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Pickup Upgrade - Worth It?

AmazingGracePlayer

AmazingGracePlayer

Oct 8, 2006
3,193
3
Summit, NJ
www.google.com
#1
I have an Ibanez SR500 with Bartolini MK1-4 pickups along with Bartolini MK1 3-Band EQ, and the tone it offers is very muddy and disgusting. In short, I don't like the tone. I thought about getting a new bass, but I couldn't find anything built like the Ibanez SR500 - low action, small frets, tight string spacing, 24 frets, etc, etc. So I thought about upgrading it.

The tone I'm looking for is the Victor Wooten tone, and I thought about buying EMG J pickups ($156.00 new on the web). I was wondering, is it worth upgrading the SR500 with a new $156 pickup? If I upgrade the pickups, do I need to upgrade the preamp as well? If yes, are there any certified bass repairers (other than GC) who can do that job for me?

Thanks for all your help!
 
#3
It will not sound like a Victor Wooten even if you put new pickups in it. The Mahogany that the bass is made from is your issue with the muddiness. New pickups might help. Since the SR500 is pretty well made generally, it would not be a waste to get new pickups, but I would also reccomend a new preamp first. The MK-1 preamp is pretty bad IMO and I bet if you replaced it with a 100$ Audere or something similar you would have a lot cleaner tone and a lot more versatility. The MK-1 takes a lot of the sound quality out.
 
#4
A9X said:
The MK1's are P2 sized iirc so EMG's won't fit without routing.
Click to expand...

Which is why I'm going to bring it to some professional bass fixer, or else I'd just do it myself...

Earwigger said:
It will not sound like a Victor Wooten even if you put new pickups in it. The Mahogany that the bass is made from is your issue with the muddiness. New pickups might help. Since the SR500 is pretty well made generally, it would not be a waste to get new pickups, but I would also reccomend a new preamp first. The MK-1 preamp is pretty bad IMO and I bet if you replaced it with a 100$ Audere or something similar you would have a lot cleaner tone and a lot more versatility. The MK-1 takes a lot of the sound quality out.
Click to expand...

Victor's basses have mahogany bodies as well (except he has maple tops). Would it be better if I just upgrade the preamp instead of both the pickups and the preamp?
 
#5
AmazingGracePlayer said:
Which is why I'm going to bring it to some professional bass fixer, or else I'd just do it myself...
Click to expand...
Most people when they change the pups, usually don't want to make permanent mods to the bass, hence my comment so you didn't get a set of pups that won't fit. Since you're OK with routing the -45 size will fit best as the P2 is a bot longer than the -40.

I'd change the pre first as it's a dog. My usual suggestion is an OBP.
 
#6
A9X said:
Most people when they change the pups, usually don't want to make permanent mods to the bass, hence my comment so you didn't get a set of pups that won't fit. Since you're OK with routing the -45 size will fit best as the P2 is a bot longer than the -40.

I'd change the pre first as it's a dog. My usual suggestion is an OBP.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I checked the dimensions of the EMG Js, and they're narrower but thicker... Anyway, I don't have a problem with that as long as it gives a better tone. Which OBP would you suggest?
 
#7
Is it worth it as far as the bass is concerned? No.
Upgrading the electronics won't make it worth much more, so looking at it from that point of view it may be a waste of money.

If it turns out to be exactly what you want and you get a lot of enjoyment out of it, then it is worth every penny.
 
#11
AmazingGracePlayer said:
Yeah, I checked the dimensions of the EMG Js, and they're narrower but thicker... Anyway, I don't have a problem with that as long as it gives a better tone. Which OBP would you suggest?
Click to expand...
You can also get the J's in the EMG standard sized soapbar config. Soame pickup in a rectangular package. When installed it'll look lioke a factory setup, whereas putting J's in the existing pickup holes, even with made covers will look dodgy.

OBP3. Try Link Removed for good service and pricing.
 
#12
funny you brought this up. I have a Cort with the mk p/u and pre, and I'm about to change the pre with a OBP-1. I'm gonna see how that sounds before I change the p/u's. I would rather not have to rout the cavities, and I was told the OBP-1 might be enough to help the sound....
it looks like about a 1/16th route if I have to go that way, and I think both basses are close.
I would say start with the pre and see how that sounds before you change the p/u's..
also, what type of rig do you have? that could also be impacting the overall sound....
 
#13
I was in a similiar situation about 6 months ago. I got a Tbias Toby Pro Korean made 5 string off ebay. It's a walnut body neckthrough with a walnut/maple neck and a rosewood fretboard. I tried and tried to like this bass but couldn't due to the generic tone I got out of it. I took it to a local lutier, Phil Maneri, her in Coulmbus, Ohio and he hooked it up with some Bartolini quad coils and an 18v NTBT. It now sounds as good as any high-end bass and I get nothing but compliments on my tone and that's saying something since before they couldn't even hear me.

He said that the preamp was actually choking my tone and keeping the signal from expanding and I was better off just going passive. Either way I've got a monster now.
 
#14
MadMark5 said:
funny you brought this up. I have a Cort with the mk p/u and pre, and I'm about to change the pre with a OBP-1. I'm gonna see how that sounds before I change the p/u's. I would rather not have to rout the cavities, and I was told the OBP-1 might be enough to help the sound....
it looks like about a 1/16th route if I have to go that way, and I think both basses are close.
I would say start with the pre and see how that sounds before you change the p/u's..
also, what type of rig do you have? that could also be impacting the overall sound....
Click to expand...

I have a Behringer that offers crisp clear highs and solid lows and an Ampeg that offers solid, fusion-like tone overall.
 
#16
Barts are one of the few pickups it pays to change out. They are a dark, muddy-sounding mess if you ask me. If you want to stick with active, EMG's are the way to go.
 

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