Jazz Basses anymore. But did they use harder/better wood for the more expensive JB or what is it beyond all the exchangable hardware parts?

On the activators what would be the better solution: bass & treble controls or the filter control? I know the filter from my series II but I have not compared it to a bass/treble control solution on an Alembic. Any comments? I believe the option of an additional Q-switch would only make sense for the filter setup, not the bass/treble setup, right?

I guess it would be a question for Mica to find out if the JB pickups can be ordered with either set of Activators...

Thanks for all the comments (including the emails)!

Hartmut

bkbass · « **Reply #7 on:** September 02, 2004, 02:48:14 PM »

On epoxying the fingerboard I would like to share my idea and experience.I endorse Bil Mitchell instruments(see guitarparlor.net)He has made me some absolutely wonderful acoustic bass guitars.The real McCoy no plywood crap.I have a four string fretted,an eight string fretted,a four string piccolo and recently a four string fretless.Bil has been very kind to listen to my ideas and execute the same.I'm a Jaco fan and I've had over 25 fender P and J basses over the last 32 years mostly J's.I dig that burpy staccato sound ala Jaco but could never achieve it on my fenders.I played Pedullas for about 15 years and ofcourse I had a Buzz bass which really produced that Mwah sound because of the coated fingerboard.My fretless Mitchell was constructed as per my idea to use Minwax wood hardner(about $10)on the rosewood fingerboard and IT WORKS!It sounds like an in between sound of rosewood and ebony a sharper attack than rosewood but not as hard as ebony and with more warmth than ebony.If you decide that this is a direction you want to try then I suggest you take the neck off of the body,give it a light sanding,mask off the neck from the fingerboard(ofcourse!)Pickle the fingerboard with acetone to clean all the dirt and oils off.Try a test piece of wood first!Pine 2X4 will do. This stuff runs quicker than water so get control of the brush(one of those 1foam disposable types)and away you go.Simply paint it on until the wood is shiny and your done.It's nothing more than epoxy held in suspension by acetone.When the acetone evaporates the epoxy is left to cure.I'd wait two days and give it a light sanding again.Don't worry it's worked it's way deep into the wood.Give a little lemon oil on top and Mwah till your hearts content.Good luck,God Bless.B.

bob · « **Reply #8 on:** September 02, 2004, 09:47:56 PM »

Barry,

That's really interesting and helpful. Not inclined to try it myself - I'm delighted with raw ebony - but it sounds like a very nice solution for someone who wants a harder surface. I couldn't imagine trying to do a smooth job with any epoxy or polyester formulas that I'm experienced with, but this Minwax 'hardener' stuff sounds like just the ticket.

Just to be clear: have you done this only on rosewood, or also on ebony?
-Bob

bkbass · « **Reply #9 on:** September 03, 2004, 01:23:09 PM »

Rosewood only and it dries evenly with no thick buildup.

haddimudd · « **Reply #10 on:** September 13, 2004, 06:41:36 AM »

Barry,

Do you know a good resource where to order the Minwax wood hardener from? I am located in Germany and Google didn't seem to list actual online stores.

I didn't get your hint about Pine 2x4 will do... can you specify this to a silly foreigner like me?

Thanks a lot!

Hartmut

adriaan · « **Reply #11 on:** September 13, 2004, 06:55:11 AM »

Hartmut, the suggestion is to use a standard piece of cheap wood for testing, for example pine (Kieferholz). 2x4 translates as: 2 inches wide and 4 inches long/thick, so 5x10 cm.

(Message edited by adriaan on September 13, 2004)

haddimudd · « **Reply #12 on:** September 13, 2004, 09:13:21 AM »

Oh man, you are so right! And I thought he was refering to the amount of the wood hardener, like 2 cans of 4 ounces/gallons each or something like that. Silly me!