TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
hah thats awesome. i like the purple tips. where did you acquire such a thing?View attachment 883182 Check mine out: Hipshot bridge, Nordstrand pups & herbal pick guard!
I could only find a cut down Jazz cover. If you find one somewhere pm meLong time lurker here, but i just had to post my VM P5 in her new dress. Love it! (Now if i could only find that p-style bridge cover that would fit a 5-string...)
View attachment 896948
Thank you for your input!Against the advice of others in this thread, I swapped the stock pickup with the Fender P5 pickup as well as the wires, capacitor, input jack, pots and a full cavity shielding. It did little or nothing to the original sound. I even switched the stock bridge for a Hipshot A style and the tuners for Hipshot ultralites. I replaced the strap buttons for Dunlop dual design strap locks. I switched the stock dome knobs for barrel knobs. I spent way too much for a black pick guard. On top of the original purchase price, I've got almost $500 invested in this bass. Did I make the bass more my own? Yes. Did it change the sound or feel? No.
Save your money.
I see, thank you for your input as well.I replaced the pickups with custom made ones at first, then found them too bright.
I had given away the stock ones so I bought the USA Fender pickups. The USA have less output, and are a wee bit smoother and warmer, but lower output.
I replaced the bridge with an American deluxe with threaded saddles, in order to make the bass string through. I did not do it for tone, I did it so I could remove the sandpaper shim in the neck pocket. Doing this (decreasing the neck angle) the bridge saddles bottomed out.
By going string through, this increased the down pressure at the witness point, through a more severe break angle.
The thing that made the biggest difference was replacing the pots.
None of it was necessary.
Save your money. Buy another one.
I got mine used, I have under 350 all in, I did all the work myself though. It was fun.
Yes go to: darrenriley.comI see, thank you for your input as well.
Still, if I decide to change: do special 5 string P-bass pickups exist? Or can I install regular standard Fender PB pickups into this thing?
Cool, thanks!Yes go to: darrenriley.com
The BEA half of the pickup is longer than the DG half. On a standard P (and most other 5 string p style pup) both halves are identical.
Your economical pickup selection is limited.
And a custom pick guard ( unless you want to do routing) will be a hard search, or expensive endeavour.
The USA pup will run you 75. Nordstrand will make you a killer set that is much better than the Fender. They are about 145 IIRC.
then my advice, is to just play it as is--- unless you want to do all that work and spend all that money for MINIMAL gains!Cool, thanks!My options are really limited, because I'm from Europe from a small country (Hungary). That Nordstrand (though a bit on the expensive side I should say) sound good, but I'm not sure they are avalaible around here. :S
then my advice, is to just play it as is--- unless you want to do all that work and spend all that money for MINIMAL gains!
the bass is GREAT stock. Better Tuners (Hipshot Ultralights) would be a better investment![]()