[SOLVED!] Best Pickups For Jazzmaster: Compilation

While Jazzmaster guitars of Fender usually give a good account of themselves, they can only perform to their full potential if they have appropriate pickups. If you seek a comprehensive guide to the best pickups for Jazzmaster at the moment, you have come to the right place.  

Here, you can find information on pickups known for taking the performance of  Jazzmaster guitars to a whole new level. Of course, different guitarists have different preferences so the best pickups to some might appear less than ideal to the rest. To be thorough, you must get to know the characteristics of each of the pickups by reading all the way till the end. Once you know what to expect from the pickups, you should be able to make a wise investment. 

Top Picks On The Market

Seymour Duncan Antiquity II

In case you don’t know, Seymour Duncan Antiquity II is designed from the ground up to match vintage Jazzmaster pickups’ warm, classic, and clear tones. Consequently, for most of the time, Seymour Duncan Antiquity II helps maintain the Jazzmaster’s clarity. Antiquity II boasts Alnico 5 magnets, old-school cloth push-back wire and a wax potting that reduces unwanted noise. As a whole, the Seymour Duncan ensures a smooth and balanced sound while adding a touch of vintage that works best for classic jazz, surf music, and blues.

Fender Pure Vintage ’65

Similar to Fender guitars, Fender pickups never fail to please in use and Fender Pure Vintage ’65 is a prime example. It consists of an enamel-coated magnet wire, staggered pole pieces and Alnico 5 magnets to capture every tone. Pure Vintage ’65 is good at capturing the clarity and warmth of Jazzmaster sound with a bright and articulate output. The pronounced midrange of the Fender pickup makes it ideal for classic jazz and rock. 

Lollar Jazzmaster

Handcrafted to perfection, Lollar Jazzmaster is one of the best pickups for Jazzmaster money can buy. If you set it up correctly, the Lollar pickup is capable of providing a clear and balanced tone with a modern touch that creates a unique sound. It utilizes a flat-pole design that improves string balance and scatter wound coils for superior wire placement. The setup guarantees a well-defined sound that is slightly hotter than traditional Jazzmaster pickups but remains a match for jazz, rock, and indie music.

Novak Jazzmaster

As a custom-made pickup, Novak Jazzmaster is held in high esteem for its ability to preserve the Jazzmaster’s character. By default, the Novak pickup offers a mix of modern clarity and vintage warmth but users can alter it as they see fit. The customization options (winds and magnet types) of Novak Jazzmaster result in excellent adaptability which is a big plus for modern guitarists. 

Bare Knuckle The Mother’s Milk 

Bare Knuckle is known for producing high-quality pickups for popular guitars and for  Jazzmaster, The Mother’s Milk is a standard choice. Consisting of scatter-wound coils and detailed designs, The Mother’s Milk provides a well-balanced and smooth tone in use. Considering the dynamic and responsive nature of the Bare Knuckle pickup, it won’t let you down if you play jazz, alternative rock, etc. 

How To Choose The Best Pickup: Advice

Tone 

Jazzmaster is capable of putting together a wide range of tones: warm, modern, vintage, clear and so on. To avoid wasting money, you should consider the tonal characteristics you seek from your Jazzmaster and get a pickup that matches those qualities. Depending on the situation, it won’t hurt to listen to samples and make up your mind accordingly. 

Output Level, Noise And Hum Resistance

For your information, your pickup output level in essence dictates how much signal your amplifier receives. High outputs provide more sustain and distortion but hurt clarity while low output grants more clarity at the expense of sustain and distortion. Besides that, Jazzmaster pickups have a wide single-coil design that makes them susceptible to 60-cycle hum. Wax-potted pickups can reduce unwanted noise, especially in venues that contain a lot of electrical interference.

Coil Design And Winding

In layman’s terms, the way the pickup coils are wound influences their final tonal characteristics. Scatter-wound coils give a more nuanced and dynamic sound than tightly wound ones. Aside from that, a number of pickups have a flat pole piece to increase the string balance. As a precaution, you should try different coiling designs and winding techniques to see which ones fit you most. 

Customization 

Several pickup manufacturers make provisions for customization that allows guitarists to order pickups with specific features. Examples include options for magnet types, output levels, winding techniques and so on. Take a bit of time to think whether you want a pickup that works only for one genre or one that can adapt to various styles.

Conclusion

Jazzmaster’s unique sound is iconic so you don’t hesitate to turn the market upside down to find the best pickup to unleash its full potential. By taking advantage of the knowledge above, you will have an easy time locating the ideal model for your Jazzmaster.