DiMarzio vs. Aguilar Bass Pickup Comparison

In my first-ever bass video, I'm comparing the DiMarzio Model P and Model J pickups that came installed in my 1999 Lefty Fender American Deluxe Precision Bass when I bought it through Reverb in 2020, and the Aguilar AG 4P/J-HC set I installed earlier this year.
Thank you for watching!
Here's my bass gear (amazon affiliate links):
Fender Deluxe Precision Bass: amzn.to/3zOmiuN
Aguilar AG 4P/J-HC Pickups: amzn.to/3h1FCMG
Line6 HX Stomp: amzn.to/3zM7Pzn
Hercules Guitar Stand: amzn.to/3gTV11i
Here's (some of) my camera gear:
Blackmagic Pocket4k: amzn.to/3vPp0wL
Metabones Speedbooster: amzn.to/3qkJ7lt
Sigma 24-35mm f/2.0 Zoom lens: amzn.to/35LxsTm
Sigma 50mm f/1.4: amzn.to/2TZHhKQ

[@vinisasso]

I personally love the growl the DiMarzios deliver, I prefer these. But there's no shame in the way the Aguilars do their job - they do it so well and certainly will be prefered by people who are into more mellow sound...thanks!

[@Bassman-yh3uv]

Thank you for the information on these!

[@droppinlikefliesBand]

I Like them both, but for different situations. Thank you and enjoyed your video. Sounded great and very informative.

[@d.s.9692]

I'm actually really pleased to see a video that actually shows two different pickups that are both good in very clearly identifiable ways. Personally I like the midrangey sound of the DiMarzio P pickup, it has more of a 'classic P' voicing that I enjoy. The Aguilars might be a little hotter and more bottom-heavy but that's really neat too.

[@thomasmims7850]

Lol did he not say that Dimarzio pickups were hotter?

[@tedbrookins]

Well done, Jim! Thanks!

[@ManCaveStudio]

In a perfect world, I would install the Aguilar Pbass Pickup and the Dimarzio Jazz Pickup. This combo would be the most versatile. I love the roundness of the Aguilar P-Bass and the punchiness and brightness of the Dimarzio Jazz.

[@toemasmeems]

my thoughts exactly!

[@erikkorte3177]

The DiMarzios will fit in any mix better. Perfect grind.

[@pieterjansenvanrensburg7322]

Yep

[@themaggot8]

As fas as I know, the Dimarzios come with 500K pots unlike the prewired circuit that he used with the Aguilars that has 250k post. That's probably why the Dimarzios were more punchy.

[@bits-of-bass]

Great video! Thanks for putting this together. I just received a set of Aguilar DCB-4PJ pickups for a fretless build that I'm doing. I originally wanted Bartolinis (as that's what I have on another fretless), but I waited for a few months with none in stock. I'm super excited to install these Aguilar pickups, and your video definitely helps. The one thing I'll note about the Aguilars is that they didn't come with any screws or foam for installation. I just finished another fretted bass with Seymour Duncan QP PJs. Those pickups were $100 less than the Aguilars, but they came with foam and mounting screws. Go figure. 🤷 FWIW - That was a great conclusion 😜

[@trfmusic902]

Im in the same boat. Im a fretted bassist and doing an upgrade to my Washburn OB40 bass. My local dealer suggested both these pickups in this video. I wanted Bartolinis because my dream bass has them (ibanez srms-625). I have an Ibanez geo SR 5 string that i love so i want to carry over the Ibanez theme to my Washburn. I also asked my dealer about Nordstrands (in most high end Ibanez basses) and he said they are great too. He also suggested EMG Geezer Butler pickups. I know I dont want Barts or Dimarzio. I think its between the Nords or EMG. The Agulars are too much for what i want to spend.

[@bits-of-bass]

@@trfmusic902 I built two basses during Covid. One is fretted with Seymour Duncan QPs (PJ configuration), and the other is fretless with Aguilar PJs. I don't have much on my channel, but there's a bass + ukulele video ("surf ukulele"); that video has the fretted bass with Seymour Duncan QPs -- played with a pick. Other than some compression, it's fairly clean with a bit of EQ. I was considering the Geezer Butler EMGs, but I went with the QPs instead. I like them. There's another video with the fretless and the Aguilars. That's a terrible version of Sledgehammer, so there's octave pedal on it. Let me know if I can help you make a decision. EDIT: I just realized that I repeated a bunch of information from my original post. I'm getting old. Sigh.

