EMG on basswood LTD

kurotenshi · #1 06-11-2010, 08:22 PM

Hi guys.
I found out that a guitar repair guy +- near my city is an official EMG retailer and makes rather nice prices on Pickups and installation.
I have an ESP LTD AX-104 (Basswood body, Maple neck) that I exclusively use for metal and was thinking on putting new pickups in it cause it sound a bit thin to me (compared to my yamaha BBG5S).
I was considering the 35DC's and an EMG preamp to.
So my question is: Is it a good investment to put new active PU and pre in a basswood body bass? Is there any other gear that would be a better investment? Should I stick with the factory pickups and just change the pre as suggested here? should I change all the electronics but stick with passive pickups? Was not thinking to much about this last option since you say the HZ line kind of sucks.

diechris · #2 06-11-2010, 08:31 PM

what do you have against basswood?

kurotenshi · #3 06-11-2010, 09:50 PM

To tell the truth nothing exactly. The thing is, my other bass, Yamaha BBG5S is alder body and is a lot fuller that the LTD and also the other bass I sold to buy the LTD was also alder and had more sustain and fatter sound. Other than that, only the fact that everyone always bashes of basswood and that (to my knowledge) non of my reference bass players uses basswood...
Truth be told my main reason to want to change pickups is the serious lack of output that this has, and it could also use a bit more growl but I really don't know if that is due to the wood or just the electronics.

diechris · #4 06-11-2010, 11:58 PM

I think basswood has a bad rep.. but I've played some great sounding basses that are basswood(IE: Musicman Bongo)

I must agree the stock pickups in the LTD basses kinda suck... If output is your issue... I would say get a better preamp.. look in to maybe an Aguilar onboard pre?

kurotenshi · #5 06-12-2010, 07:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diechris

I think basswood has a bad rep.. but I've played some great sounding basses that are basswood(IE: Musicman Bongo)

I must agree the stock pickups in the LTD basses kinda suck... If output is your issue... I would say get a better preamp.. look in to maybe an Aguilar onboard pre?

So you say I should try changing the preamp first and then see were that leaves me? I'll have to check prices on that Aguilar cause the EMG prices the guy makes are really sweet.

Thanks for the help

diechris · #6 06-12-2010, 11:18 PM

Well if its the output you want.. then a preamp could help with that.. the 2 band pre and stock pups I had on my LTD werent too great.

Crystalman85 · #7 06-12-2010, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diechris

I think basswood has a bad rep.. but I've played some great sounding basses that are basswood(IE: Musicman Bongo)

I must agree the stock pickups in the LTD basses kinda suck... If output is your issue... I would say get a better preamp.. look in to maybe an Aguilar onboard pre?

I do agree that basswood does have a bad reputation and it had negative criticism. I've owned bass guitars that has basswood bodies and I think they sounded pretty cool. when it comes to buying bass guitars, it really doesn't matter what type of wood the bodies is made of, it's the sound quality that counts.

darkstorm · #8 06-13-2010, 01:14 AM

That would work fine imo. Does also agree that replaceing the stock preamp is good idea to if yours is weaker output then wanted. Basslines blackout 2 band is great one imo with right choices for me at least for bass and treble freq's (I use the higher treble setting of 6k on mine). Output is higher then average with controls flat.