Lindy Fralin Jazz Bass Pickups

Picked up used set of LF JB single coil on ebay for $80, seller took them out of Mike Lull custom bass, they also have full copper shield covering the coil of the pick, under the black cover, which was done by Mike Lull, This guy make some of the best custom hand built bass!

Also got chrome badass II bass bridge from the seller on ebay for $20, just got lucky as he just posted them and five minutes later they were sold...total with PU's & Bridge $105 shipped. awesome deal!!!

Replacing the stock JB pickups in my 75??? reissue fender jazz bass made in Japan 85???, replacing neck and bridge position, stock pickups sound was weak not full sound not enough bottom end. The Japanese made pickups just don???t cut it, there craftsmanship of there fender body and necks are fantastic, but there electronic are lacking.

The Lindy Fralin single coil jazz bass hand wound pickups, sound is like night and day, what a difference in sound clarity, detail, definition, the bottom end is fat full sounding, I have set of dimarzio DP123 in my other JB and they sound awesome and too compare the two I would have to say they are both great sounding PU???s and they both have full range sound but the DP123 sound warmer but then LF JB sound true to vintage fender tone.
Think ???Donald Duck Dunn???

To be honest! I would have paid the $160 for set, if I knew then what I know now, as for how great they sound!!! I searched GC and samash for bass with lindy fralin pickups, but no one in my area had one, so not knowing how the sound before buying set I just had to take a chance and when I searched ebay I got lucky found used set.

I would buy then again if and when needed.

Humbucking jazz pick-ups linked to a Fender 9-volt system. Not sure of much of the specs, probably 8 ohms for the neck and 8.5 in the bridge.

I installed these pups in a '08 Fender Jazz Bass 24. The stock pups were Seymour Duncan Basslines Quarter Pounders, which had decent bite but too much mud. I got these on-off custom pups from Mike Lull, the greatest guitar and especially bass tech in Washington state.

The output on these is surprisingly hotter than the Duncans, much more balanced due to the staggered pole pieces on the A and D strings. I mainly play contemporary Christian music, but I have played in progressive rock, prog-metal and punk bands and I wish I would have has these pups then! These pups are the definition of musicality, where every subtle mute, hammer-on, pull off and greasy rock fill is heard and sounds amazing. As a bass player that strives to be louder than 3 guitar players, an aggressive drummer and a slew of vocalists, this is my secret weapon!

If these pups were stolen, I would have to buy them again because my bass wouldn't make sound without the pups! I would never put anything else into my basses ever again. I have played Warwicks, MTD's, Ibanez, Pedulla and all the boutique-style basses and this bass now does it all. I have been playing bass for about 7 years and am simply a tone fanatic. If it doesn't sound 100% right, I'm not happy and these are perfect. I wish they had a little bit more bottom end, but if the did, they would probably be very muddy so I just add a notch in my signal. I use Hartke and Ampeg heads and cabinets and will soon be replacing my Sans Amp and this bass is monstrous now. They are pretty, they sound great, they are nice and sturdy to put your thumb against (I play VERY hard on some songs because I'm also in a hard rock worship band) and they are absolutely the quietest pups I've ever heard. I know this review sounds cheesy and quite frankly, maybe it is but these are still the best pups I've ever heard. I can solo my bridge pup and turn my gain and treble all the way up and it is still not buzzy or brittle, or I can turn up the bass and thump along like Family Man Barret. Slap tone is INCREDIBLE!!! Marcus Miller has nothing on me ;). Nothing about these pups is anything less than extraordinary except maybe the price, but you get what you pay for. I have recorded with these and I was floored when the producer played it back. I have never gotten so many compliments on my tone before, and everybody thought that I was actually taking private lessons because I sounded so good! I use a variety of techniques like slapping, double-stops, sliding octaves, chords, double-thumping and I have a right hand that likes to play 32nd notes with the drummer, and they have never sounded good until I got these pups. Everybody that wants versatility and perfect tone no matter what style you play should get Lindy Fralin pups. I will be rebuilding my ol' trusty P-Bass with Fralins and my Warmoth bass will have them as well.

Single coil or humbucking? Active or passive? If active, 9-, 18-, or 20-volt system? Lindy`s "standard" passive j-bass set.

