Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

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sys
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Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by sys » Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:35 am

Hi all pickup experts!

So I have a guitar that came to me with Mojo's 58-64 Jazzmaster pickup set.

Unfortunately, somethings not working for me. Been up and down the pickup height/pot value/set up variables, and I think I have this guitar as dialed in as I can, but there's still something thats not doing it for me. Absolutely no disrespect to Mojo pickups of course, seems like they are well regarded and for a good reason - I just don't think its the right match for my style and this guitar. And to be fair we are talking small details here.

With that being said, in short - issue that I am having - these pickups are a little TOO scooped in the lower mids for my tastes. And the typical high mid peak that jazzmaster pickups often have is still there - resulting in it sounding somewhat scratchier than I want. There is also way more treble than I need, but honestly that I have no problem dealing with via the guitar the controls. I do like the clarity they have, but in short, I just need something a smidgen fuller sounding. Funny how fine that line is sometimes, and again, I think in another guitar these could be perfect.

I'd like to try a different set but I don't really have a reference point for where these stand compared to other sets on the market. The name, and the description on the website, suggests that these are pretty much vintage-style, but doesn't specify more than that. If I knew, for example, that this are known as more 'jangly' style jazzmaster pickups - no problemo, I'll just got for one of the many pickup sets out there based on late 50's pickups, which are usually marketed as warmer. If, on the other hand, these are know to be already full sounding compared to other pickups, than I guess I need something a little non traditional. Hence the question.

Thanks in advance!

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by Francer » Tue Oct 12, 2021 2:49 am

I can’t advise you about particular pickups but this is the mother lode of OSG’s pickup comparisons.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=33614

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by sys » Tue Oct 12, 2021 3:30 am

Francer wrote:
Tue Oct 12, 2021 2:49 am
I can’t advise you about particular pickups but this is the mother lode of OSG’s pickup comparisons.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=33614
Thanks! I did look through that thread (and am always grateful that people are willing to go to such lengths to put info out for others to use- fantastic!), and mojo pickups get mentioned a few times, but only praised in general as being good pickups, not much info on how they are voiced comparatively.

And though I am absolutely open to suggestions, I guess I am not really looking for specific pickup recommendations - just a general sense of where these sit in the scheme of things.

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by Nick and the Noise » Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:16 pm

I use a Mojo 58-64 neck pickup with a Mojo P90/JM90 pickup in my AVRI JM. It's always difficult to say when you swap pickups without having more than 1 JM, but I'd say the 58-64 sounds like a classic JM neck pickup, like a AVRI pickup but more refined.

I also have experience with Antiquities II in that guitar. Those have more rolled off treble and would be a better choice in your case. I really like the Antiquities II, but I just wanted to have a middier, bigger sound in the bridge so that's why I went for the Mojo P90/JM90.

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by HNB » Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:20 pm

Antiquity II's are my favorite Jazzmaster pickups. I love their sounds.
Christopher
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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by sys » Tue Oct 12, 2021 1:22 pm

Thank you, that's helpful.

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by Lost In Autumn » Sun Oct 17, 2021 6:06 am

This isn't regarding your Mojo pickups in particular, but I had similar experiences with other makes. After trying 3-4 brands renowned for their "classic jazzmaster tone," I came to the conclusion that I just don't like jazzmaster pickups. I love the guitars- the shape and feel really speak to me, but I find them too thin and trebly. My preference for tone, it turns out, lies somewhere between a P90 and a Stratocaster. I love my Fralin P92, big fan of my Novak Jag-V, even if I didn't love the Jaguar, and I really like Firebird style pickups and Filtertrons, but most JM pickups? meh...

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by ludobag1 » Sun Oct 17, 2021 10:49 am

don't know the mojo one ,but the best jazzmaster pickups i have are Peter Leonard pickupwizzard one they are far superior than av 62 and 65 fender sale ,no shrill in the bridge like the fender ;) the av 62 neck is better than the av65 to my taste ,i find the 65 a little to clean and frozen ,the Bridge is better than the 62 but it is not as the wizard

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by schoolie » Sun Oct 17, 2021 12:39 pm

I would talk with Tim at Sunday Handwound. He's very good at taking your description of the sound that you want and making the perfect set of pickups. Currently, my favorite JM set, and I've bought a lot of pickups.

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by CorporateDisguise » Tue Oct 19, 2021 3:26 am

schoolie wrote:
Sun Oct 17, 2021 12:39 pm
I would talk with Tim at Sunday Handwound. He's very good at taking your description of the sound that you want and making the perfect set of pickups. Currently, my favorite JM set, and I've bought a lot of pickups.
Seconded.

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Re: Tell me about my Mojo JM pickups

Post by sys » Fri Oct 22, 2021 5:28 am

Cheers everyone - being on the other side of the pond I might reach out to one of the many Europe based builders - but ultimately I think I'm going to at least give one more shot to something more traditional, but probably something voiced a little darker (maybe alnico 2, there's a few makers doing that). And if that doesn't work for me, I'll just go for something completely different - looks like rautia guitars (who I have some great experience with, with another type of guitar) makes a Charlie Christian style pickup in a JM housing. Now THAT will be a whole other direction.

Thanks for all the replies.

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