Hey man! I came here from your 10 year old video of you covering Anna Sun by Walk the Moon. It was such a cool, different cover! Cool enough to make me google you to see what you were up to today haha. Glad to see you're still heavily into the scene.
This is an amazing demonstration of the gzr butlers! It was VERY informative about how the bridge J is actually an inline split in the shape of a single coil so that it's noiseless. What an utter utilitarian move on EMG!
@@jonathanwong458musicHey Jonathan. I’d probably keep the stock pickups if the J wasn’t so noisy. Between the Seymour Duncan’s & EMGs , in your opinion which do you feel like are the most versatile?
Indeed, the stock J is noisy. The noise doesn't come across as much over UA-cam, but in the room, it's noisy for me. Between the Quarter Pound and the EMG, which is more versatile? I've mentioned this idea in previous videos as well. You can't put frequencies back in if they aren't there to begin with - that's why I tend to prefer more open sounds in general. I find the Quarter pounds to be a bit compressed and scooped. Putting mids back in sounds unnatural. But the scooped modern sound is preferred by many! There are more mids from the EMG, which you can always scoop out with EQ. Cutting frequencies almost always sounds more natural than boosting frequencies. I didn't say 'better'! Just more natural. In this particular Mikro, I found the EMGs to be a bit sonically fatiguing. There are a few pronounced mid freqs that are really pokey (for my ears). But it cuts! So between these two, I actually prefer the quarter pounds in this particular bass. It fits the Ibanez modern look and esthetic. Put 10 bass players in a room and you'll get lots of different answers, though!
The J pickup from EMG sounds more Jazzy for me than the stock...but the stock P pickup have a very nice sound...perhaps the P EMG needs a 500k pot.. This EMG are in upgrade for sure... noiseless, better sound for sure, but worth it...🤷🏽♂️ And yes Jonathan..when both pickups are fully open, something happen in the most of the PJ pairs 🤔..BQ Music have a control plate that mix both pickups better...but I couldn't try anyone.. Thank you for this comparison and technical details 🤗
Thanks for watching! Indeed, you can buy 500k volume pots with EMG connectors directly from EMG should you want a brighter sound. Tone is so subjective and personal - thankfully, there are lots of options now.
I have a Mikro in purple. As a life-long guitarist, It really is the most comfortable bass I've played. Even in Drop D tuning. This video convinced me that upgrading the pickups is worth it.
Your content is always great! As someone with MS and a slight nerve damage in my fretting hand I started playing bass a while ago after hesitating. I will definitely get an Ibanez Mikro to see if its better for my left hand to handle
Thank you so much for the encouragement! Sorry to hear of the MS diagnosis. It was an autoimmune arthritis and muscle disease that initially got me into playing short scales. For a long time, I was playing 34 and 35" scale 5 strings tuned E to high C. But the arm and finger reach became much too painful for me to play. Short scale basses have given me another chance at being a bass player. Endurance and stamina are still very compromised, but playing a little is better than not at all! I hope you love playing the Mikro bass and thanks for watching!
I think the issues with budget PJ basses like this can largely be mitigated by potting the cheap pickups and changing the capacitor value. However, the humcancelling P will always overpower the single coil J. I wish more companies would employ a double P configuration. However, changing to a split coil J like Dimarzio Area J or Model J,, or even the Guyker split J from Amazon, will fix that and help with the perceived loss of volume (midrange) from blending the two pickups as well as making the Jaco-style soloed J sound more useable.
Right on. You've read my mind about the double P config. I've ordered Warmoth parts to build a shortie for/on the channel. A short scale P body with double reverse P! There's not a lot of string orbit back by the bridge on a 30" scale bass, so I think it needs more help from whatever bridge p/u is in there. Thanks for watching!
Well, I favor the stock pickups. There is something boomy and hi-fi (which may work for some people) about those emg. Stock are good, I was leaning toward them too in seymour duncan face off.
Right on! Of the three 28.6” scale basses I’ve reviewed (Squier mini P, Jackson minion and the Mikro) I preferred the Mikro’s electronics the most. Thanks for watching!
Dang! I had ordered the EMGs today before seeing this video you won’t believe this but I think I prefer the Quarter Pounders. The other contender are the Dimarzios. I really prefer to keep 500k pots for the brightness
Both sets sound very different from each other! There's no clear winner per se - I think they are for different people looking for different things/tones. BUT....and sorry if this further confuses your journey....you can get 500k EMG volume pots!! They are available directly from EMG. Could even mix and match. Put 500k in the neck, 250k in the bridge depending on what you're after. I really wanted to point out the 250k pots that come stock because I think it made a difference. Thanks for watching!
The Geezer Butlers suit my taste a bit more, than the stocks. I like the fullness of the GZRs. DiMarzio's J pickups are all split coil. They have two different PJ sets that would be worth looking at. From what I infer from the styles you play, you might like the Sixties' PJ Pair. I'm more into the Relentless PJ Pair specs. I'm looking to get a long scale PJ and I'm trying to decide if I want the GZRs or the Relentless. All hum canceling J pickups do sound a bit different from their single coil counterparts, but I find typically, the split coils sound a bit closer to the single coil's sound than the stacked coils.
