Hey. I'm thinking about getting a Spector Euro LX with CSTW and I want to change the CSTWs to DCs. I've never swapped pickups before. Is it easy to install new pickups? Also, do the DC pickups give a good midrange tone? If not, what pickups can. I was told for my style of playing (metal), the DCs would work good. I want it to slightly cut through the mix of guitars with a good midrange punch.
Are you thinking about swapping the Tone Pump pre-amp too? I highly suggest putting the Haz-Lab pre-amp on your Spector - much cleaner sounding and the signal is not crazy strong. The DC pickups are on all of my Spectors and allow the midrange to be thick and punchy. Supposedly, the CS is much warmer and the DC is edgier sounding. As for swapping pickups, it can be done if you can solder alright and you do get a diagram with the new pickups.
I've heard about people complaining about the tone pump. Now that you consider it, I might do that too. Is there a way you can make like a 20 second vid playing your DC and Haz- lab bass so I can get an idea of the sound?
http://www.myspace.com/stacherockschicago That recording is live and the bass tone was 95% based on the direct box tone of just my bass, no mic, and the rest of my tone was EQed in the studio, but very little. The Fall Out Boy song featured a little Sansamp computer plug-in for the distorted tone. Those tracks were all recorded with my American NS 5XL - 40DC's - Haz-Lab.
Yeah man, that's a great tone! Good covers by the way. How much would a Haz- Lab be? Used or new, doesn't matter.
http://www.spectorbass.com/zen2/ind..._id=27&zenid=bf3c35d9182429f18e2961384af4bdce That is where you can buy it! It's pricey, but I think its well worth it. For me, the Tone Pump distorts no matter how I play it and compared to the Haz Labs, no contest. The Haz Lab is clearer in the high end, cleaner in the low end and has that great midrange presence. Plus, the signal is still strong, but not crazily strong.