[@jrtaylor2601]

This is awesome!!!!

[@tomrobinson4781]

Aye! Lovely, please do more thanks

[@MrSparks54]

I have a Fender Aerodyne, I put in Aguilars (and a Ray Ross bridge) and it sounds killer. I play mostly blues so the bigger bottom end is more my style. I have 11 basses, my bandmates say the Aerodyne is their fav. Thanks Jim! Cheers from Utah

[@aaronklussmann6687]

Hi my friend I’m looking at getting the same exact combo! Unfortunately I’m very new to pickup replacements and the inside anatomy of a bass lol. When you received the Aguilars did you have to make extra adjustments to the bass or is it simply insert and play? I read that they don’t come with screws or padding. I think the Aerodyne pickups have stock padding underneath already so I could just use those and the stock screws ?

[@MrSparks54]

@@aaronklussmann6687 Hi Aaron, yes I simply put them in and adjusted the height with the original padding and screws. It was a fairly easy swap. Let us know how it goes.

[@davybrown64]

Great to see a lefty, my cuz will be pleased.

[@jkf9167]

I like the additional clarity of the Aguilar P pickup, but I strongly prefer the DiMarzio J, although I imagine they're not two great tastes that go great together.

[@ejschultz]

Nice comparison. I’m not sure which I liked better; both sounded pretty good to me. FYI, that is a Hot Rod P (mid ‘99 through mid 2000) or a Hot-Rodded P (mid 2000 through 2001).

[@derwinmoss9485]

Cool video, Jim! The Aguilars sound more “vintage Fender” to my ears. The DiMarzios sound a bit more aggressive. I like both actually.

[@ReachFilms]

very nice!

[@gpasc]

Please could you say something about the resistance of these? Cant find the specs anywhere. Thanks!! Ag 4j hc

[@jojoba619]

Both great pickups but with different tonal qualities. Personally, I preferred the mellowness of the Aguilars.

[@richardnunez096]

what is the music that plays at the minute 4:08?

[@jcburn1973]

Hey Jim - both sound nice. My preference is the Dimarzios all round. Can I ask a question - did you use the same pots for the changeover to the Aguilars? Do you know what the pot values were for the Dimarzios? I think Dimarzio themself recommend 500k but interested to know what you used here?

[@jimb213]

I don't know the values for the original pots, but this is the pre-wired harness I used with the Aguilars: www.bestbassgear.com/prewired-passive-harness-volume-volume-tone.htm

[@starry_lis]

I did enjoy that video

[@Tsudkyk]

The Aguilar seem to have a deeper rounder tone while the dimarzio are upper mid focused. Both sound great!

[@burstcasino]

You can get the Dimarzios with regular metal screws. DP122BK+N

[@steviedebarge77]

I’m a lefty bassist as well, and it does sound amazingly sweet i lived in “keep Austin weird” for a bit and loved it there. Keep up the good work and lets keep in touch there’s a few folks out there I’d like to ask you about to see if there still around? And you can hold your own -keep it funky

[@1thess523]

Hey Jim I enjoyed your video, I too am a average bass player but I'm out of San Antonio Texas and I mainly play skate and pop punk original stuff. So I like the DiMarzio sound I just don't like the black pole pieces like yourself. I had a pair on a Squier P Bass and they really brought that bass back to life or gave it life but I ended up giving it to my nephew, I do have a Squier vintage modified PJ bass that has a DiMarzio design Jazz pickup on there and stock that thing sounds fantastic I don't think I'll ever need to swap out the pickups

[@rosscoe3728]

Good comparison. Do you know what value pots and cap were used for each pick up set?

