switching pickups in the squier

pandaman37 · #1 05-02-2011, 09:27 PM

ive had my squier jazz for over a year now, and i love it. it plays great, its as if it were made for my hands. however, i feel like the time has come to change out the pickups. i feel if i got a decent set of pickups in there, id have a bass greater than or equal to a lot of those mexican made jazzers out there.
SO, a few questions:
a) im looking for a very versatile tone, so anything from a really mellow P sound to a really hot stanky high output... like pino palladino ranging to louis johnson. suggestions?

b) will i need professional help to solder the pickups in? i have worked with soldering electronics before, but with less than a base knowledge of how pickups work im not too confident in my abilities.

uhh i think thats it. Thanks!

EDIT: and im in high school, so im working with virtually no budget here. so, cheap, passive pickups. not like ridiculously cheap, im just not looking for super high end pickups. lets say an eighty dollar price cap.

Muzoid · #2 05-02-2011, 09:31 PM

Soldering new pups only if fairly easy....just wire them the same as the old ones were.

As for P sound? I'm sure someone will chime in for you on that.

I have (2) J45's in my Jazz style bass, and I love them!

96tbird · #3 05-02-2011, 09:46 PM

So seymor Duncans are no good? Why? Get a really good amp before you bother. These pups rock my 75 v4-b! Has all the voices you describe and more.

If you are in highschool, go see your shop teacher and tell him you want to learn how to solder. If you need professional help to solder you aren't trying hard enough in life. Just kidding. It's just that soldering is so darned simple to learn.

pandaman37 · #4 05-02-2011, 09:59 PM

hahaha i know but its risky bsnss. like i just dont wanna screw up and be out 80 bucks and a pair of pickups naw mean?
ill do some snoopin and be sure to let yall know how it goes

thanks!

John Wentzien · #5 05-02-2011, 10:06 PM

These are pretty darn good.
Bass Parts Resource: EMG Select Bass Pickups

PhiDeck · #6 05-02-2011, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pandaman37

hahaha i know but its risky bsnss. like i just dont wanna screw up and be out 80 bucks and a pair of pickups naw mean?
ill do some snoopin and be sure to let yall know how it goes

thanks!

You practice soldering stuff that doesn't matter until you get good at it. Only then do you solder the real project.
Clearly, that requires planning and patience, qualities that vary widely among individuals.