Help buying new pick ups

[Thesteelspine]

Hey guys,

I have a fender squire 4 string bass guitar, yeah I know not the best, but it's my first and I'm still in love with it. Anyway, the pick ups are starting to rust, and I have been wanting to upgrade it anyway.
I'm wanting a nice thick sound, what kind of pick ups should I buy? I would prefer some that aren't that expensive, but I know that you can have good quality and pay a low price.

-Thanks!

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

Just put a new set of Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pickups in a custom Squire build and I love them .

 

[kedo]

Um - is it a Precision or Jazz? Or a P/J?

 

[vistacruiser]

I'm wanting a nice thick sound,

I know you asked about pickups, and it's fun to switch them, but you might get more bang out of a different type of string. Flats, if you don't already use them, are a good place to find a thick sound. Usually for less money too. Unless you go changing them all the time.

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

Um - is it a Precision or Jazz? Or a P/J?

It was a jazz. Now it is a jazz body with a maple precision neck. Here is a picture before I put the Ultra Jazz pups in.

 

[TemplesOfSyrinx]

It was a jazz. Now it is a jazz body with a maple precision neck. Here is a picture before I put the Ultra Jazz pups in.

Here it is.

 

[39-Bassist]

Try the sd stk-2j pickups, great tones, quiet and good priced, just another thought.

 

[Thesteelspine]

Um - is it a Precision or Jazz? Or a P/J?

It's a Custom, it has a P Bass neck; but a Jazz body. I know weird right? It was a custom build, a lady from my old church gave it to me, her husband build it for her, but she never really played it; so she gave it to me cause I wanted to learn how to play.

 

[Thesteelspine]

I know you asked about pickups, and it's fun to switch them, but you might get more bang out of a different type of string. Flats, if you don't already use them, are a good place to find a thick sound. Usually for less money too. Unless you go changing them all the time.

I have some medium D'Addario Strings on it right now, but they are about a year old, should they be replaced?

 

[Thesteelspine]

Scratch that, it has a Jazz Bass neck and a P Bass body; I'll post a picture later.

 

[vistacruiser]

I have some medium D'Addario Strings on it right now, but they are about a year old, should they be replaced?

No.
The older they are, the thicker the sound.

Of course if you're thinking about switching to flats then yes, now is a good time to replace them.

New strings, especially rounds, have more brightness, harmonics and overtones. Old strings will have lost some of that and become mellow and thumpy, which to me describes a thick sound. Thats why I enjoy having a bass strung with flat wounds (LaBella). The sound is more focused on the fundamentals with a lot fewer overtones. They start out thick and get thicker with age. D'Addario and GHS also make good flats that don't cost any more than rounds. The D'Addario "Chromes" tend to be the brightest of flats but still have that thick fundamental. To each his own, a P bass with flats is a beautiful thing.

That said, of my 3 P basses, only one, a '65, has the original p/ups. I have a custom P/J with DiMarzio's and a Squier with Duncans. The P/J with LaBella flats get about 90% of the play.

To your original question about thick sounding pickups...the thickest tone I think I ever had was with Duncan Quarter Pound (spb-3) and the LaBella flats, through a GK 800rb and a 15" SWR cab.