Thanks for watching! You've read my mind: I have the Dimarzio Sixties PJ on order, but at time of writing, they've been backordered for a while... The Relentless model was definitely aggressive sounding, so we'll see how different the Sixties are when they arrive. Re split coils. Indeed, I've found the stacked coil Js to have a bit of an identity crisis. They sound and feel neither like a single or a humbucker.
Boah, what a difference! I also feel the GZRs more articulate and clear. However, not really my preferred sound in general. But maybe because of the selected genre, because I liked the bluesy 3rd example pretty well though. Compared to the GZR, the stock ones sounded a bit "boring". Well, not really, Perhaps more like the difference between your dad and your boisterous uncle. ;-)
Hahaha. The added midrange information from the EMGs gives it more character. Could be that boisterous uncle you never knew you wanted to hang around with! Thanks for watching!
I want to learn to play some of the sounds from my favorite "post punk bands." Been looking at the Mikro is it still a good guitar without having to modify?
Thanks for watching and asking! Below, I've provided a couple of video links for you to check out, if you haven't already seen them. I think the Mikro is just fine stock. The bridge pickup, being a single coil, is noisy and the overall tone is mid-scooped, but it plays well and is pretty comfortable to play. Between the Jackson Minion, Squier Mini P and the Mikro, I think I prefer the stock electronics in the Mikro the most. Are you looking to play with a pick, and looking for a brighter, attacky sound as part of the 'post punk' sound? If so, the Mikro can get plenty bright. The body shape is more modern than 'post punk' but I think playing comfort is much more important. Try one out in person if you can. ua-cam.com/video/oMlnFMKhxWo/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/gghCLWm0gm8/v-deo.html
It's only the output barrel jack that will keep it from being completely solderless. If you replaced the jack with a new one, you could potentially crimp the EMG cable on. But a nice solder joint is always better. Thanks for watching!
Hey man! I came here from your 10 year old video of you covering Anna Sun by Walk the Moon. It was such a cool, different cover! Cool enough to make me google you to see what you were up to today haha. Glad to see you're still heavily into the scene.
Thanks for watching! But the 10 year old cover video is not me!
This is an amazing demonstration of the gzr butlers! It was VERY informative about how the bridge J is actually an inline split in the shape of a single coil so that it's noiseless. What an utter utilitarian move on EMG!
Thank you so much for watching and for your encouragement!
@@jonathanwong458musicHey Jonathan. I’d probably keep the stock pickups if the J wasn’t so noisy. Between the Seymour Duncan’s & EMGs , in your opinion which do you feel like are the most versatile?
Indeed, the stock J is noisy. The noise doesn't come across as much over UA-cam, but in the room, it's noisy for me.
Between the Quarter Pound and the EMG, which is more versatile? I've mentioned this idea in previous videos as well. You can't put frequencies back in if they aren't there to begin with - that's why I tend to prefer more open sounds in general. I find the Quarter pounds to be a bit compressed and scooped. Putting mids back in sounds unnatural. But the scooped modern sound is preferred by many! There are more mids from the EMG, which you can always scoop out with EQ. Cutting frequencies almost always sounds more natural than boosting frequencies. I didn't say 'better'! Just more natural.
In this particular Mikro, I found the EMGs to be a bit sonically fatiguing. There are a few pronounced mid freqs that are really pokey (for my ears). But it cuts! So between these two, I actually prefer the quarter pounds in this particular bass. It fits the Ibanez modern look and esthetic.
Put 10 bass players in a room and you'll get lots of different answers, though!
The J pickup from EMG sounds more Jazzy for me than the stock...but the stock P pickup have a very nice sound...perhaps the P EMG needs a 500k pot..
This EMG are in upgrade for sure... noiseless, better sound for sure, but worth it...🤷🏽♂️
And yes Jonathan..when both pickups are fully open, something happen in the most of the PJ pairs 🤔..BQ Music have a control plate that mix both pickups better...but I couldn't try anyone..
Thank you for this comparison and technical details 🤗
Thanks for watching!
Indeed, you can buy 500k volume pots with EMG connectors directly from EMG should you want a brighter sound. Tone is so subjective and personal - thankfully, there are lots of options now.
I have a Mikro in purple. As a life-long guitarist, It really is the most comfortable bass I've played. Even in Drop D tuning. This video convinced me that upgrading the pickups is worth it.
Right on! Thanks for watching! A few more pickup options to come in this series.
I like the Geezers out of the 3. I like to hear a set of Nordstrands in it.
Right on! Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts! I'll see what I can get re Nordys.
Your content is always great! As someone with MS and a slight nerve damage in my fretting hand I started playing bass a while ago after hesitating. I will definitely get an Ibanez Mikro to see if its better for my left hand to handle
Thank you so much for the encouragement!
