Magnet #

MFR Model Type Score Comments

Material Conductors
Aero MP-181 Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 5 Heavy lows, distinct upper mids, and round top
Clarity: 3.5 that's cool for fingerstyle rock, blues, and
Output: 4 country. (And '70s-style funk.) Broken-in vibe
Amplified Sound: 5 that's fun to play. On tape, pickups have big
Recorded Sound: 4 bottom for a J, although the tone can get a bit
Value: 4.5 thick.

AGI Lace Transensor Ceramic Two Warmth: 3

Quiet, hum-free operation with low output.
Transensor single-coil Clarity: 2
Decent punch with subdued top end. Rather
TSJ-500 Output: 2 small sounding in the track. (For better lows,
Amplified Sound: 2 AGI's Jeff Lace recommends 100 kohm volume
Recorded Sound: 2 pots intead of 250k.)
Value: 2

Bartolini 9J#1 Split-coil Ceramic Two Warmth: 4 Super-deep fundamentals with pro-sounding
humbucker and iron Clarity: 4 sheen. Vintage-like character with modern
Output: 2 appeal. Could use some preamping, though, as
Amplified Sound: 4 output is very low. More neutral-sounding in
Recorded Sound: 3 studio. "Not a bad sound, but it kind of
Value: 3.5 disappears in the mix."

Bartolini 9J#4 Split-coil Ceramic Two Warmth: 4

humbucker and iron Clarity: 4.5
Similar to above, but a dash more top-end
Output: 2 openness. (And it could also benefit from a
Amplified Sound: 4 preamp.) Records well with lots of oomph.
Recorded Sound: 4
Value: 3.5

Bartolini 9K#1 Split-coil Ceramic Two Warmth: 4

humbucker and iron Clarity: 4 Slightly more output than 9J series. Early-J
Output: 3 warmth with a blend of brilliance and a
Amplified Sound: 4.5 harmonics. A bit one-dimensional in the the
Recorded Sound: 4 studio, although the top-end clarity really cuts.
Value: 4

Bartolini 9U Single-coil Ceramic Two Warmth: 4

and iron Clarity: 4
Sounds like a Jazz, but you have to really dig
Output: 3.5 in. A bit muffled sounding on tape. "Refined."
Amplified Sound: 4 "Would kill with a good preamp."
Recorded Sound: 3
Value: 3.5
 Magnet #
MFR Model Type Score Comments
Material Conductors

Bartolini 9W4 Quadracoil Ceramic Two Warmth: 5

and iron Clarity: 2 Nice & beefy with good string separation. Top
Output: 4 end is smooth but a bit tame. Sounded
Amplified Sound: 4 compressed and chorused recorded against
Recorded Sound: 3 track.
Value: 3.5

Bartolini 9W4J Quadracoil Ceramic Two Warmth: 5

and iron Clarity: 3
Similar to 9W4s, but more bark and a bit more
Output: 4 bite. Good mid emphasis and upper-end attack
Amplified Sound: 5 in the studio.
Recorded Sound: 4
Value: 4

Basslines Antiquity "Pre-aged" Aged & Two Warmth: 5

Antiquity Jazz Bass single-coil Distressed Clarity: 3
Old-school look, old-school tone. Vintage-like
Alnico II Output: 3 top is very '65-ish, but with no harshness.
Amplified Sound: 5 Warm and musical with pleasing low mids.
Recorded Sound: 4.5
Value: 4

Basslines Antiquity II "Pre-aged" Distressed Two Warmth: 4

Antiquity Jazz Bass single-coil Alnico 5 Clarity: 3.5
Similar to Antiquity but more punch and a ton
Output: 4 of bottom. Top end voiced slightly lower for
Amplified Sound: 5 cut. "Lows have a real feeling of support."
Recorded Sound: 5
Value: 4.5

Basslines Custom Shop Stacked Alnico 5 Four Warmth: 4

J - Stack humbucker Clarity: 3.5 More open-sounding than Hot Stacks (below)
Output: 4 with better dynamics. Mellow low end added up
Amplified Sound: 2.5 to blurry bottom on ADAT. Not exactly vintage
Recorded Sound: 2.5 but in the ballpark. (And without the noise.)
Value: 3.5

Basslines Custom Shop Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 4

KB Specials Clarity: 2 Has presence and growl that sit well in the
Output: 2.5 track. Tight fundamentals and mids with a dash
Amplified Sound: 4 of sweetness. "Focused."
 Has presence and growl that sit well in the
Magnet # track. Tight fundamentals and mids with a dash
MFR Model Type Score Comments
Material Conductors of sweetness. "Focused."
Recorded Sound: 4
Value: 3.5

