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Something my bass teacher said .

#41
Pickups can have a significant impact on tone, and changing pickups will be a good idea if: (1) you know how you want to change your sound; (2) that change is possible by changing your pickup (e.g., you won't be able to make a Jazz sound like a Sterling); (3) you look into which pickups might help you reach that goal; and (4) you like the bass enough otherwise for the mod to be worthwhile. You shouldn't assume that an aftermarket pickup will be an upgrade; it might change your sound, but you might not like the change. You might also be able to reach you tonal goals more simply, with different technique, different EQ settings on your amp, or different strings. Experimenting with different pickups is fun, but it can also be expensive and distract you from trying to improve as a player.
 
#42
Nedmundo said:
You might also be able to reach you tonal goals more simply, with different technique, different EQ settings on your amp, or different strings.
Click to expand...

No disrespect intended - but I really wonder why someone has to be told to twist a few knobs on their amp.

Isn't that basic?

Although on thinking about it for a minute - maybe it needs to be repeated:::

KNOBS ARE FOR TURNING. ​


There I said it. :D
 
#43
Something that seems to get overlooked in this kind of situation is that this was advice given by a teacher who knows this specific student's instrument and knows how this student plays. Maybe it's wrong to read it as general advice to the LCD.

Dbassmon said:
The biggest improvement anyone can make to the sound of their instrument is become a better player.

Spend as much time practicing and taking lessons as you can. Your bass will continue to make a more beautiful sound every week.

You will know when the instrument is holding you back.
Click to expand...

That's sure been my experience.
 
#45
Changing strings will have more impact on your sound than changing pickups or body wood.

The guy who said practice hard every week and improve your skills nailed it. We all argue back and forth over wood vs. electronics debate but we pretty much agree that it's your skill/technique that has THE largest impact on your tone.

Practice. Worry about gear later, much later. Your tastes are going to change anyway!
 
#47
I too have been told by some techs that swapping the pickups out of a bass won't have as drastic effect on the tone as I thought. I didn't believe them and swapped the pickups out of an old SR400 back in 1994 or 1995. They were correct. The difference was minimal. YMMV.
 
#48
cassanova said:
I too have been told by some techs that swapping the pickups out of a bass won't have as drastic effect on the tone as I thought. I didn't believe them and swapped the pickups out of an old SR400 back in 1994 or 1995. They were correct. The difference was minimal. YMMV.
Click to expand...


Did you swap the pickups out with pickups that were similar to the original ones?

Did you swap the pickup out with pickups that had the same amount of winding as the original ones?
 
#49
IMO wood does make a noticeable difference, but you have to have "ears" to hear it. Strings make a huge difference, and to a lesser extent, pickups.

I have an alder bass that has Model J pups and Chromes strings, rosewood fingerboard, maple neck.

I have a mahogany bass that has Model J pups and Chromes strings, rosewood fingerboard, maple neck.

I can hear the difference. Mahogany has a distinct tone to my ears. Somewhat warmer. Are most people going to notice? Nope. Are you going to hear it in a band mix? Nope.
 
#53
mongo2 said:
Speaking of strings, I've noticed that I may have to mix strings from sets from the same manufacturer to get what I consider an even sounding set.

Anybody else had that happen?
Click to expand...
I assume the maker is ensuring they are even sounding out of the box. When one string is louder than others, I adjust my pickups pole height. The A & D poles are adjusted to be noticeably higher to match the radius of the neck. And I drop the G poles as low as I can as I find the G too loud if left alone.
 

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