Modifying a P-Bass

[ItIsEvil]

I've been thinking about purchasing the current American P-Bass (not the deluxe) and changing the bridge to a badass II and the pick up to a Duncan Quarter pounder.

Do these seem like worthy modifications given the quality of the bridge and pickup already in the instrument?

and does fender allow for some type of custom order where i could recieve a bass with these appointments.

thank you

 

[Pöl]

I've put a quarterpound in my JV 1983 Squier and it rocks... nothing more, nothing less
I don't know if a badass II brigde is a necessairy mod, given the american fenders are string trough body, that's pretty solid to my humble opinion.

Don't take my word for it, but I think you would be better off bying a highway one, mexican of japanese P-bass and put a new brigde and pickups in there (because the bridges suck bigtime)

It's cheaper that way...

Hope I made any sense

Laterz

 

[SuperDuck]

The bridge on my Highway 1 P-Bass works just fine, thank you.

YouAreEvil- My suggestion would be to buy the bass first and decide that you AREN'T going to change anything for two weeks. Just play it, man, you'll have a beautiful bass. Give a chance- I don't see how you can determine things need to be changed when you don't even own the bass yet.

It's your bass, so if you want to change things, more power to you. I'm all about the aftermarket myself. But when I brought my P-Bass home I was thrilled with it bone stock. I'm ain't touching it.

 

[Corwin81]

Doesn't the Steve Harris or Mark Hoppus bass already have what you want?

 

[B'Aces High]

Personally i like the stock pickups and bridge in my MIA P-basses.
I do have a Harris sig with these things on them though...and it does change the sound quite a bit.
I find the Quarter pounds to be very responsive and the mass of the Bad-ass2 does seem to to increase my sustain slightly...but not enough to make this mod on every P-bass.

I think you should listen to Superducks advice, if its an MIA P-bass you want...then get it...and dont mod it for a while...wait to see if you will like what it comes stock with.

 

[The Mock Turtle Regulator]

just one thing- MIA Standard (and Deluxe) P basses have thru-body stringing.

if you want to keep the thru-stringing facility you'll have to drill holes in the baseplate of the BaddassII to match the holes in the body.

 

[Treena Foster]

Originally posted by ItIsEvil
I've been thinking about purchasing the current American P-Bass (not the deluxe) and changing the bridge to a badass II and the pick up to a Duncan Quarter pounder.

Do these seem like worthy modifications given the quality of the bridge and pickup already in the instrument?

and does fender allow for some type of custom order where i could recieve a bass with these appointments.

thank you

I know of a few bass players who will order the Duncan replacement pup and change it out as soon as they can.

This is common among studio or session players.

They want just a little more power from the pickup itself. Which the Duncan pup adds.

The bridge is another story!

YMMV.

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Treena