Question about package bass.

[mtizzle]

So I've got this 'Squire'. It came out of a starter pack that my dad got me because he thought I was just going to throw the bass in my closet and let it collect dust. (8 months later i bought an ATK 750...) It's an awful bass. It sounds terrible, but the neck actually feels pretty good. I don't want to throw it away since it was my first bass, so is there anything i can do to it to make it at least backup worthy, or should I just chunk it?

[GeneralElectric]

Well what about it sounds bad? Does it buzz? Does it hum? Does the tone just suck?

[Pilgrim]

"Package" basses can often be pretty decent. You sound like a beginner, and that's cool, but you need to have someone set that bass up (a technical term for a specific setup process) so it plays properly. The sound can often be improved by a simple change of strings. You'll get more advice....

[mtizzle]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

"Package" basses can often be pretty decent. You sound like a beginner, and that's cool, but you need to have someone set that bass up (a technical term for a specific setup process) so it plays properly. The sound can often be improved by a simple change of strings. You'll get more advice....

nah, i've changed the strings. i suppose i could get better ones. all my local shop had were SIT strings (which are horrible in my opinion, and they leave your hands smelling like something died). I've pretty much set the bass up to the way i like it. everything about it feels great, it just sounds very hollow no matter where the tone knob is at or what amp it's being played through. Yeah, there are some really cheep parts on it, such as the tuners and knobs, but i didn't really know if it was worth fixing. i've heard that it's not worth fixing up package or beginner basses/guitars, so i really just wanted to make sure i wasn't wasting my money by throwing new stuff on it.

like i said, i love the way it feels, it's just missing something, and i don't have the money to buy a real fender.

[Roadman]

If you like the feel, it might be worth upgrading. But when you start replacing the bridge, pickups & tuners, you're going to end up sinking $300 or more in to it. For that money, you can get a pretty good used bass.

In the end, it's kind of a coin flip, but IMO, if you can't live with it the way it is, you're probably better off selling it for a few bucks and buying something else.

[stflbn]

It also very well could be what you're playing it through rather then the bass.

[homsar]

From a pure financial standpoint, +1 on Roadman. Your money will go farther if you sell the Squier and pick up a nice used bass.

Beyond the money: I have done upgrade projects on a couple of guitars and I found it very interesting to experiment with using different components on the same instrument - when you do this, you can get a very good idea of how various components contribute to the playability and the tone of the instrument. It's definitely not the highest-yielding investment I ever made, but I learned a lot and I'm glad I did it.

For experimental purposes, it might be interesting to throw a set of EMG Select pickups in there and see what kind of difference it makes. You could get a set from Stew-Mac for about $50. It's bound to be a noticeable improvement and if nothing else, you'll get a chance to learn how to replace pickups when not much is at stake.

[mtizzle]

Originally Posted by homsar

From a pure financial standpoint, +1 on Roadman. Your money will go farther if you sell the Squier and pick up a nice used bass.

Beyond the money: I have done upgrade projects on a couple of guitars and I found it very interesting to experiment with using different components on the same instrument - when you do this, you can get a very good idea of how various components contribute to the playability and the tone of the instrument. It's definitely not the highest-yielding investment I ever made, but I learned a lot and I'm glad I did it.

For experimental purposes, it might be interesting to throw a set of EMG Select pickups in there and see what kind of difference it makes. You could get a set from Stew-Mac for about $50. It's bound to be a noticeable improvement and if nothing else, you'll get a chance to learn how to replace pickups when not much is at stake.

i actually think the EMG idea is amazing. i'm going to do that. 50 dollars is well in my price range, and i doubt this bass could even get me that much. i recorded myself just now improvising on it, and i think it sounds pretty sweet, and it would have sounded even better with better pickups. it's just sooooo muddy and and times hollow sounding. when two (+) notes are played at the same time it's often very unclear what's being played. i'll put it up if it would help determine the verdict.

[therex]

just change the pickups
that seems to be the problem of your bass
if it feels ok but the tone is hollow then change pups and you will see a huge diference

[GeneralElectric]

The muddiness sounds like an amp problem though. Have you A/B'd it with a better amp?

[WarriorJoe7]

yeah get new pickups. That should help

[christw]

If it's a Squire through the Rumble series amps, that would explain the mud. That was my first setup and I sold the Squire and bought a Deluxe P/J. Turns out, it was my amp. I lost a pretty nice bass. When I upgraded amps (to a Kustom Groove Bass rig I got for cheap in a fire sale) I realized the P-J just sounded hollow and tinny and didn't agree with flats either. I wanted the Squire again! Oh well, you live and learn...

[mtizzle]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

The muddiness sounds like an amp problem though. Have you A/B'd it with a better amp?

yeah. the rumble it came with was awful. i bought a small kustom 16 watt amp, and it sounded a lot better through that, but still not what i wanted. my ATK sounds perfect through it. through my peavey 4-10 and peavey 700 head it sounds about like the kustom amp, and my ATK sounds perfect through the 4-10, so i know it's not the amp. i'm thining it's the pickups since, after all, it isn't going to have great electronics in it as the bass+amp, gig bag, cable, and tape was only 150.

[Pilgrim]

I still say to try strings: Labella Deep Talking' flats.

Pickups would probably be #2 on the list.

[therex]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

I still say to try strings: Labella Deep Talking' flats.

Pickups would probably be #2 on the list.

yeah strings could help too
how old are they?, anyways there arent really expensive