Best bass mod ever for you?

[CatchaCuda]

My favorite thus far is series/parallel switching on a jazz. Simple, yet really changes things.

 

[instrumentlevel]

Hipshot drop d tuner

This.

Got my first one in ‘92. Have them on all my basses now but one—and it drives me crazy that I don’t have on on that bass. I don’t love 5 strings, but can’t live without that drop D! The only one of many mods I’ve done that I couldn’t live without.

 

[skygzr]

Moar pickups!

 

[Laurent]

Pickups and strings are the most impactful mods you can do by very far.

 

[CPplaysBASS]

TBX tone control on my 3 PJ basses. I always loved the PJ configuration with the standard tone fully clockwise for max treble. Great sound at that one setting, but that was it. Not a whole lot of range, I found, regardless if V/V/T or V/B/T or switch vs. no switch. Then I tried a 90's MIJ PJ bass (what the Duff McKagan model is based on essentially) and was really impressed how the tone was much more dynamic and "open" without as much volume drop with both pickups. Thought it might be the Japanese pickups, then discovered the secret was with the TBX tone control. The reduced resistance allows the brightness of the J pickup to shine through and both pickups in tandem have better punch.

"The Treble Bass Expander (TBX) is a stacked and detented 250K/1Meg potentiometer that expands your tonal palette. It functions as a standard tone control from 1 to 5, after which it decreases resistance, sending more bass, treble, presence and output to your amp."

No longer have that MIJ PJ ironically, but the three PJs I now have each has a TBX control. Would highly recommend for any PJ ... not sure why it wouldn't be stock on all Fender PJ's (is not a pricey part to add).

 

[chris_b]

I try to buy basses that do what I want right out of the box.

These days the only mod I do is to fit Dunlop Straploks.

 

[Ric5]

 

[Ric5]

 

[howlin]

Replaced the neck on my P Bass with a Warmoth neck that has a perfect '62 J Bass profile and a beautiful pau ferro fingerboard with vintage frets. Then I replaced the pickup with an EMG GZR-P.

OUTCOME: Easier to play. Better sound. No noise.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Ramps. Who knew?

Apparently Gary Willis- that dude’s been using them for over 30 years now. I don’t even remember if he mentioned them in his “101 Bass Tips” book that everyone had back in the day.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

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Moar pickups!

What does a J sound like that high up (I’m assuming you’re using a neck pickup)? It’s even higher than the J on a Stu Hamm Urge bass.

 

[Ric5]

 

[Ric5]

 

[Burwabit]

I've had mixed results modding instruments, and many that I've done this with are gone. My best current mod is Lindy Fralin 60's wind single coil pickups in a 2008 American Standard Fender Jazz V. Also really like the Rickenbacker trebel bezel "cove" on my 4003. Beyond that, the rest are just pickguards/cosmetics.

 

[skygzr]

What does a J sound like that high up (I’m assuming you’re using a neck pickup)? It’s even higher than the J on a Stu Hamm Urge bass.

By itself its smooth and bassy. Like the middle pickup but more so. I'm pretty sure I positioned it where the 24th fret would go.

I installed separate on/off switches so all three can be on at once. With all three of them you get an interesting "scooped" sound that I like. I once made a three-pickup Tele that had the same switching.

My motivation for doing this was pretty much "hey lets give it a try". I like the way it looks, too.

 

[alembicbones]

I put a John East Marcus Retro into my Fender Marcus Miller 5 string. I think it is the perfect preamp for this bass.

Bones

 

[Slinger]

Replacing the stock pickups on my SS Jag with Duncan SPB-2 & SJB-2 pickups. The stock pickups were OK, but the Duncans kicked the whole instrument up a couple of levels in my opinion.

 

[Slevage]

Turned my Modulus Q6 into a Q5W(wide).

Restored it back (I think) to a Q6 before selling it.

 

[Vinnie Boombatz]

Lessons.

 

[TCSS]

Changed battery's in my sire's....