Better pick ups
 

I have played bass for about 5 years and am in a good cover band and lately my lack of knowledge about pick-ups and the likes has been annoying me.

I play a fender jazz American 1990 bass and I'm wondering whether I should buy decent pick ups and what exactly will the difference be.

The only real problem I can identify is the amp can have a loud hum between songs etc. any ideas be great.

Is there anything specific about your tone that you are trying to change?

You can spend $150 and find no improvement
in sound what so ever. It may even sound worse.
They do sell so called noiseless pickups that may
be helpful. I won't recommend any. You can
google noiseless pickups and shop.

Tabdog

+1 Tabdog is so right about that I've changed out many pickups over the years it almost got to be an obsession some time it worked other times I spent money for nothing. I have a box full of pickups. I have some noiseless Barts in a custom bass they sound good but to me they don't have much character yes they are noiseless but I think the trade off is that the sound is flat.

A lot of buzz between songs could point to a shielding/grounding issue. As for pickups, fenders are highly regarded by many, if there are not any tonal issues you are trying to change, I wouldn't bother. Replacing pickups doesn't necessarily make it sound better, just different. If you want something with more high end or low end, or flatter or more scooped, etc, then you can shop around and see what you find, and new pickups might make sense.

Yeah perhaps more low end I would consider. I'm thinking of buying a p bass and using that for the more low end tone songs and keeping the jazz for the more crisp songs.

If I get another bass I might try changing the pick up if it isn't what I'm looking for!