Basslines Classic Stack Stacked Alnico 5 Four Warmth: 3

STK-J1 humbucker Clarity: 3.5 1960s-like tone without the hum. A bit
Output: 3.5 compressed, although highs have good snap
Amplified Sound: 4 without brittleness. "Tone's in there it just
Recorded Sound: 3 takes some work to get it out."
Value: 3.5

Basslines Hot SJB-2 Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 4.5

Clarity: 2 Cool in the mix; more gain equals less highs,
Output: 5 but the Hot loves loud guitars. "Farkin' loud."
Amplified Sound: 4 "Loads o' nuts." "Nice blend of crunch and
Recorded Sound: 5 punch."
Value: 4

Basslines Hot Stack Stacked Alnico 5 Four Warmth: 3.5

STK-J2 humbucker Clarity: 3 Overall compressed-feeling and sounding. You
Output: 4 have to really dig in to make lows open up.
Amplified Sound: 3 Soloed bridge is dead quiet, though. Hot lows
Recorded Sound: 3 sounded a bit unbalanced on tape.
Value: 3.5

Basslines Quarter Pound Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 4

Humbucker-like highs from a single coil. Most
SJB-3 Clarity: 1.5
testers thought the thick lows lacked detail or
Output: 4 clarity. "Pretty damn big and punchy on tape."
Amplified Sound: 3 "Loud but a bit on the bland side." "Rules in
Recorded Sound: 5 the studio."
Value: 3.5

Basslines Vintage Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 4

SJB-1 Clarity: 2 Mellow top, average mids, shy bottom. Overall
Output: 3 very ear-friendly with a round-sounding bridge
Amplified Sound: 4 pickup. Studio report: Highs have peaky,
Recorded Sound: 3 vintage rawness.
Value: 3

Carvin H50 Stacked Alnico Two Warmth: 3.5

humbucker Clarity: 4 Nice detail up top but missing low-mid impact.
Output: 2.5 Cool choice for snappy funk, but would really
shine with a preamp. Sounded great soloed in
studio, but was a bit contained in the mix.
 Magnet #
MFR Model Type Score Nice detail up top Comments
but missing low-mid impact.
Material Conductors Cool choice for snappy funk, but would really
Amplified Sound: 3 shine with a preamp. Sounded great soloed in
Recorded Sound: 2 studio, but was a bit contained in the mix.
Value: 3

DiMarzio Model J Split Ceramic Four Warmth: 4

Boatloads of punch. Rolled off top with thick
DP123 humbucker Clarity: 2.5
bass. Pickups sounded great recorded. Ballsy
Output: 4.5 growl sounds a bit ugly when soloed but is
Amplified Sound: 3.5 smooth and filling in the track. "The Marshall
Recorded Sound: 5 killer." "Loud & proud."
Value: 4

DiMarzio Ultra Jazz Split Alnico 5 Four Warmth: 4

DP149 humbucker rods loaded Clarity: 4 Very alive-sounding for a split humbucker.
w/ceramic Output: 4 Crisp highs and strong low mids beg to be
bars Amplified Sound: 4.5 slapped or plucked. Stays punchy in the
Recorded Sound: 4.5 studio‹even down low.
Value: 4

Fender Custom Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 4 Made the American Standard J think it was 20
Shop ¹60s Clarity: 4 to 30 years older than it is. Slightly more
Jazz Bass Output: 4 output and top than our stock '65. "Potent
Amplified Sound: 5 punch from bridge pickup." "Very classic
Recorded Sound: 5 sounding." "Lows a bit boomy on tape, but
Value: 4.5 that's a J-Bass."

Lane Jazz Classic Horizontal Ceramic Two Warmth: 4

Hi-fi blend of ringing highs and buttery, tube-
Poor Axis Clarity: 5
like bottom. Has a character all its own. Output
Bilateral Output: 2 is low; would be deadly with a preamp. (And
Twin Coil Amplified Sound: 4 we're told LP has finally finished his active
Recorded Sound: 4 onboard preamp.)
Value: 4

Lindy Jazz Bass Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 5

Glassy top sounds cool when soloed, but needs
Fralin Clarity: 4
EQ to compete with distorted guitars. An
Output: 3 authentic tone." "Not a hair on its head out of
Amplified Sound: 5 place." "Very sounding vintage replacement,
Recorded Sound: 4 though. "Musical J together."
Value: 4

Razor JB Single-coil Alnico 5 Two Warmth: 3

Clarity: 2
Aggressive upper mids that sound close to the
'65 Fender's. Soft lows, average mids, and
snarly top. "Rock guy with a pick tone."
 Magnet #
MFR Model Type Score Comments
Material Conductors
Aggressive upper mids that sound close to the
Output: 3 '65 Fender's. Soft lows, average mids, and
Amplified Sound: 4 snarly top. "Rock guy with a pick tone."
Recorded Sound: 4
Value: 3