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Replacing stock pickups help/questions

Y

yaboiimizz

Apr 28, 2010
83
0
#1
Okay guys pretty much im unhappy with my stock ESP passive pickups in my ESP Ltd B-105 which has a active eq. There pretty heavy on the lows and i like more of a mid ranged aggressive tone similar to like a stingray or something.

Okay first just wondering how much improvement in sound i would get from upgrading them, and what exactly would be improved?

Also im looking at the EMG 40HZ but was wondering if instead of getting passive pickups would getting some actives and putting in the extra money to get a battery and everything installed be worth it?

I dont know really that much about pickups and all that so any help will be appreciated.
 
#2
I see your amp has a four band e.Q. Does adjusting it get you any closer to what you want sound wise?
How about the active e.q. on your bass? Combining the cut from the amp and active e.q. should cut your bass enough to all most eliminate it. How about boosting the mids on your amp? bass?

OR, How about a 10 band e.q. pedal? [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Programmable 10 band e.q. ? BOSS U.S. - EQ-20: Advanced EQ

Something to consider before spending your hard earned cash. :eek:
 
#3
Yeah, to further what Stumbo is saying... I wouldn't look at a pickup upgrade before upgrading something like your amp. Even though the pickups might be a cheaper switch, it might be the amp itself (or how you're currently setting it) that is the issue.

Since your tone is being shaped both by the EQ on your active preamp and then again on your amp, to start with, make sure you're starting with your bass's preamp controls set to flat. I'm not saying you're doing this, but a really common mistake some folks make is to turn all the knobs on their bass all the way up. You'll want the main volume knob all the way up but bass and treble usually have a center detent which is where you'll wanna start.

and then make sure you're starting with the knobs on your amp set flat as well. Feel free to adjust and tweak things as needed, but make EQ adjustments slowly and carefully. A good rule of thumb: try cutting frequencies before you boost them. So if your tone is too bassy, rather than turning up the mids, try cutting the bass a tiny amount and turn up the master volume as needed. If that doesn't seem to work, try it the other way. Different amps react differently, and sometimes require different adjustments.
 
#4
Well trust me i played around with the amp eq alot to try and get my desired tone but still just not what i want. Ofcourse this could be due to my amp seeing its not the best.

Also the preamp isn't the best well the treble is fine but the bass theres a scratch sound when you boost about a quarter of the way then after that you get tons of bass, so i cant really use it unless i want tiny bit of bass or tons. I dont know if thats something i can get fixed or if its just the preamp and it needs to be replaced.

But yea would new pickups just enhance my sound and maybe make it easier to get my desired tone and everything?
 
#7
It's a tough call, really. Sounds like one of your pots is dirty -- causing the scratching sound. Replacing the pot (or having a tech do it) might help you get a little better control over your tone, but if you're not digging the sound of the bass, including the preamp and the pickups, it probably won't change your mind. My best suggestion... before you make any modifications to your bass or spend any money, head down to a music store and play a bunch of different basses. Get a feel for which basses give you a tone closer to what you like, and see if you can figure out which pickups they have, or at least take note of the model number so you can look up the pickups at home. Also consider taking your bass to the shop and playing it through a number of different amps and see if you're any happier with the tone. Basically just try to isolate exactly what it is that you're not liking, because while pickups contribute a good portion of the tone, they're not the only factor. Good luck!
 
#8
yaboiimizz said:
.... but the bass theres a scratch sound when you boost about a quarter of the way then after that you get tons of bass, so i cant really use it unless i want tiny bit of bass or tons. I dont know if thats something i can get fixed or if its just the preamp and it needs to be replaced.
Click to expand...

Replacing the pickups before you replace/repair the bass pot/preamp may be a waste of your hard earned money.

+1 on having a tech take a look at everything. Maybe replacing the pot is all you'll have to do. Throwing money at replacement pickups may be a disappointment.

But yea would new pickups just enhance my sound and maybe make it easier to get my desired tone and everything?
Click to expand...

Not unless your pots/preamp are in good working order. Until then, seems to me, that you're coming up with a "fix" based on a diagnosis of problem where you don't have all the information that you need (status of pots/preamp).
 
#9
Okay thanks i'll take it in to a tech.

But just one more question, seeing i have an active preamp does that mean i can put active pickups in my bass, because i heard active electronics = active pickups? Just want to clear this up.

EDIT: I took the battery out of my bass and plugged it in to see if it worked without a battery, and it didnt couldnt get any sound even when setting the preamp flat. Does this mean my pickups are active right?
 

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