Seymour Duncan Releases The Apollo Jazz Bass Linear Humbucker Pickup
Seymour Duncan has added to their line of bass pickups with the Apollo Jazz Bass Linear Humbucker. The new model employs two coils that sit next to each other under a standard single-coil-sized cover. Duncan’s head of R&D Kevin Beller designed the pickups to get a warm, traditional sound with modern attributes to clean up the sound.
“I’ve been playing bass since the mid 70s and I’ve spent most of my career as a bass player playing Fender-style basses,” Beller says. “I really fell in love with them. I’m very much attached to the traditional Fender sound, and found the Apollo Jazz Bass Linear Humbuckers were a way where I could modernize my instrument but still maintain the traditional tone and get rid of the problems of hum, noise and environmental sounds that are all to common today. We’ve also addressed the issue of string to string balance. On Jazz Basses the balance will be off, especially on the higher strings. As you play across the neck from the E and A strings and then cross to D and G the output typically drops, sometimes even on the A string. We did a little bit of fattening on the bridge pickup, staying really close to the traditional tonality but addressing some performance issues.”
The Apollo Jazz Bass pickups will be available in four and five-string models with two size options for the five-string. Each version can be purchased in matching sets or individually. They are hand-built in Santa Barbara, California utilizing hand ground Alnico 5 rod magnets and Forbon flatwork.
The Seymour Duncan Apollo Jazz Bass Linear Humbuckers are available now at $94.95 for individual pickups and $189.95 for a set.
Seymour Duncan Apollo Jazz Bass Linear Humbucker Details:
Linear humbucking neck pickup for Jazz bass |
Hand-Built in CA |
Alnico 5 Rod Magnets |
Forbon flatwork |
Vacuum Wax Potted |
For more information:
Seymour Duncan
I’ll have to give a set a try. I’m currently using a set of the new Dimarzio J pickups. They sound good, but not like a traditional Jazz. They seem more compressed, if that makes any sense.
There’s only one thing… I really wish they’d quit putting their logo on the pickups! I just don’t like the look.
I guess I could order them as “Custom Shop” and pay the extra money. *sigh*
Magic Marker. But in all seriousness, I feel you and agree.
Yeah, I tried that before. It always ends up shiny! LOL
I’m being too picky…
Close, but I wonder if the slight difference is in the recording. There’s only one way to find out.