[@jimb213]

Thanks! I have no idea for the DiMarzio set, but this is the pre-wired harness I got along with the Aguilars: www.bestbassgear.com/prewired-passive-harness-volume-volume-tone.htm

[@rosscoe3728]

@@jimb213Thank you, that was very helpful, as they list the info I required: Noble 250k Audio Taper Potentiometers, Sprague Orange Drop 0.047µF capacitor

[@9pixals]

Thanks for the video! I never really heard a difference with the p pickups and the tone at 0, but I did with both pickups and the tone at 100. The bass seemed to drop out to my ears with the aguilars at about the middle point of this video. I'm listening with some alesis 3 inch monitors with a polk subwoffer. I'm playin a super cheap sx bass that plays amazing but the pickups aren't very good. I'm hoping that some pickups will correct that and might check out Dimarzio thanks to your video. They both sound better than what I got for sure.

[@albertogalindo3760]

Both pickups sounded very good but the Aguilar's have that good vintage tone that we all know and love. Great video by the way, keep up the good work.

[@martinheath5947]

I'd have been tempted to unscrew the Dimarzio pole pieces and dip them in paint thinners to clean off the black paint and make them silver. To my ears they sound thicker and punchier. Dimarzios are also hum cancelling btw

[@sparella]

Nice comparison. It seems like swapping pole screws would be possible with the DiMarzios, for an aesthetic change.

[@stevepethel6843]

Go Jim Gods speed...I enjoyed your playing much. Keep it going

[@kijekuyo9494]

Made me wish I could afford Aguilars, but they're $100 more than the DiMarzios.

[@totomoyap8648]

Blend tone sound better with Dimarzio, solo pup sure Aguilar.

[@steviedebarge77]

Btw you doing “south by southwest “?

[@stephneumeyer5190]

The Dimarzios seems to be the one for me bud 🎶👍🏻😧🤔☺️

[@iamgribs]

a lefty pj. oh yes I much prefer the dimarzio. way more ballsy. the aguilar soubnds tame and thin by comparison. the dimarzio is HOT but you can tame it with the tone knob if desired. both pickups together sound killer!!!!!!

[@Iofflight78]

I prefer the Aguilar, you can add grit and EQ.

[@sira.scottascot8865]

Love the Dirty DiMarzios. The Aguilars sound good. More traditional, but the 'Marzios are nasty.

[@bassiclogic]

I like the Dimarzio pickups better.

[@toemasmeems]

J Pickup sounds better on the DiMarzio the P pickup sounds better on the Agulair to me at least

[@fernandobreguez4591]

Parabens!!

[@roportnoy1]

Great job, but you should compare these pickups playing im slap style.

[@BassMan2727]

DiMarzio is top !

[@didiertelleria9283]

bonjour merci pour cette vidéo je suis gaucher aussi on a la même basse moi je l'ai depuis 1992 d'origine (micros fender) et j'avoue que les aguilar sont bon niveau sonore mais ils restent très chère (nerf de la guerre l'argent le flouze l'oseille le pognon quoi ) merci a vous pour cette vidéo qui comparé a d'autre ne nous donnent pas de comparaison a+ bonne continuation

[@jimkalfakis9893]

When we say “vintage” we mean when Leo was still there. There is a difference, most notably in price and value.

[@tiagomoraisc]

just do it !!

[@Morniac]

...for a sec i thought he was Moby

[@josuka7]

Aguilar!

[@Daniel-kx4sy]

DiMarzio for a more modern sound Aguilar for vintage.

[@fabiogolvah6867]

watching from Austin rio de janeiro

[@georgesobreiradasilvajunio8346]

Dimarzio é Dimaissss.

[@jacobevans4267]

3:45 4:00

[@claudioalonsocotroneo5691]

It is curious because obviously the Dimarzio capsule that you have on your bass sounds better, it is the Ultra Jazz model, so obviously it will be different from the one you installed Aguilar which has a more modern sound due to its magnets, it is not a fair comparison from my knowledge and clearly you like the way Aguilar sounds better, but in no case do these capsules surpass the Dimarzio ones, if you put the same models, you will see how the Aguilar capsule looks ridiculous.

[@roportnoy1]

This dimarzio model J isn't the ultrajazz, is model J.

[@ryanjones1938]

how about you talk about the products you just reviewed? Im a beginner, I can't tell the difference, so i have to rely on people with more experience to give me advice.

[@szunabass]

Sorry mate, I think this bass need not any choice for PU, it doesnt matter what it have got...