New Basslines Pickups for 5-String Bass

Things change. Cars got air bags. Basketball got the three-point shot. And bass players discovered that by adding a fifth string, they could go lower than ever before. On the other hand, bassists love the elusive tone of the '62 Fender® Jazz Bass®. How to reconcile the need for extended range with the love for the old, vintage tone?

The answer is Basslines' 67/70 and 70/74 five-string passive single coil series. These pickups preserve the tonal "vibe" of the '62 in a five-string bass. Basslines engineers adjusted the coil geometry and winding configuration to compensate for the different nature of extended range instruments. It's now possible to capture the subtle characteristics of traditional "J-tone" all the way down to the low "B." Kevin Beller, Basslines Chief Engineer and bass player in his own right, comments, "We wanted to capture the famous, old '62 sound and reproduce it in a 5-string format. Also, now we have the technology to create things, like increased immunity to RF and higher frequency "hash", that couldn't be done in '62."

With these new pickups and a two- or three-band Basslines Tone Circuit with the proprietary Slap Switch, the serious bassist can enhance their tonal palette even further.

The 67/70 and 70/74 are not direct replacements for Fender® Jazz V basses; however, they're available in two string spacings that retrofit many five-string instruments without need for modification -- 67mm neck with 70mm bridge, and 70mm neck with 74mm bridge. (Measurements taken from B-string to G-string, centerline-to-centerline). All necessary mounting hardware and a detailed wiring diagram are included.

Like all Seymour Duncan and Basslines pickups, the 67/70 and 70/74 series are hand built in Santa Barbara, California.