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EMG J Set
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EMG J Set

Bass Pickup from EMG belonging to the J Models series

Bernard l'hermite Bernard l'hermite
Published on 01/26/12 at 03:02
I ordered this kit to replace the micro microphones of my age of 79 Jazz Bass Fernandes. It contains two active pickups, electronics dedicated to EMG is passive (vol / vol / tona), cables (note that the new EMG wiring system consists of sheets to be connected, no welding to do so), and that the various pieces of hardware (screws, etc. ...)).

The installation is very simple, the pattern is clear and offers a variety of cabling schemes by type of mail you want to install on his bass, you install the various parts carefree individual.
Where it gets complicated, it is for cable micro passages, if you like me a vintage bass, where cable ducts are not huge, an expansion is necessary, prepare your spins and other small drills, there will be a lot of work (for me, 1 / 4 of an hour to see the passage of the neck pickup to spin, 2 days for pickup by going there, little by little with a drill so as not to ruin all) .

After wiring is done, just to screw the pickups we realize that:

1 - The screws are of poor quality, even with a precision screwdriver and go without a nag, the screw heads and threads are deteriorating at great speed, so I have transferred to put the screws my old microphone instead, which are much better.

2 - Once engaged, the microphones are the same size, so I cut two small patches of moss that I placed under the microphones in order to raise the bridge pickup, and down the neck pickup.

As for electronics, if you like me a bass, with no plate to access the mail through the back of the bass, you'll have a little trouble to cram all cables, including saw the place that the battery, but with a little patience you get there
One note also, I could not put my pickguard, pickups are apparently larger and no longer match the shores of a Jazz Bass Pickguard Japanese model. The table of my bass is not shamefully dug at the neck pickup like most new productions Fender, I can play without the pickguard.

In sound, used to the original pickups with coil Copper "trapped" under a layer of paraffin (like the early Fender pickups), Growl Vintage big, fabulous grain, but obvious loss of power due to their age, I ' says he was a little disappointed at first EMG, more typical bass / lower midrange, I had the distinct impression of losing all the sonic character of my bass, to the benefit of a more powerful, easily piercing the mix.
After fine tuning the height of the pickups, the bridge and my amp, the EMG's were finally able to show their full potential.
The sound is a little less vintage, but what a punch! Bright and clean throughout the spectrum, big niaque, the microphones respond to all small loads, and have the ability to drill clean EMG easily mix.

Final verdict, it is unfortunate little trouble finding the EMG in France, in most cases it is necessary to turn to our friends at Thomann. The price is right given the content of the kit. With hindsight, and not having had the opportunity to try something new, I think I would do anyway that choice to the views of product qualities. If I had a JB rosewood fingerboard, mine a maple fingerboard, I turned over to the home kit JVX EMG which I think will be most suitable.
If I had a PB, I turned to Seymour Duncan certainly more, but that's another story =)!