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Bass Mods and Improvements

C

CheshireCatFun1

Dec 13, 2021
27
16
#1
I'm working on a pretty extensive bass project and I was curious. What are some of the best bass mods you've seen in a bass?

Whether it's active or passive electronics, specifically what, and why; bridge options; a certain kind of modified nut; an all access neck joint; the uses of piezo; various EQ options, vs only a tone control, vs any tone control at all; and so on, what are the best mods that you've seen. To give you an idea, the platform I'm basing this off of is a P-Bass, with particular attention to what Billy Sheehan and Cliff Burton did, so mods starting off with, say "using a neck-thru" and whatnot, while definitely worth mentioning, might not be directly applicable. Still, all mods are welcome.

Also, this thread is for education and fun, along with being directly applicable to a specific project I'm working on, so please, no responses about "the sound is in your hands" or "Jaco only used four strings" or "Jaco only used a plain Jazz Bass, so why bother" and so on. This is meant to explore different options and see how creative we can get, along with some really practical stuff as well, so that sort of response would be like observing that "Well, Ringo, Charlie, and Bonzo only used a four piece" on a thread exploring Neil Peart's or Terry Bozzio's kits on a drum forum. Let's just have fun talking about our favorite mods.

Also, this is a new account because I can't log into my old account. For whatever reason, the password reset function won't work, and I've tried repeatedly. :( If anyone knows how to get that working, please let me know.

Chesh
 
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#2
Not really into modding...I find it totally unnecessary because I've come to realize perfection is out there with simply the right bass and right strings.
However, when I was tone chasing, I had an FSR Fender Jazz bass that I "upgraded" with an Audere JZ-3 preamp and Fender Super 55 pickups.
Relatively simple...no soldering...just a bit of a tight squeeze with the battery. Definitely easier to do the same mod with a Jazz bass that has a rear battery compartment.
Rather worthwhile project for those who must, but the Fender Super 55s are no longer in production and I wouldn't do it again without them.
Yes, it was a much better bass, absolutely no doubting it sounded superior to any Fender I was aware of, but...

(Oh, yeah, put a Babicz bridge on a Squier VM Hazz a few years ago. Not a simple drop-in bridge mod, but definitely worth it.)
 
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#3
Very fascinating leads on the pickups. Also, the preamp. I'm going to look into that. As for battery boxes, I'll be making the body so I'll be incorporating battery boxes into the design.

Incidentally, my goal is to simply make the right bass (with the right strings, of course!). ;)
 
#7
I find mods to be more of a solution (or an attempt at a solution) to a problem than anything. “I don’t like X feature on this bass, so I’m going to change it” sort of thing. So it’s really a matter of what I’d want to achieve and how do I get there with what I have.

Oh, and I would totally classify boredom and idle hands as a problem that often gets addressed with mods… :smug:
 
#8
Out of my nine basses only three have no mods. One was modded because the pick up failed so I went with the music store recommendation of a hot Bill Lawrence pick up. My first Jazz bass came with Dimarzios when I bought it. All the others where built with after market parts as part of my bass building hobby. In the end none are that much different once plugged in.

Actually I would like to add that IMHO noticing much of the SOUND changes that come with mods requires a good amplifier and speakers. My Eden brings out more of these subtleties that an old Fender amp.
 
#9
I've modded several. My favorite mod so far was dropping an EMG Geezer pickup in a mid 80s MIJ Fender P bass. It brought that bass to life a little. I also really liked the results of removing a high-mass bridge and going back to a bent plate on another P bass. It sounds more like a P bass to me now.
 
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#11
CheshireCatFun1 said:
I'm working on a pretty extensive bass project and I was curious. What are some of the best bass mods you've seen in a bass?

Whether it's active or passive electronics, specifically what, and why; bridge options; a certain kind of modified nut; an all access neck joint; the uses of piezo; various EQ options, vs only a tone control, vs any tone control at all; and so on, what are the best mods that you've seen. To give you an idea, the platform I'm basing this off of is a P-Bass, with particular attention to what Billy Sheehan and Cliff Burton did, so mods starting off with, say "using a neck-thru" and whatnot, while definitely worth mentioning, might not be directly applicable. Still, all mods are welcome.

Also, this thread is for education and fun, along with being directly applicable to a specific project I'm working on, so please, no responses about "the sound is in your hands" or "Jaco only used four strings" or "Jaco only used a plain Jazz Bass, so why bother" and so on. This is meant to explore different options and see how creative we can get, along with some really practical stuff as well, so that sort of response would be like observing that "Well, Ringo, Charlie, and Bonzo only used a four piece" on a thread exploring Neil Peart's or Terry Bozzio's kits on a drum forum. Let's just have fun talking about our favorite mods.

