possibly replacing pick ups on Ibanez SRX390

**andrewrepasky** · #1 11-27-2011, 03:12 PM

has anyone attempted to replace the pickups on the Ibanez SRX 390? Ive asked around at local guitar shops, and all seem to believe i am just better off buying a new bass if i was going to install new pickups....also, what other components would have to be replaced during this process? any suggestions on potential pick ups? I play progressive rock with hints of funk and blues

**andrewrepasky** · #2 11-29-2011, 11:45 PM

grendle · #3 11-30-2011, 05:41 AM

Leave the stock pickups, change / add a better preamp.

**andrewrepasky** · #4 11-30-2011, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grendle

Leave the stock pickups, change / add a better preamp.

Any suggestions?

**andrewrepasky** · #5 11-30-2011, 04:20 PM

grendle · #6 11-30-2011, 08:45 PM

Lots of preamps available. Spector, sadowski, bartolini, nordy , aguilar, etc. All are pretty good and hi fi. Best to find some sound clips on you tube. What aren't you getting out of your current setup that your looking for?

lug · #7 12-01-2011, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grendle

Leave the stock pickups, change / add a better preamp.

Agreed. Place the bass and treble controls at the center detent and adjust tone shaping at the amp. If you can get what you like, the preamp is what you want to swap. I have an SRX505 and love the pups, hate the pre (very touchy, overboosts very low freq to my ears and very touchy, tiny adjustments = big effect, hard to control live ). I haven't changed anything, just leave it at middle detents and adjust at amp.

**andrewrepasky** · #8 02-05-2012, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lug

Agreed. Place the bass and treble controls at the center detent and adjust tone shaping at the amp. If you can get what you like, the preamp is what you want to swap. I have an SRX505 and love the pups, hate the pre (very touchy, overboosts very low freq to my ears and very touchy, tiny adjustments = big effect, hard to control live ). I haven't changed anything, just leave it at middle detents and adjust at amp.

I think ill look into the barts. I played the sr500 and was pretty impressed. At this point, the bass will become my project bass since I picked up a damien-4

**andrewrepasky** · #9 03-20-2012, 11:46 AM

Been a while! A lot has changed! Traded in the schecter and got an AWESOME deal on a SR500! Other than that, found a deal on the pups and pre from a SR600, which i plan on putting in my SRX!

Question that remains is.....should i go ahead and replace the pickups AND the pre? Or just the pre itself? I love the sound from my sr500, but just weighing my options with the srx390

**andrewrepasky** · #10 03-20-2012, 03:14 PM

And i will have to drill 2 more holes for the install, how hard would it be?

**andrewrepasky** · #11 03-21-2012, 08:25 AM

Bump!

**andrewrepasky** · #12 03-22-2012, 09:44 AM

Anyone??

SGD Lutherie · #13 03-22-2012, 10:51 AM

I believe those pickups are EMG 35 size. Can you measure them and see? That would be 1.5" x 3.5".

There's quite a few pickups made in that form factor.

**andrewrepasky** · #14 03-22-2012, 09:00 PM

Im basically trying to see if drilling into the body of my srx to upgrade the pick ups and pre amp would be worth it. I wouldnt be able to just go back to the stock set up once its done, but i love the pup/pre combo in my sr500. It would be nice to pair those electronics with the body of my srx390