Want to upgrade my MIM 2011 Fender Precision

[kennesawbob]

I just bought a 2011 MIM Fender Precision and I want to upgrade her pups, pots, cap and wiring. I'm sure she needs a set up but I want to upgrade her first.

I'm new to the bass. I've been playing guitar for many, many years and I have a MIA Tele, MIM Strat and Epi Lp. My Tele I have left along. My Strat and LP have been upgraded.

Open ended questions: What pups would you recommend? (I play classic rock, blues and I will be playing bass with our Contemp Worship Band). I have Seymour Duncan's in my LP an I put Fenders 57/62's in my Strat.

I am open to all opinions!

Thanks in advance!

[sbpark]

There's no reason to upgrade the pots on the MIM's if they are working fine, at least in my opinion. Why do you want to replace the cap? Is there a particular reason, are you not happy with the tone of your current cap/tone pot, or are you just wanting to replace it for no specific reason? How much are you using your tone knob on your bass or do you just leave it wide open all the time? I replaced all the pots, wiring, and switch on a Squier CV tele I had, and kept the stock cap, but that's because the components are junk on those, but MIM guitars and basses have fine components.

My brother has a MIM Precision and he dropped in a Lindy Fralin pickup (stock winding) and it sounds amazing. He's mostly a rock guy (indie rock, post punk, poppy rock stuff and even alt-country stuff) and it sounds amazing. I dropped in a Fender '62 'Original' RI pickup in my '76 Precision and the bass came alive and each string is more defined now, round and has a nice growl to it, and more of an 'old-school' sound.

Pickup preference is VERY subjective, so take others advice with a grain of salt (including mine!) but I sincerely feel that if you are not happy with the stock pup in your MIM, first identify what is is you don't like about it, and then try to find the pickup that seems to have the characteristics you are looking for. Unless you are a metal guy or heavy rock guy, I bet it would be tough to NOT be happy with either of the pickups I suggested, but there are also many others that are similar that get a lot of love on this forum.

As an example, there was a vintage Dimarzio Model P in my '76 when I got it, and that pickup gets a lot of love around here as well, but for me it just sounded too 'big' for my taste, but for a heavy rock guy it would be a great pup. Much hotter pickup than the '62 and the Fralin, just not my cup of tea.

[walterw]

+1

the guts are fine; put a good vintage-type pickup in it (duncan or fender, or go big and get the fralin) and you're there.

the other upgrade might be some cool lightweight tuners, but that's a balance thing, not a sound thing.

[Nashrakh]

Originally Posted by walterw

+1

the guts are fine; put a good vintage-type pickup in it (duncan or fender, or go big and get the fralin) and you're there.

This. Pickup is worth upgrading, the rest is fine unless you're after something specific. I recommend the 62 RI replacement pickups made by Fender, and they're easy to install (gotta love precision guts lol)

The pots are good (no scratchy pots on my 2008 p yet compared to my squier... Doesn't quite bother me that much though), switching caps is imo only necessary if you want a different cap value, they're okay as is.

Actually the only mod that's really worth the $$ on this one is the pups. The rest can hold its own no problem.

[blindrabbit]

I'd suggest leaving it as-is for at least one year. Then, if you decide there are things about it you really want to upgrade, you'll know specifically what you want.

If you really don't like it in the condition it is in, then why not sell it, and take that money plus the cash you'd spend on upgrades buying something else that you do like?

[bassbully]

I put a set of the Fender RI 62 pups in my old MIM. I also added CTS pots and a switchcraft jack and it was one of the best sounding P b asses I ever owned.

[og61pbass]

I would like to know what's so great about 62 reissue pick ups?? I have a 61 p base all factory original, is there a difference between my pick ups and the 62s?? Can anyone clarify this for me please

[BassmanI]

The other thing to consider upgrading is the bridge. The BadassII bridge is a direct fit for the P-Bass.

[depalm]

This

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by og61pbass

I would like to know what's so great about 62 reissue pick ups?? I have a 61 p base all factory original, is there a difference between my pick ups and the 62s?? Can anyone clarify this for me please

Who knows? Certainly wouldn't take the 61 pickup out of your bass to find out, either. But the 62 is one of the best sounding P pickups out there these days. Doubt it sounds identical to your 61 pickup but it does sound great.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by og61pbass

I would like to know what's so great about 62 reissue pick ups?? I have a 61 p base all factory original, is there a difference between my pick ups and the 62s?? Can anyone clarify this for me please

you're looking at this backwards;

the 62 reissue pickup is trying hard to sound as cool as your real '61!

[Davo-London]

Originally Posted by BassmanI

The other thing to consider upgrading is the bridge. The BadassII bridge is a direct fit for the P-Bass.

No, don't. I respectfully disagree. I found the tone better with the stock Fender bridge when I compared the 2.

Davo

[funnyfingers]

Listen through these sound clips. They sold me!

http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/pages/pickups.html

I am getting chrome ones for my Epiphone Thunderbird (USA Gibson pickups). I decided on the ND3 for the neck and SW4 for the bridge. Probably will switch to Vol/Blend/Tone (maybe a parallel/series switch for the ND3).

Just take a listen!

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by og61pbass

I would like to know what's so great about 62 reissue pick ups?? I have a 61 p base all factory original, is there a difference between my pick ups and the 62s?? Can anyone clarify this for me please

It's just good ol' solid P bass tone nice full and round like a good well worn P bass should sound like.

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by Davo-London

No, don't. I respectfully disagree. I found the tone better with the stock Fender bridge when I compared the 2.

Davo

Agree^ stay clear of the BA bridge waste of money IMO.

[sbpark]

Originally Posted by bassbully

I put a set of the Fender RI 62 pups in my old MIM. I also added CTS pots and a switchcraft jack and it was one of the best sounding P b asses I ever owned.

the pots and jack did nothing for your sound. it was just the pup!

[bassbully]

Originally Posted by sbpark

the pots and jack did nothing for your sound. it was just the pup!

I know but they are an upgrade and as long as it was opend up I changed them out.

[sbpark]

Originally Posted by bassbully

Agree^ stay clear of the BA bridge waste of money IMO.

+3

I pulled off a BAII bridge off of my '76 and put on a new Fender 50's/60's style bridge with threaded saddles and it sounded WAY better! Put the BAII up for sale and have no use for it!

[Laurent]

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Who knows? Certainly wouldn't take the 61 pickup out of your bass to find out, either. But the 62 is one of the best sounding P pickups out there these days. Doubt it sounds identical to your 61 pickup but it does sound great.

Pickups from that era were hand wounded and they all sound different in my experience; put aging on the top and you have even wider differences.

I've never had a chance to try a range of vintage pickup by themselves. The ones I have tried were on vintage instruments. So when trying pickups what I am also testing is the instrument itself which further complicate matters. Some vintage bass sound amazing and some lackluster; it can be a mix bag.

[atomicdog]

Originally Posted by BassmanI

The other thing to consider upgrading is the bridge. The BadassII bridge is a direct fit for the P-Bass.

I think the BAII is a step backwards. I always swap them out for vintage ashtrays. It adds punch.