What Pickups

[portunderground]

Hi, i use a Jazz bass copy. I want to change my pickups for the stock ones are rather muddy to my liking. Ive asked around and been recommended quarter pounders. Im looking for a pick up that would make my bass have a similar tone to a fender jazz, puncy, precise, clear. Price is a factor too, less that $50 bucks for 1 would be favourable also. Besides the pickups, would any other electronics help with the tone?

Thanks.

 

[cool-beans]

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=91384

Dimarzio Ultra Jazz?

I don't think you can get anything decent at your budget though...

 

[Morlock]

yeah you can't even get a decent 2nd hand pickups with that budget

 

[lordie]

u want a copy to sound like a fender and u want to spend 50 bucks

LOLLOLLOLOLOLOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOLL

 

[exin]

bro, let's help the young man out lah. Forums lehh.

Anyway in regards to your question you might want to consider setting aside more cash for the pickup upgrades.

$200 might get you a decent pair of pickups .. USED.

If you really want $300 is a safe bet to go. Your SD quarter pounders can easily go up to $200 for an entire set. The DiMarzio Ultra Jazz are like close to $300 for a set.

If you want to throw in electronics to your bass it'll set you back another $250 for a decent preamp. You gotta see what you need bro.

Anyway, my suggestion is that you don't swap out your pickups first. Go work on your finger tone (e.g. finger exercises). Take a week to do purely finger exercises and your bass, focus on your right hand technique, try to pluck harder during practices to develop your right hand finger strength. You may find that your tone will improve over time.

Hope that helps lah bro.

Cheers.

 

[shinobi]

if i'm gonna be brutally honest i think your bass is not gonna have much resale value even if you upgrade the pickups to something high-quality.

most ppl are snobs and when they buy a bass they are buying, well, the bass, so it matters less to them if its pickups or electronics are good. not that it's a bad thing, but a brand's goodwill exists for a reason and some people would want to part with their hard earned cash for some assurance in the reputation of a brand. it often pays off too.

as you would have discovered upgrading pickups are probably not a cheap enough option to dissuade you from upgrading the entire bass itself. i just feel that if you're gonna spend that much money, you might as well get a new bass because there may be some pretty decent used options if you look at the 500 dollar range?

always buy used unless you have very very specific needs, short of having to go custom. you will always get a better deal, and u can support those bros selling their basses. its hard selling a bass

 

[Resetti]

the much chepaer option is to change the strings to a different brand and type first and see if you like the tone with new strings.

if you feel it's too muddy, change to a brighter sounding string like steel strings rather than nickels.

you also can try different brands.

also try to adjust the distance between the strings and the pickups.

lower the string action, and raise the pickup height.

i had a muddy sounding bass once with no definition in the sound, this is what worked for me, I changed from nickel to steel strings, then i also lowered the string action and raised the pickup height...

after that, no more muddiness, and now a lot of punch and definition.

it's a good thing to try first, especially it'll cost you only about $30 to buy a new set of strings, and adjusting height is free if you do it yourself, as opposed to spending $300+ for new pickups.

 

[lordie]

exin - eh ;p my bad

go for string change to steel that would help but fret wear is horrid with steel.

another options is a good outboard pre-amp, tone shapper type for u to dial in your tone from BDDI, Tonehammer, Hartke VXL, etc..etc..

 

[portunderground]

Yeah ok thanks. I was looking just to improve my tone. Thanks for the help.