Impedance or other specs? I`m unsure

What model guitar or bass did you install this in? Installed in a 2007 American j-bass (not a Highway 1) with the worthless S-1 switching. It has a maple fretboard.

What position is it in? Bridge and neck positions.

What pickup are you replacing? The stock Fender pickups, as well as all electronics.

Other pickups installed on the instrument? No

Any artists using this pickup? I don`t know, and don`t care.

Reason for changing the pickup? Fralin`s reputation and the glowing reviews of his products. I also wanted to see if my new bass would sound anything like a vintage j-bass, since the Fralins are supposed to replicate the vintage tone, more or less.

What's the output level like? I`d say the Fralins have better output than the stock Fenders.

What amps and effects are you using it with? Just a very basic 60w combo amp for now, with no effects.

Tone - Bassy, middy, muddy, trebly, balanced? Ahhh, the tone. In one word...gorgeous!! I`ve never had the pleasure of playing or even hearing a vintage j-bass in person. I have, however, heard them on recordings, and a couple come to mind. Listen to the song "No Rain" by Blind Melon to get an idea of how a vintage j-bass sounds. My bass (now) sounds nearly identical to that. If that doesn`t help, listen to "Cumbersome" by 7 Mary 3. The tone (the whole bass, actually) with the Fralins installed is very "alive", as other reviewers have stated. The response and clarity are amazing, and the definition of individual notes is something which I can`t describe. The stock Fender pickups are more "closed" sounding, and have more growl with both pups wide open. The Fralins are "open-sounding", with a shimmering top end. Did I mention the balance yet? It`s there too. I l-o-v-e Fralin`s j-bass pickups.

What style of music do you play? Is this a good match? I play gospel at church (no, NOT contemporary christian), and j-basses & p-basses fit well with our style of music (two clean-toned guitars are in the mix; a `62 Gretsch and some type of hollow-bodied, dual-humbucking Gibson). It`s difficult for me to say if a Fralin-equipped jazz bass would be suitable for all syles; I`d say no if I MUST give an answer.


For which positions is this pickup (un)suitable? Suitable for all, in my case.

If it was destroyed or stolen, would you buy it again or get something else? If Fralin decided to quadruple the price, I`d buy them. If they were stolen, I`d be sad for me, but happy for the dick who stole them because he`d be getting great tone. If they were destroyed, I`d be sad and po`ed, but would just buy more.

How long have you been playing? What other gear do you own? Been playing off & on for about 17 years. I have another j-bass on the way, it`s a 50th aniversary j-bass with a rosewood fretboard. It may need Fralins as well.

What do you love about it? What do you hate? I`ve alredy made my opinion about these pups known. I love everything about them.



Did you compare it to other products? Which ones?Why did you choose this one? I haven`t compared it to anything else other than the stock Fenders. I don`t really need to compare it with anything else since I have the tone I want. As I said earlier, I wanted to try these due to all of the positive press and adulation bestowed upon them.

Anything you wish it had? I don`t mean to sound like a goof, but it`d be cool if a manufacturer *cough* Fender *cough* would build a bass around these pickups, or offer them as an option.

Are you satisfied with this pickup or still searching for that sound? I`ve got my sound, end of story.

Anything else you'd like to share? I`d like to say that I love the sound of Fender jazz basses, with or without Fralin pickups installed. I`ve owned Alembics, Peavys, Washburns, Rickenbackers, and countless other brands which I cannot remember. I was the ultimate Fender hater, and swore I would never buy a Fender bass. Then in late 1997, while browsing in a guitar shop, I grabbed an American standard j-bass off the rack on a whim. I thought "OK, lets see how bad this sucks". To make a short story even shorter, I was HOOKED, even though I didn`t realize it right then. My brain took days, even weeks to process the sound a Fender jazz bass makes. I`d never heard anything like it; it was, and still is, almost mythical to me. I guess the moral of the story is that j-basses sound great stock, and even better with Fralins installed.

