Fender Pure Vintage '65 Jazzmaster Pickups

[SixStringSlinger]

Does anyone using these find that they don't drive an amp much (or at all)? They're not particularly high-output pickups, but the single coils pickups in my Strat, Tele and Esquire will all drive my amp a bit with the volume full-up, and they're not particularly hot, either. Meanwhile the JM pickups don't seem to "oomph" the amp at all.

I think I have mine in a good spot height-wise (always subject to tweaking though), and the bridge is up relatively high to match the neck volume-wise. Just wondering if it's typical of vintage (or vintage-style) JM pickups to stay not only clean, but practically pristine with the guitar's volume cranked when other single coils will get the same amp (same settings, etc.) to crunch a bit.

 

[nic'o'caster]

Have you checked the pickup height ?
What string gauge do you use ?
What amp do you use ?

I have a set of those in a mim JM and yes they're vintage and bright, but as I decided to string this guitar 1 step lower in D, the 12-54 String Set I opted for makes it sing like a grand piano with tons of bass and enough power to push my drives and fuzz into tonal heaven !

 

[strateles]

what pot values do you have in the JM, those pups are designed for 1meg pots, 500k and 250k work but wouldnt push an amp the same.
The PV65s in my lacquer JM push an amp just fine, but it has the 1meg pots

 

[SixStringSlinger]

Have you checked the pickup height ?
What string gauge do you use ?
What amp do you use ?

I have a set of those in a mim JM and yes they're vintage and bright, but as I decided to string this guitar 1 step lower in D, the 12-54 String Set I opted for makes it sing like a grand piano with tons of bass and enough power to push my drives and fuzz into tonal heaven !

My pickup heights seem fine to me tone-wise, though I wonder if that’s still sort of the issue (if there is an issue). I used 10’s until just a few days ago when I decided to try some 11’s; no change re. the issue I’m describing. I’m using a Marshall Origin 20 Combo. I don’t set it particularly loud or dirty, but like I said, all my other guitars cause it to crunch a bit when the guitar’s volume is all the way up.

what pot values do you have in the JM, those pups are designed for 1meg pots, 500k and 250k work but wouldnt push an amp the same.
The PV65s in my lacquer JM push an amp just fine, but it has the 1meg pots

This is interesting and it hadn’t occurred to me. I’m using 250k’s because anything more was causing me to keep my tone control way down low all the time; the 250’s make a wider throw usable to me. I guess I can see how that might be the cause if my problem, but on the other hand, turning down the tone controls on my other guitars doesn’t cause the same issue.

 

[Southpaw Tele]

I had a JM a few years ago with those pickups and I had to use stacked overdrive pedals to get anything out of them. I bought another JM (CV) and those are overwound (I’m pretty sure) compared to the PV ‘65s. I eventually settled on Rose Picasso pickups. Low wind, no noise and in between the PVs and the CV pickups. Great for cleans and okay for overdriven tones.