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Squier Modding, Pickups or Preamp first?

M

MagicMedicine

Sep 27, 2005
23
1
Canada
#1
I have a Squier Standard J bass here with me, and I'm gonna be playing on it as my main bass untill I have the money I need to upgrade to an American Jazz (Or atleast a highway one)

Im going to Modd it as I go, and then when I get my American, I will switch the parts So the American has all the upgraded parts, and the squier will be my backup loaded with stock American J parts.

I want to get DiMarzio Model J's, and an Audere JZ3 Active Control unit, and route for a good battery box into the back of the body.

My question:

Which do you think will improve the sound of the bass more as a first modd?

Upgrading the pickups first? or adding the preamp unit?

Thanks.
 
#2
You don't need to rout for a battery box with an audere pre. You will probably not want to put the Dimarzio model j's into the American Jazz you are going to get. You may not want to change the passive Jazz to active you may like it just as it is. Planning to mod something you have not played for a while and gotten used to its sound is not always going to end up with good results. ANd just for some extra info if you decide to get a bridge for your squire it will not be a direct bolt on for the Fender American Jazz. My opinion is mod the Squire to work for you and when you get your new Jazz play it for a while stock before you run out and mod it and don't get what you like. Also make one change at a time so you can see what effect it has then decide if you need more or if it wan something you even want to leave in there.
 
#4
I admit I might just ditch the preamp all together and just rewire with quality pots and such. I will wait and see what some others have to say on this thread.

It has brand new strings on it, It helps tons.. but it cant hide the characteristics of very cheap pickups and pots.
 
#5
Get new 250K pots and some Used MIA fender Pickups there are some on the used gear part here from time to time for much less than Any other pickups. I got a pair of MIA Jazz pickups for 25.00 and they were a great improvement. Just be careful where you buy used from .
 
#10
If/When you get an MIA, your not gonna want to change that much. make sure you play it in different situations before making any mods....oops, someone said that already....

what about getting some pedals? that way you can model your sound and use it for ANY bass you buy. not to mention it would be a cheaper solution. for example, my sansamp makes ANY bass sound better. I know beringer makes a $29 pedal that a lot of people have called a poor man's bass driver. just a thought..

but if you put a gun to my head with the p/u's or pre question, I would say a pre, and I would think about a j retro...

just my .02
 
#11
MadMark5 said:
what about getting some pedals? that way you can model your sound and use it for ANY bass you buy. not to mention it would be a cheaper solution. for example, my sansamp makes ANY bass sound better. I know beringer makes a $29 pedal that a lot of people have called a poor man's bass driver. just a thought.
Click to expand...


Yea, that is for sure an option, as somebody up there also suggested a bass exiter, like an aphex.
 
#13
If you want a pre amp that will give you the basicly original tone when set flat and change it from there if you feel the need go with the Audere it is a fantastik clean pre amp and when set flat it makes no changes to yout tone. With the J retro not only is it much more expensive but there is no actual flat it has some boost or cut no matter what you do.
 

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