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New pickups and possibly electronics to a cheap bass?

#21
petjaolvi said:
cost-effective for me
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if it plays correctly for you = it may never be "cost effective" --- but it doesn't matter!

it's about playability and your enjoyment of the instrument:
two fingers said:
That's the only thing that matters to me when deciding whether or not to dump some money into a bass.
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good luck on your quest! :thumbsup:
 
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#22
I've done a lot of mod work to my basses, installing all kinds of pick-ups and preamps, etc. Sometimes it was a win, sometimes it was a loss. Most of the time, I found that it was a gigantic waste of money. You said yourself, that the bass sounds good, so I'd leave it be. In a live situation, no one in the audience will care that your Stingray copy sounds more growly. Hell, even in recordings, most people will not give a damn about bass tone unless you are a bass soloist. Woodshed trumps woodwork - focus your energy on that and it will impress a hell of a lot more people.
 
#26
I have changed Pups in a couple of guitars one for the better one not. Both times I used Guitar Fetish stuff so I didn't have much into it. I have never changed a Pup in my Bass but I am thinking about it. Then I read this "Woodshed trumps woodwork" and it brings me back to home.
 
#27
A good way to get growl and punchy stingray tone on a budget is to install the EMG MM pickup with no preamp. If you buy a Nordtrand or bart and then add a Preamp you are out $250. The EMG is $119 and easy to install. i am not saying it is the best pickup but it is a great option for a low cost big upgrade in tone. If you love the bass and are going to keep it the cost of upgrades doesn't matter anyway.

 
#29
petjaolvi said:
I recently picked up an used Eko MM-305 5-string Stingray copy for a fairly good price. I love the playability of the bass as it has a tighter string spacing and the neck is not too wide (I'm a small guy with small hands!). I can also get the action much lower than on my Music Man SUB USA, which is great.

The bass sounds good now, but I'm wondering if I could make it more growly and 'Stingray-like' by switching the pups and possibly electronics? Do you have any recommendations? Also, could my bass be changed from passive to active?

I know, I know, my Eko will always be a cheap bass and it'll never be a genuine Stingray, but as a student I really can't afford a real EBMM bass. I'm also not asking if it's worth it because I won't be selling the bass and I want to explore the world of modifying instruments as there's something rather cool about having an instrument that you've actually improved yourself. What matters the most to me is that I have a bass that I like playing.
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I replaced pickups in my MIM Jazz with the Fender PV '74's. Did the work myself.
sounds better. for not much $$. I would personally by an active bass if I wanted active.....
 
#35
Thanks for all the replies fellow bassists! I've now decided that the first thing on the makeover list for my Eko is changing the tuning pegs (and new strings), since today I noticed that my bass won't keep in tune and they indeed feel a bit flimsy.

I'll go with the stock electronics and pickup for some time as I have to buy a new cab and I don't have money for a cab and parts. My mom recently asked me what would be my Christmas gift wish so I said money for bass parts, so I'll be looking forward to it!;)

Sorry this is outside the topic but have any of you used Eden EX-112 (8 or 4 ohms version) cab? I plan on buying it since the price is not so bad and I need a new cab for bass practice and jamming with friends (no drummer). My local guitar store is quite small and they only have Markbass and Ampeg, so I can't go and try them out.
 
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#36
I would say upgrading depends on what your end goal is, and where you are financially.

You are a student with a bass you love to play, and want to do some upgrades. In my opinion, now is the best time for you to do it. Now is the time to experiment and learn lessons. Let's say you make the changes, and you don't like it. You can always put it back to the way it was. In the meantime, you learned more about your bass and how basses work. If it turns out that you do like it, then bonus! If you do this, you will have an experience to draw back on to determine if you want to do it again.

For those who are saying to just concentrate on playing, I agree - but only to a point. As is frequently said on these forums, having a bass you enjoy playing and an amp that makes it sound good will make you want to play more. So, if he does the upgrade and likes the sound (even if no one else notices or cares), then he's more likely to woodshed.
 
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#37
wintremute said:
For those who are saying to just concentrate on playing, I agree - but only to a point. As is frequently said on these forums, having a bass you enjoy playing and an amp that makes it sound good will make you want to play more. So, if he does the upgrade and likes the sound (even if no one else notices or cares), then he's more likely to woodshed.
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I can definitely agree on this. When I was learning guitar as a 11-year old kid I played a really really cheap China-made guitar and an amp that cost around 20 euros because I really didn't know better. The guitar had a really high action, huge neck, awful tone and I hated playing it, so I quit guitar for many years. I still have the guitar and I still don't like playing it, it's just hanging on the wall because it looks cool (a black strat copy with a purple pearl pickguard).

When I picked up the bass I knew more about instruments and I've always bought the basses I liked playing the most and I've been happy with my choices! So yes, having an instrument you love playing does really encourage you to play more.
 
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#38
Sure, why not?

If it plays well as far as the neck goes, a pickup swap can be a major improvement over what you have since the pickup accounts for about half of everything you hear coming from your bass. And it's easy to switch if you change your mind.
 
#39
techbass76 said:
A good way to get growl and punchy stingray tone on a budget is to install the EMG MM pickup with no preamp. If you buy a Nordtrand or bart and then add a Preamp you are out $250. The EMG is $119 and easy to install. i am not saying it is the best pickup but it is a great option for a low cost big upgrade in tone. If you love the bass and are going to keep it the cost of upgrades doesn't matter anyway.

Click to expand...

How do you use it without a preamp?
 

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