Bass Pickup Recommended Brands - Part 1!

Out of the blue but, what kind of pickups do you use? Personally, I think the pickup is the most important factor in the character of the sound of a guitar or bass. In this article, I will introduce all the recommended electric bass pickup manufacturers that are available at Sound House.

１．AGUILAR

A brand famous for bass amps and preamps designed and handmade in New York. They have an image of putting out many pickup models with a rock sound.

AGUILAR / AG 4P/J-HC

I personally have this one here, and the bass sounds very good. Rather than being hi-fi and glossy, it feels heavy and rugged, and fits into any genre of music. And as I continue to use it, I feel there’s really very little noise! It was difficult to get a good volume balance with the PJ pickup, and I had the impression that it was difficult to handle because it didn't sound right either. But after I started using this pickup, I found it easier to get a good balance.

２．BARTOLINI

An American manufacturer of guitars, bass pickups, preamps, and so on. Based in California, they utilize their own uniquely developed technology to produce a large number of high-end models that produce mild tones. There are many soap bar models from this brand ... Or rather, the size of BARTOLINI pickups seems to be the actual standard for soap bar types.

BARTOLINI / MMC

This is a standard replacement item for the MUSIC MAN Stingray. It uses a housing molded with epoxy resin and is resistant to unwanted feedback and microphonic noise. Made professionally and fully shielded, it's resistant to sweat and prevents noise from stage lights and other peripherals.

３．DELANO

Europe's leading brand of replacement pickups for high-end basses. Popularity is rising rapidly in Japan as well. In addition to recreating vintage pickups, they also incorporate original ideas to bring out the original characteristics of the instrument, and manufacture models that are easy to use regardless of genre or playing style.

DELANO / The Hybrid 4 (MC-4HY)

This has been used for the Stingray continuously, but ... What an impact! It’s a hybrid model that contains two types of coils, a JB type coil on the bridge side and a Stingray type coil on the neck side. The JB side is designed with the early 60's pickup as its base, and the combination of the warm, clear sound and the powerful sound is interesting.

４．DIMARZIO

A pioneering brand for replacement pickups founded in New York! They have a lineup of various models, including some high-power models, but this time we will introduce the Area J model, which features a vintage-like tone.

DIMARZIO / DP249

A pickup set for the Jazz Bass that features the sweet, warm sound of Alnico II magnets and the noiseless sound of split coils. It’s also characterized by the fact that it uses Alnico II magnets and the output is moderately suppressed, so a lot of sustain can be obtained.

There are many brands that we handle, even more than I imagined, so I'll continue next time! This time we touched on only the standard brands, but I hope to introduce maniac brands next time. ‘Til then!