Pickup features: Single coil passive
Impedence or other specs: Neck 8k : Bridge 8.5K

Model of guitar or bass: 74 Fender Jazz
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Bartolini
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup: Don't Know any
You musical style(s): Christian ,Contemporary and rock
Reason for pickup change: Wanted a full robust vintage sound. All my other basses have been switched to passive and sound more natural.

Perceived output level: Above stock level
Tone: Very balanced w/more noticable bass.
Sonic evaluation: Excellent!!! My problem before was that my P-bass had good bottom, but not a growly tone w/p-style pup. Liked my Jazz, but not enough low end punch. I had to favor the neck pickup before and missed that growl you get by having both pups up. Problem solved w/Lindy Fralin's. I now get it all. All the reviews are correct, these get the prize.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These pickups would fit in most styles of music.

Comments: Yes, I would buy these pickups again if anything happened to them. I have been playing bass or 15 years. You know when you find the right product and this is it. I had a stock Fender 62' RI and it sounded pretty good, but again not enough low end. As I mentioned before, these Lindy Fralin's solve the problem of j-basses not being full enough in the bass frequency deptartment.

Pickup features: Split humbucking
Impedence or other specs: Check with Lindy, the're hand wound, so you can probably get what ever OHM's you want.

Model of guitar or bass: Fernandes Vertigo Bass
Position: middle
Pickup being replaced: 2 Jazz Style EMG's, neck and bridge
Other pickups on guitar: previously had Fernandes stock (thin sounding) Jazz imitations
Artists using this pickup: Yours Truly! :-) No really, who cares? They sound great to me and that's all that really matters, no?
You musical style(s): Rock, Punk, Rock-a-billy, Surf, Country, Soul, you name it.
Reason for pickup change: The EMG's were sort of "dark" sounding with little mids and dinky highs. The original stock pickups were just crap.

Perceived output level: More than stock Fenders, as near as I can tell.
Tone: Even. Big bottom, smooth mids, plenty of non-harsh highs. PERFECT!
Sonic evaluation: I use Hartke and GK heads, Bag End and Avatar cabs, and do some direct digital recording. They sound wonderful, and really allow your individual techniques and style to come through. They don't emphasize anything, and I'm guessing the EQ curve is pretty flat, but they don't sound "dull" or "thin" at all. Fat and full and clear, is more like it. Excellent definition and responsiveness is my over all impression. They were all that I wanted and more, with no hum to worry about. Bass Tone jes' don't get no better that this!

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: All Styles, but mostly Rock and Country. I'm thinking they'd work for anyone who wanted a nice "even" tone.

Comments: These pickups are 100% pure magic! I installed them with a slight tilt away from the E string and not too close in general and there it was. The sound was exactly what I was after all these years. Holy smoke, they?re perfect! I couldn?t believe my ears, and played the whole rest of the night non-stop. Great string balance, excellent tone, no hum. They had no discernable coloration to them at all, just flat, dead accurate, but far from lifeless. I?d have gladly paid $500 for them, had I known they?d improve my sound so much. Every little technique I employ from where I pluck with my pick or fingers, to harmonics, chords, octaves, you name it, it?s all good baby! I was considering spending a fortune on Bartolini?s, or Lane Poors, and onboard pre-amps, etc., when the answer to my bass tone prayers was waiting just across town. My only complaint is that the covers have a very sharp edge on them that I could sense with my thumb resting on one and occasionally my pinkie encountering another. This was easily fixed by rounding these edges slightly with a fret file. No biggie.

Pickup features: single coil
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: Custom 72's Fender jazzbass
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: DiMarzio J
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s): funk, acid jazz, fusion
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level:
Tone: very clear and well-balanced
Sonic evaluation: You will find details about my tests (audio files,...) on my personal page : http://www.subsonicfamily.com/bass/ I compared these pickups with the DiMarzio J (you will also find tests of Sadowsky pickups and other good stuff)

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: funk, fusion, acid jazz

Comments: Very good sounding pickups. Classic sound. I still prefer my old "dirty" DiMarzio J (more middle bass) but it is really a matter of taste. If you want to know more you can visit my test page here :
http://www.subsonicfamily.com/bass/

Pickup features: single coil passive
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass: 1999 Fender American Standard Jazz Bass
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: both stock pickups
Other pickups on guitar: ?
Artists using this pickup: ?
You musical style(s): rootsy rock, blues, r & b, some slap.
Reason for pickup change: Wanted more low end overall. Read Bass Player article on these, and found them for sale as used items. Have three active basses-wanted to keep this one passive.

