SX 5-string fretless upgrade- looking for advice

[paganjack]

I have an SX 5-string fretless bass and I was thinking about upgrading the pickups on it. It's got whatever nameless things on it right now. Maybe I would be biting off more than I can chew, but I really like the look and feel of my bass [i love the fretlessness] so I don't really just want to buy another bass. I also think that replacing the pickups on it would make it into a far superior instrument.

I change the strings pretty regularly, so I know what it sounds like at its best. I usually use Ernie Ball Heavy Gauge, because I love the metallic crispness that they have. I play through a GK 700-RB II with a Neo 112 cab and I use a Boss GT-6B effects processor. It generally sounds good, but I feel like new pickups would air out my low end and give it an even cleaner, crisper sound.

Anyway, I've got enough woodworking and electronics experience that I'm not really intimidated by the task of changing stuff around even if i have to do some chopwork on my bass, but I would like some opinions on two things:

1) is this worth my time and money?
2) what would be a good set of pickups to put in?

I've been looking at the EMG-PJ pickup set, but I have no real experience with pickups so I have no real idea if that would be a good set for me or not.

[Mushroo]

Hi Paganjack,
You are going to get a lot of opinions on this... a good place to start is by searching the forums for "Essex" and reading through the many threads to see what others have replaced their pickups with, and whether or not they were happy with the results.

My 2 cents: Don't go with a PJ pickup configuration; a P pickup is not ideal for 5-string. Try to find 5-string JJ pickups that are an exact replacement so you don't have to do any woodworking; that way, you can always go back to the stock pickups if you sell the bass or aren't happy with the sound.

While you are at it, consider rewiring your bass. Some people find this improves the sound as much as new pickups. You can buy a complete wiring harness from companies like HAS Sound and Bayou Cables. Another option is to add an active preamp. This would give you bass and treble boost/cut controls, for a more modern sound that gives you more control.

You said you are looking for a "clean, crisp" sound with a bit more "air" in the low end. You are ahead of the game, my friend, in that you already have an idea of what you are looking for. A lot of people post in the forum "what pickups should I get" without articulating what's wrong with the stock pickups, or what they are looking for in a replacement. EMGs might be a good choice for you. I don't personally have them in any of my basses, but they do have the reputation for a clear, bright sound. Good luck!

[Mushroo]

ps I am assuming your bass has the JJ pickups, because that's mostly what I see on the Rondo site. If your bass has a different pickup configuration, obviously you should adapt my advice accordingly.

The J pickup shape is one of the 2 most popular pickup types for bass, so there are lots of options (even for 5 string). The basic design has been around over 40 years, ever since Fender invented the Jazz bass (obviously), so it is well-understood. The stock pickups in your SX stick with this same basic design, so there is nothing "wrong" with them. The different J pickups on the market are basically slight variations in materials, how the coils are wound, and quality of craftsmanship. Think different varieties of apple, not apples and oranges, if that makes any sense.