Schecter Monstertone II

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thegummythegummy Frets: 4389

The only Jazz I've ever had (and was actually my first bass) is a Schecter Diamond J which has Monstertone II pickups.

Has anyone had or played these and also had "normal" Fender Jazz pickups and could comment on if the Schecter ones sound like regular J pickups?

And do they sound more like that in full or tapped mode?

Reason I ask is purely because I want to know if I've experienced the authentic J sound as, if not, I would want to. Same as if I didn't have any J (or P or MM) I'd want to get one to experience that classic sound, I have often wondered if I am getting the typical J sound experience.

Cheers.

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Comments

  • FunkfingersFunkfingers Frets: 14323
    From memory, Monstertone pickups are overwound and have four oversized polepieces like Delano rather than the traditional two rod magnets per string arrangement of a Fender.

    What I cannot remember is whether the Monstertone pickups employ steel stud poles with an underslung ceramic bar magnet or Alnico rod magnets as the poles. In the latter instance, engaging the coil tap mode should give a fair impression of how the bass might sound with traditional J pickups.


    The other consideration is the fit of the pickups into the routs.

    Fender J pickups are built in two slightly different lengths and polepiece spacings to accommodate the string alignment from bridge to nut. The height adjustment screws are positioned differently on the bridge and neck position pickup covers.

    Measure the covers of the Monstertone pickups. If they are identical, the routed cavities will also be identical. This will make the majority of aftermarket pickups difficult or impossible to fit.

    If both Schecter pickups conform to the "short/neck" Fender dimensions, there are two pickups pairs that will definitely fit - EMG-MJ and the stock pickups from an old Fender MIM Standard Jazz Bass. Fussy bastards would argue that neither of these gives the true "classic" sound.

    Be seeing you.
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    Appreciate the reply mate.

    You're absolutely right about the pickups being overwound and having the large single pole pieces for each string. The magnet is ceramic so the pole pieces are steel rather than alnico magnets.

    I measured the pickups and the bridge pickup is nearly half a cm longer than the neck pickup.

    So do you reckon theoretically based on those specs that they would sound a bit different to standard Jazz pickups?

    I take it you haven't used them yourself? Was hoping to find someone who had used them to hear their subjective opinion about how close they sound to a normal Jazz bass. Seems they might be too obscure though.

    I might just have to go down the route of comparing recordings of J pickups from pickup companies or youtube demos to make a judgement. I'm fairly skint at the moment so would be brutal to pay for new pickups only to find they sound roughly the same to me.

    Thanks again for the reply.
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  • MarihinoMarihino Frets: 0
    I've played that model on a few occasions. I remember one in Westside Distribution shop in Denmark Street, and one at the London Bass Guitar Show one year, I think it was at Dunlop booth (or maybe it was WD stall as well). I've always been a jazz bass person, always had two or three good ones. And I clearly remember how impressed I was by those Schecters for the price. They may not be the most orthodox take, but it definitely takes you there, even if via a slightly different construction path. 
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  • thegummythegummy Frets: 4389
    Marihino said:
    I've played that model on a few occasions. I remember one in Westside Distribution shop in Denmark Street, and one at the London Bass Guitar Show one year, I think it was at Dunlop booth (or maybe it was WD stall as well). I've always been a jazz bass person, always had two or three good ones. And I clearly remember how impressed I was by those Schecters for the price. They may not be the most orthodox take, but it definitely takes you there, even if via a slightly different construction path. 
    Aye the quality of the bass is very good, it's incredibly well made for the price; would be very well made even if it was double the price and still good if it was triple. And the sound it does have sounds good.

    I just wonder if, for example, I got a Vintera Jazz or any model that's a typical example of the classic Jazz bass tone, how different it would sound to the Schecter.

    I.e. if you were playing a session for a producer who requested a classic Jazz bass tone, could you do it with the Schecter?
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  • MarihinoMarihino Frets: 0
    You could. I never A/B'd one against an actual Fender Jazz Bass, but I was mainly a JB player when trying those Schecter out and I don't remember them lacking that tone. 
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