Perceived output level: Slightly more than stock-might be hard to tell.
Tone: Sweet, balanced tone with some growling, overdriven quality to it,; especially in the bridge pickup.
Sonic evaluation: I use an Ampeg SVT combo (4-10"s, 300 watts) with an Eden 2-10". I installed the pickups myself and got to compare the LFs with the stock - the LFs had a LARGER coil spool. The LFs have a bigger sound (do not remember what vintage sounds like) and warm and full. The bridge pickup is a noticeable improvement. Very alive sounding but not loud at all. Other bass players LOVE this bass.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: My band plays roots based rock . It's a good passive sound for this music. May be unsuitable for metal where active electr. would be more suitable.

Comments: Have been playing for 22 years-mostly rock, blues, r & b. I would buy these pickups again if needed as they sound better than I thought they would. They do not sound very loud, though.

Pickup features: THIS IS AN ADDITION/AMMENDMENT TO REVIEW NUMBER ONE
Impedence or other specs:

Model of guitar or bass:
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced:
Other pickups on guitar:
Artists using this pickup:
You musical style(s):
Reason for pickup change:

Perceived output level:
Tone:
Sonic evaluation:
For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable:

Comments: Actually this is an addition to the first review. I forgot to state that Fralin Jazz Bass Pickups (and ALL Fralin Pickups for that matter) come with a 10 year warranty on the pickups themselves AND they also come with a "Tone" guarantee. If you aren't satisified with the product tonally you can return them within (I think)30 days of your initial purchase and Lindy and staff will REWIND your pickups and work with you until you get the sound you are looking for. Pretty hard to beat that kind of guarantee.

Pickup features: Single Coil Neck and Bridge-passive
Impedence or other specs: 8.0K Neck 8.5K Bridge (stated specs in the Fralin Website)

Model of guitar or bass: Fender American Standard Jazz Bass
Position: neck
Pickup being replaced: Stock
Other pickups on guitar: N/A
Artists using this pickup: Don't know
You musical style(s): Rock, Country, Acoustic, Bluegrass (with an electric bass! I'm a heretic)
Reason for pickup change: Looking for a sound that the stock pickups couldn't deliver, i.e. a warmer tone with more emphasis on the lower frequencies but fairly balanced as well (I want it all)

Perceived output level: More than stock
Tone: Balanced with emphasis on lower frequencies (what I asked for... read on)
Sonic evaluation: Fender BXR300C with a Sans Amp Bass Driver DI. The Fender while having enough power for just about any venue lacks a bit in the tone end and the Sans Amp gives the amp just the boost it needs. A satisifying rig when used together. (the Sans Amp is nice alone when recording and also nice when running live through a board.

For which styles and positions is this pickup (un)suitable: These pickups would work well in any electric bass application and there are no unsuitable positions. These pickups are usable individually as well as together and that suprized me when I got them. The neck pickup alone has an almost "P"bass quality to it that makes these pickups very versitile.

Comments: If these pickups were destroyed or stolen I would buy them again. I am a professional musician/teacher and have been playing for over 25 years professionally and semiprofessionally. I own various keyboards, modules, amps and guitars. These pickups are great and I hate nothing about them. I compared Lindy's product to the other pickups I have owned over the years, Seymour Duncan, EMG, Fender, Lace Sensors and , for me, the Fralin Pickups are superior tonally. (tone is big for me,I forgo power or "hot" for tone always)These pickups have everything I need and I am done searching for "that" sound. Lindy and his folks are GREAT to deal with.(I talked with Lindy personally when I called with a shipping question and he happened to be winding MY pickups so I had a chance to talk further about what I wanted.) Everyone I talked to was friendly and courteous. I described what I was looking for over the phone (and a subsequent coverletter)and they gave me exactly what I asked for right down to the beveled magnets! In fact I have a set of Fralin Blues Special pickups on order for my Stratocaster. IMHO Farlin pickups are the way to go! Thank you Lindy and staff!!!