Question from a new guy: Ibanez EDB400 circuit and pickup upgrades
 

Hey folks! I have browsed these forums for years and have just now decided to join the community due to a renewed vigor to play bass! I thought I'd begin by asking an important question.

Is it possible to upgrade the circuitry and the pickups in my old EDB400? The electronics in my old baby have seen better days and I was wondering if I could upgrade them. Is this even an economical option or would a new bass be more viable?

Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Hunter

You can change pickups and/or preamps/controls in any bass.

Thanks for the reply! I did some measuring and my pickups are ~4-1/8". The only 4-string pickup I can find that matches these dimensions is the Bartolini CF4CBC. All EMG pickups for 4-string seem to be 3.5". Maybe I have 5 string pickups? Also, is there a good place on this forum to look for tutorials on how to upgrade the circuitry in a bass?

Thanks in advance,
Hunter

I have an Ergodyne bass too, mine's a 5-string. It appears they use either made-in-Korea 'Bartolini' pickups or Ibanez' knock-offs that are the same size. US Bartolini MK series pickups should be a "drop in" replacement (meaning their the same size as the OEM pickups, no routing of the bass should be needed). The ability to solder is needed for installing pickups and preamps, and you really need a multimeter (volt-ohm meter) to troubleshoot if things go wrong.

I'm planning on upgrading my Ergodyne by replacing the neck pickup with a US made Bart and replacing the "Phat II EQ" gizmo with a differerent preamp, probably an EMG.