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Reasons not to mod a Squier Bronco

#101
I completed stage one of my bronco modding plan about a month ago. I installed a Duncan hotrails in place of the original pickup, scrubbed the whole body with a scotchbrite pad for a matte finish, and strung it with chromes.
IMG_20130222_152132_068_zps4db62294.jpg

This was a great little axe to begin with but now it just screams!
 
#102
Ok, while I practice cutting custom pickguards for another project I figured I would test my rattle can skills on my broncos original pg.
She is making her stage debut on wednesday so I dressed her in a nice glitter-flake red! Almost looks like the ruby slippers in person, it's going to be awesome under the lights!
IMG_1241_zpsf36e1f6d.jpg

IMG_1240_zps51181feb.jpg

IMG_20130524_203458_668_zps2d5f0da1.jpg

Apologies for the less than stellar pictures...
-John
 
#103
The only time I played a Bronco in a store, it felt incredibly cheap, and the fretting seemed terrible. I own and regularly gig two Squiers, and it felt a lot cheaper than those. Like First Act cheap. I've recently been offered a Bronco in a trade deal, and this thread has me wondering if I just played a very poorly setup store bass. Might be worth picking up.
 
#105
I bought a loaded bronco body really cheap and put a SS Jaguar neck on it. As I understand it, the Jaguar nut is slightly smaller than the bronco. But, mostly I liked the Jag's black headstock and rosewood fretboard which matched the Bronco's black body. I put some Chromes on it and have a GFS Lil Killer waiting to be installed. All in all a rather inexpensive bass build that's fun to play with decent tone.
 
#106
I posted a similar topic about my yamaha rbx 250 a while back and got a couple "now why would u go and do that comments" I was recently able to afford a new set up pickups and had my handy dandy soldering comrade come over and help me install those sumbiches and ill tell you what. It might as well be a whole new bass. It made me appreciate my bass a whole lot more. The tone is very clear clean full and loud. I use to look at basses I wish I could buy and for the first time I feel content. I have a bass with a damn straight neck. Light body, and sounds sick. Don't really want much else. Except maybe nicer tuners. The pickups I put in were the dimarzio p model 122
 
#109
jumblemind said:
The only time I played a Bronco in a store, it felt incredibly cheap, and the fretting seemed terrible. I own and regularly gig two Squiers, and it felt a lot cheaper than those. Like First Act cheap. I've recently been offered a Bronco in a trade deal, and this thread has me wondering if I just played a very poorly setup store bass. Might be worth picking up.
Click to expand...

It took 3 stores before I found one that was decent. That 4th one I found though has been a solid niceplaying bass for about 3yrs now. I did replace the pup. The neck on a good one is really nice. Don't let the 2 saddle bridge turn you away. I've never had a problem with it setup-wise.
 
#110
I replaced the pickup in my Bronco yesterday. After agonizing over all the different pickup options I went with the recommendation from Honeyiscool and got a Fender Lace Sensor Red off Ebay. I love my Bronco and I was not unhappy with the stock pickup sound. I'm a fan of that "John Paul Jones" sound and the Bronco gives it to me. Before taking the old pup out I did a recording of it DI into my Mackie 402 and into Reaper. I think that's the best way to check a pickups tone. Very nice, deep tone with a hint of growl. I was surprised that the stock pickup was heftier than the Lace. I had to file the ends of the pickguard slot just a hair to make for a nice tight fit for the Lace. The Lace has three wires so I was "***" and had to go online to suss that out. The orange wire is apparently the Hot and the white and green are both grounds. Not like what I would have figured without checking.

Plugged the Bronco and Lace back into the Mackie and was surprised that it seemed not quite as loud as the stock pup. Not a big deal but still......But the TONE! Sweet, thick and rich...downright chocalatey. I was pleased. Just for fun I did my P bass next, and it's fine but growly, more Mike Dirnt than JPJ.

I don't think I'm going to do anymore mods to the Bronco. If I did anything it would be the pots and/or the bridge. The tuners are fine. I keep looking at the old bridge I took off the P bass. I think I could make it work. The string spacing has to be reduced by about 3/16's. I could do that by taking 1/32 off the inside ends of the E and G saddles and 1/32 off both ends of the A and D saddles and then top it off with a bridge cover because I'm not crazy about the way the p bass bridge looks. But really the Broncos bridge is fine the intonation isn't perfect but it's very close. And it's a good looking bridge.

I love my Bronco. I've got four basses and the Bronco is my favorite.
 
#111
I have no pics, but in the early 80's I heavily modded a Musicmaster bass. I made an 8 string out of it. I moved the neck out an inch and moved the bridge up an inch. I then cut and routed the butt end of the bass, to make room for four guitar tuners, as BC Rich had done.

I replaced the pickup with an EMG SA that was fantastic. I made a new pickguard to cover the opening by the neck.

New brass nut. four small holes drilled in the headstock to anchor the octave strings. The bridge saddles were threaded, so they worked fine. I drilled four small holes in the bridge for the guitar strings to pass through.

The guy I got the EMG from wanted it back, so I routed for a full sized Shaller bass humbucker.

It was a great bass. My first 8 string.
 
#113
cm3ohana said:
I bought a loaded bronco body really cheap and put a SS Jaguar neck on it. As I understand it, the Jaguar nut is slightly smaller than the bronco. But, mostly I liked the Jag's black headstock and rosewood fretboard which matched the Bronco's black body. I put some Chromes on it and have a GFS Lil Killer waiting to be installed. All in all a rather inexpensive bass build that's fun to play with decent tone.
Click to expand...

I've completed the mods I intended to do so far. I installed the GFS Lil Killer (10K model) and CTS 250K pots and a Switchcraft input jack. The GFS Lil Killer is definitely hot compared to the original pickup. Fat tone and deeper bass and no more single coil hum. Love it. Next is a pickguard change only cuz I'm not a fan of the black/white look. Thinking I'm going with tort. All together, I don't think I've spent more on putting together this bass than what I can buy the bass brand new for at GC. For the money I've put into it, it's a pretty decent bass. So decent that it's gigged once a month...and that was before the pickup change. Here's a pic of the bass today:
SquierBroncoBass_zps84380fb6.jpg
 
#114
Pilgrim said:
Found another option which is mentioned in other Bronco threads....

Basspartsresource.com has a 4-saddle Musicmaster bridge for $26.79:

Link Removed (top right corner of the page)

Not sure about screw hole alignment with the Bronco, but I can check that when mine arrives.
Click to expand...




SQUIER
MUSICMASTER
BASS BRIDGE
005-1803-000
Genuine Fender Squier Musicmaster Reissue chrome bass bridge. Includes mounting screws.
$19.99 OUT OF STOCK

^^
That one looks like a top-load. Could be wrong, but they normally mention thru-stringing in the description. Either way, $20 and out of stock.

(*from the same link)
 
#116
OK, here's the configuration I will STAY with....

I got a TV Jones-design pickup out of a Gretsch 2202 and installed it. WOW!! That is one of my all-time favorite pickups, and it just roars in the Squier.

Here's how I have it set up...next to my Mikey Way Squier, which has a humbucker in it:

20130118_122940.jpg


If you can't rock it with one of these two basses, it prob'ly doesn't need to be rocked.
 
#117
I'd love to try one of those TV Jones pickups. I'm thinking I should put a quick disconnect on the the bridge ground and just set up a bunch of extra pickguards with different pickups and just swap them out as the mood strikes. Well that's a nice daydream anyway....
Actually I just got my 2202 yesterday (and love it) so what I meant was I'd like to try one of those Filtertrons
 

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