Also, this is a new account because I can't log into my old account. For whatever reason, the password reset function won't work, and I've tried repeatedly. :( If anyone knows how to get that working, please let me know.

Chesh
Click to expand...
None of the above. But I have seen one good mod that actually improved a bass, and that was when Brian Bromberg put radiused faces on the pickups on his Carvin (now Kiesel) signature bass:

https://www.kieselguitars.com/series/bass/brian-bromberg-signature

I had a 5 string Bromberg for a while (may it R.I.P.) and the radiused PU faces absolutely made it a dream to play. It was such a good modification, in fact, that Carvin/Kiesel now offers radiused pickups on their entire line of basses.

If I could cleanly do a similar mod on my existing basses I'd do it, but I don't have the craftsmanship to do it right. At least not right now...

L
 
#12
CheshireCatFun1 said:
I'm working on a pretty extensive bass project and I was curious. What are some of the best bass mods you've seen in a bass?

Whether it's active or passive electronics, specifically what, and why; bridge options; a certain kind of modified nut; an all access neck joint; the uses of piezo; various EQ options, vs only a tone control, vs any tone control at all; and so on, what are the best mods that you've seen. To give you an idea, the platform I'm basing this off of is a P-Bass, with particular attention to what Billy Sheehan and Cliff Burton did, so mods starting off with, say "using a neck-thru" and whatnot, while definitely worth mentioning, might not be directly applicable. Still, all mods are welcome.

Also, this thread is for education and fun, along with being directly applicable to a specific project I'm working on, so please, no responses about "the sound is in your hands" or "Jaco only used four strings" or "Jaco only used a plain Jazz Bass, so why bother" and so on. This is meant to explore different options and see how creative we can get, along with some really practical stuff as well, so that sort of response would be like observing that "Well, Ringo, Charlie, and Bonzo only used a four piece" on a thread exploring Neil Peart's or Terry Bozzio's kits on a drum forum. Let's just have fun talking about our favorite mods.

Also, this is a new account because I can't log into my old account. For whatever reason, the password reset function won't work, and I've tried repeatedly. :( If anyone knows how to get that working, please let me know.

Chesh
Click to expand...
Best is always in the eye of the beholder. If the goal is to get the most radical change in tone, I would start with pickups, personally. So many different flavors out there that can be put in many different positions. If the goal is to stretch yourself and find new frontiers then a whole batch of questions pop up. What mods have you done before and is there any particular aspect of modding that you want to try out?
 
#15
MultiScaleMale said:
You'll start with a $1,000 bass, do $800 in mods and end up with a $600 bass. I've repainted, done fretless conversions, swapped pickups and preamps. Unless there is a significant emotional attachment to that instrument, you're almost always better off with selling the current instrument and buying what you want.
Click to expand...
And then you'll die of boredom
 
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#16
MultiScaleMale said:
You'll start with a $1,000 bass, do $800 in mods and end up with a $600 bass. I've repainted, done fretless conversions, swapped pickups and preamps. Unless there is a significant emotional attachment to that instrument, you're almost always better off with selling the current instrument and buying what you want.
Click to expand...

That's truth. I started with $600 p bass and put about $800 into it. It's worth about $350-400, but I like it a lot and it will be a lifer to me
 
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#17
I put a hipshot bridge, Glock pre and tuners on a CS, because the original kit was poor.
No drilling so all the old kit can go back on resale if need be.

I think I have added $500-600 or so, which will break even with my percieved sale price, but I've actually made it a playable bass.
It was far from that before. To this day I call it a block of wood and have far better Custom basses.
But until recently, it was my number 1. It may not make my next 2 bass gig now.
 
#18
Pierre Bize said:
Hi there, I have recently found out that a set of new strings and a GOOD set-up often do more than any other hardware/electronic tweak
Click to expand...
Yeah, I bought a cheap Fender Jazz Bass special that was pretty beat up, I decided to seyup & mod myself! It was totally worthwhile!! I learned a ton! wiring, setup,& paint touch upI went so far as replacing a damaged neck. I didnt want to get into neck shaping or construction. I even stripped the paint & did a refin! I probably'll never do that again! Although it was a good learning experience (it takes too long at home)it came out awesome & no one can tell its my DIY bass! I painted myself after a bad experience with a pro painter! GL
 
#20
If I bought a MiA P today it would have a Lindy Fralin pickup in it tomorrow. And as soon as I had a chance I'd get PLEK. Is that the kind of thing you're asking?
If I was going to do an active mod it would most likely be an East preamp.
While I generally prefer higher mass bridges I would also concede that half the argument for or against is based on appearance so either you like or you don't. Other than that I'd make sure good quality pots and cap are used, a good jack, proper shielding.
And chicken head knobs.
 

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