Sorry to hear of the MS diagnosis. It was an autoimmune arthritis and muscle disease that initially got me into playing short scales. For a long time, I was playing 34 and 35" scale 5 strings tuned E to high C. But the arm and finger reach became much too painful for me to play. Short scale basses have given me another chance at being a bass player. Endurance and stamina are still very compromised, but playing a little is better than not at all!
I hope you love playing the Mikro bass and thanks for watching!
I think the issues with budget PJ basses like this can largely be mitigated by potting the cheap pickups and changing the capacitor value. However, the humcancelling P will always overpower the single coil J. I wish more companies would employ a double P configuration. However, changing to a split coil J like Dimarzio Area J or Model J,, or even the Guyker split J from Amazon, will fix that and help with the perceived loss of volume (midrange) from blending the two pickups as well as making the Jaco-style soloed J sound more useable.
Right on. You've read my mind about the double P config. I've ordered Warmoth parts to build a shortie for/on the channel. A short scale P body with double reverse P!
There's not a lot of string orbit back by the bridge on a 30" scale bass, so I think it needs more help from whatever bridge p/u is in there.
Thanks for watching!
Great demo! Nice job! 😀 Brent
Thank you so much for watching and for the encouragement!
Well, I favor the stock pickups. There is something boomy and hi-fi (which may work for some people) about those emg.
Stock are good, I was leaning toward them too in seymour duncan face off.
Right on! Of the three 28.6” scale basses I’ve reviewed (Squier mini P, Jackson minion and the Mikro) I preferred the Mikro’s electronics the most.
Thanks for watching!
Dang! I had ordered the EMGs today before seeing this video you won’t believe this but I think I prefer the Quarter Pounders. The other contender are the Dimarzios. I really prefer to keep 500k pots for the brightness
Both sets sound very different from each other! There's no clear winner per se - I think they are for different people looking for different things/tones.
BUT....and sorry if this further confuses your journey....you can get 500k EMG volume pots!! They are available directly from EMG. Could even mix and match. Put 500k in the neck, 250k in the bridge depending on what you're after. I really wanted to point out the 250k pots that come stock because I think it made a difference.
Thanks for watching!
The Geezer Butlers suit my taste a bit more, than the stocks. I like the fullness of the GZRs.
DiMarzio's J pickups are all split coil. They have two different PJ sets that would be worth looking at. From what I infer from the styles you play, you might like the Sixties' PJ Pair. I'm more into the Relentless PJ Pair specs.
I'm looking to get a long scale PJ and I'm trying to decide if I want the GZRs or the Relentless.
All hum canceling J pickups do sound a bit different from their single coil counterparts, but I find typically, the split coils sound a bit closer to the single coil's sound than the stacked coils.
Thanks for watching! You've read my mind:
I have the Dimarzio Sixties PJ on order, but at time of writing, they've been backordered for a while...
The Relentless model was definitely aggressive sounding, so we'll see how different the Sixties are when they arrive.
Re split coils. Indeed, I've found the stacked coil Js to have a bit of an identity crisis. They sound and feel neither like a single or a humbucker.
Boah, what a difference!
I also feel the GZRs more articulate and clear. However, not really my preferred sound in general. But maybe because of the selected genre, because I liked the bluesy 3rd example pretty well though. Compared to the GZR, the stock ones sounded a bit "boring". Well, not really, Perhaps more like the difference between your dad and your boisterous uncle. ;-)
Hahaha. The added midrange information from the EMGs gives it more character. Could be that boisterous uncle you never knew you wanted to hang around with!
Thanks for watching!
I want to learn to play some of the sounds from my favorite "post punk bands."
Been looking at the Mikro is it still a good guitar without having to modify?
Thanks for watching and asking!
Below, I've provided a couple of video links for you to check out, if you haven't already seen them. I think the Mikro is just fine stock. The bridge pickup, being a single coil, is noisy and the overall tone is mid-scooped, but it plays well and is pretty comfortable to play. Between the Jackson Minion, Squier Mini P and the Mikro, I think I prefer the stock electronics in the Mikro the most.
Are you looking to play with a pick, and looking for a brighter, attacky sound as part of the 'post punk' sound? If so, the Mikro can get plenty bright. The body shape is more modern than 'post punk' but I think playing comfort is much more important. Try one out in person if you can.
ua-cam.com/video/oMlnFMKhxWo/v-deo.html
ua-cam.com/video/gghCLWm0gm8/v-deo.html
Well that sucks, i thought this was my way into a no solder pickup change rip
It's only the output barrel jack that will keep it from being completely solderless. If you replaced the jack with a new one, you could potentially crimp the EMG cable on. But a nice solder joint is always better.
Thanks for watching!
To my ears, the emg's sound kind of dull and lifeless. Those stock pickups sound great, and perfectly voiced to the instrument.
Thanks for watching and sharing your thoughts!