I need ideas for pup changing.

[machine gewehr]

I have a washburn xb120 bass and i have problems with the soapbar pickups.First of all it seems they don't pick everything i play.When i play close to bridge sound is....well not understandable,too tick and annoying.When I boost the volume,oh man the tone is almost distorted and annoying.One more thing is this pups don't have a TONE!.I like playing on higher notes and frets but the tone is...well there is no tone So I'm thinking to replace the bridge pup with a MM pickup or an EMG or something soapbar.Or one more P pup next to neck pup.What would you do,what do you think?Should I wait untill i get a new bass or one of the pup choices?Is it worth spending the money for this bass because it would cost me almost the money i paid for her!And I will be able to buy a new bass one year or later so there is more time i will be playing her.

 

[eots]

There's plenty of variables that contribute to tone, like fingers, strings, pups, etc,,,,Playing technique is the cheapest to fix( read..practice). Strings might be the next..There's an old proverb.. "you get what you pay for".. may apply here. If you like the feel of the bass then that's a start.
I put a seymour duncan 1/4 pounder ($65)on my p bass the same time I changed to flat wound strings($15) and really dig it now. I have also since replaced the bridge ($40) with a gotoh but that didn't seem to do much for it.
The SD 1/4 lb'er seems to be a popular swap.

 

[machine gewehr]

Well I had been thinking it is beacuse of my technique before I played another bass,and it wasn't like that.I don't have a good tech. at the moment but i know it is not that bad.I also know it is not my amp 'cause i played on many amps and all the same result.So when I have to play fast songs,i mean really fast (like Metallica-Wiplash) I have to play close to the neck pup so it gets the sound but my fingers get tired because of the string tansion.if I play close to the bridge,the sound is not understandable,its just noise...

 

[62bass]

Try a bit of foam rubber to mute the strings. A piece about 1 1/2" wide mounted under the strings right up against the bridge. The foam should be just thick enough to touch the strings without deadening them. Experiment a bit until you get it right.

That's what we used in the studios in the 60s and I still do.

 

[machine gewehr]

Thanks for advice I'll try that right away.If it works I'll be able to save lots of money