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Mods for a pbass??

T

thatguy5623

Jun 21, 2006
29
0
www.myspace.com
#1
Hey,
I've been searching around for awhile to figure out what the best mods to do on my fender pbass would be when I get it. I couldn't find anything that really had what i wanted in it. So..

My question...

What would be the best mods to do on a pbass.
Bridge?
Tuners?
Pickups?
Nut?

I'm not really worried about the look of it i just want it to sound good and to have a nice versatile tone. I play a lot of different styles but mostly punk and rock. If possible i would like brands and the difference they would make on the intrument. Thanks.

-Alex
 
#5
thatguy5623 said:
My question...

What would be the best mods to do on a pbass.
Bridge?
Tuners?
Pickups?
Nut?
Click to expand...

Alex, welcome to TB. As for the best mods to do to a P, it's all subjective. As you've seen, there are a lot of fans of the Leo Quan BAII bridge. I have one on my P. Hipshot, Gotoh and others make good bridges also. As for pickups, I personally like EMG's and can't stand the Duncan 1/4lb'ers that are so favorable. For a nut I like graphite. Some like bone or brass.

Do some research and determine what you want that way. Also consider if you will be DIY'ing the mods or having them done. That will affect some choices you make. Have fun.
-Stu
 
#6
If it's not "broke" don't fix it, you haven't even tried the bass yet, for all you know it has a tone that you will absolutely love, or mabeye it will be close and you just want it slightly different. Either way, you won't know what to change untill you try out the bass.
 
#8
On my MIM Pbass, I have replaced the bridge, pickup, pickguard, and added chromes. In retrospect, the only thing it really needed was the pickup (SD 1/4 lb), but I like the new look, and I don't regret any of the mods. But play it for a while and see how you like it, The MIM p -basses (I am assuming that is what you have coming) have improved since the mid 90's, especially in the pickup department, so there is a good chance you won't want to change a thing.

If you decide to mod, it will probably first be the pickup, followed by the bridge. Also, don't just jump into things like nut and tuners until you are sure you really need them. I have had the stock tuners on my MIM for 10 years and they work great.
 
#9
spudmaster34 said:
If it's not "broke" don't fix it, you haven't even tried the bass yet, for all you know it has a tone that you will absolutely love, or mabeye it will be close and you just want it slightly different. Either way, you won't know what to change untill you try out the bass.
Click to expand...
+1

Play it a while, with your amp, in a group setting and/or solo setting, then ask yourself where does it fall short, IF it falls short.

Then ask for advice about mods.
 
#10
As has been suggested, play it for a while and decide what needs to be changed in your opinion. Plenty of people are prefectly happy with their bass totally stock.

I think we're all assuming you're planning on a MIM P. If it's an MIA, the debate about hurting resale value starts to pop up. The MIM instruments are a great place to start, but also are great for upgrades. If you feel the need to start swapping things out, the most dramatic change would be the pup (I always upgrade pots when I do a pup change). My taste tends to be more of a vintage tone, and Lindy Fralin pups always nail it for me. As for other parts, such as bridge and tuners, it may be an improvement, it may not. I put a BAII on my MIM J, but after a few months put the stock bridge back on. It just wasn't for me. The stock tuners on my J are the most stable of any of my basses and I really don't see any reason to make a change.
 
#12
For an old school punk sound, try a Fender 62 Ri pickup, or Rio Grande, Fralin, or Lollar vintage style (alnico magnet) and overdrive the amp a bit. If you like the more modern Punk sound, go with the Duncan 1/4 pounder I guess. The 1/4 pounder sounds kind of harsh to me, but lots of people seem to like them. You may find the stock pickup to sound fine. I know lots of guy's and a few girls that play punk bass with dead stock MIA and MIM Fender P basses.
Other than the pickup, I wouldn't go changing anything unless it didn't function properly. If it stays in tune, and intonates properly,and doesn't have any nasty dead spots, I wouldn't mess with the bridge, nut or tuners.
 
#15
I put EMGs on mine and a Schaller bridge, but I've heard good things about the BA2, and you don't have to drill any new holes to put it on. Probably the best/cheapest quick upgrade is the strings. A close second would be a lesson from a teacher for an hour.
 

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