Budget J Pickups

thegummy

The only J I've ever had is a Schecter with hot ceramic pickups (that do have a coil tap).

I'm rarely ever pleased with the sound I get from it even though I love the sound of J basses when played by certain other people.

It's always been on my mind if it's J basses in general or the specific differing pickups in mine so always have a desire to try swapping them.

If money was no object I'd get Fender CS 60s but I don't want to spend that much in case it doesn't fix it for me.

What is the cheapest J pickup set that unmistakably has "the typical J tone"? I'm assuming alnico and similar output to the Fender CS would be a good start?

Was actually hoping for some stock Fender ones on eBay from someone who upgraded but no luck.

Funkfingers

The ceramic magnets in the Schecter pickups introduce a harshness that traditional alnico rod magnet polepieces do not. 

I may have something suitable in a parts drawer.

If the Schecter has space for a PP3 or two, you could go active - either in pursuit of maximum sonic versatility or for a hyped up version of the vintage Fender sounds but without the hum.

Stratavarious

Used a lot of BareKnuckle and SD pickups..  then found Tonerider..  i have a Jazz but not swapped the pickups in that yet as it would be more of same but I put the Alnico P style in a cheap bass for a friend and it was superb.  

https://tonerider.com/product/jazz-plus/

OilCityPickups

Funkfingers said:

The ceramic magnets in the Schecter pickups introduce a harshness that traditional alnico rod magnet polepieces do not. 

That's not strictly true. The high magnetic power of ceramic causes a boost in upper mids and highs that can be harsh, but that is not inevitable with ceramic magnets. Vintage early 60s Hofner semi acoustic pickups have ceramic magnets (and poly coated wire for that matter) but are in no way harsh. The reputation for harshness tends to come from pickups fitted to Strat and Tele copies that substitute rod magnets for a stonking great ceramic bar magnet under plain steel poles ... purely for cheapness. If you have a vintage wound single coil and 'up magnet' it without upping the turn count or changing the coil shape to compensate for the extra top end from the ceramic magnet ... then worse still fit cheap 500k pots ... you will get harsh as a badger's scrotum. 
Magnets alone don't create a pickup's tone characteristics. 

Funkfingers

OilCityPickups said:

a stonking great ceramic bar magnet under plain steel poles

This is how I suspect the Schecter Monster Tone pickups are constructed. My fault for not being more explicit in my previous post.

OilCityPickups said:

cheap 500k pots

If the OP's bass is Crafted In Indonesia, it could well have Alpha pots. IMO, these would be okay for a while but they're not as durable as CTS or Bourns.

OilCityPickups said:
harsh as a badger's scrotum. 

I defer to the honourable gentleman on this point. 

thegummy

Wait, ceramic pickups can be made without the magnet being at the bottom of steel pole pieces? I thought that was the only way to use ceramic.

Re: the pots; it came with 250k pots (possibly Alpha, can't remember) but now has 250k CTS pots because I rewired it and I always use CTS. It made no difference to the sound of the bass though.

Just to clarify, it's not a cheapo bass where the ceramic magnets have been used as a cost cutting measure - they're deliberately meant to be hotter and more modern, at least when not tapped, as per Schecter's general MO.

thegummy

Stratavarious said:

Used a lot of BareKnuckle and SD pickups..  then found Tonerider..  i have a Jazz but not swapped the pickups in that yet as it would be more of same but I put the Alnico P style in a cheap bass for a friend and it was superb.  

https://tonerider.com/product/jazz-plus/

That sounds great cheers. I have heard mention of that brand in the past as being good for the price as well.