• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join freeLog in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Good Quality P Bass Loaded Pickguards.

Wondering if there are some people recommend for my Squire P-Bass. I'm upgrading the electronics. I would prefer one with a bit of a vintage sound but my budget is about $105 so...

Remember "loaded meaning electronics in it."
 
With loaded pickguards you don't normally get electronics that would constitute an upgrade over what you already have.

I would choose a decent pickup, which your budget allows for, and install that. I assume you want it loaded because you don't solder? If that's the case, you could use solderless connectors. There are little terminals that allow you to insert the end of a cable in it, and tighten a screw to make a good mechanical & electrical contact. All you'd have to do is carefully peel off a bit of the plastic at the end of the cut cables, twist the wire inside do that all the threads are neatly aligned together, and insert that into the terminal.

If you go that way, I'd recommend an EMG GZR pickup. Unusual for EMG, who are better known for their active pickups, this is a passive pickup so it's a straight replacement for your bass, and it is a really nice sounding pickup.

Actually... doh, I'm dumb. The EMG GZR *already* comes as a kit, a solderless kit. When you buy the pickup you get in the box a volume pot, a tone tot, output socket and the necessary cabling: all using push-in connectors, no solder required. The only cable you need to splice together is the one that connects the bridge to ground, which you will have to do also with any loaded pickguard anyway (and you could even just twist the ends of the cables together, wrap in electrical tape and that's it.

Check it out in the link below:

Invalid Link Removed
 
Wondering if there are some people recommend for my Squire P-Bass. I'm upgrading the electronics. I would prefer one with a bit of a vintage sound but my budget is about $105 so...

Remember "loaded meaning electronics in it."
In a basic P Bass circuit, unless you had a faulty circuit to begin with, replacing Chinese No-Name 250K pots/0.047uF caps with CTS 250K pots/Sprague 0.047uF cap will change your sound 0%. Zero. It may change how the controls respond and feel, due to differences in tolerances/taper, but it will not change the sound.

Pickups may change your sound somewhat, but mainly by increasing the output signal - which many people hear as "more tone." More signal to process means less stuff getting "lost."

Strings, and playing style, effect your sound most of all. Especially with a "hot" pickup.

Your best, and cheapest, bet for a "vintage sound" is flats and a mute. Unless we're talking about a Squier Affinity P, in which case add tuners to the list.
 

Latest posts