Talk me in or out of swapping pre-amp and pick-ups

I voted sell it and start over.

Hear me out.

Those sterlings are alright, but if you could get 6-700 plus the 700 you're gonna spend, you can get a really nice used bass.

 

I'm glad you put the "LEAVE IT ALONE" option in all caps, because if you hadn't included the poll I would have said that and put it in all caps.

I'm a big believer in not fixin' if it ain't broken, and I'll double down in this case since your bandmates, as well as you, are loving the tone as-is. Swapping electronics will probably make it sound different, but if it already sounds great to your (and your bandmates') ears, the odds are against it sounding significantly better. You'll feel like an idiot if you spend $700 on "upgrades" and, at the next rehearsal, everyone says they liked it better before.

I disagree with @lidl e about starting over because, as you said, you "LOVE IT" (again, in all caps) and, mentioned that this was because of its "feel" in addition to tone. Finding a bass that "feels right" to you isn't easy. And again, it makes no sense to me to start over to get a "really nice" used bass when you're so happy with the one you have.

One other thought: If you're interested in "upgrading" your tone, I wouldn't necessarily start with the bass; I'd give equal consideration to amp and cab(s). What kind of rig are you playing this through?

 

I always advise against putting a lot of money where you boost your investment WAY past what a good used one would sell for.

You occasionally see Squiers on Reverb and the other usual places where the owner installed full Bart or EMG setups, new big money bridge, maybe the keys, and advertising it for twice or more what it sold for new.

It's still there next month. And the month after that, the month after . . . . you get the picture. Who'd buy a used Squier, even with terrific improvements, used for a grand or better. Or a Sterling Sting Ray . . . . it's hard to get San Luis Obispo prices for an Indonesian axe.

Hey if it's 'only money' and it's no big deal, have at it. Otherwise I'd keep it stock or apply hard found parts you could get at a big discount to keep the spend low, if you expect to get at least most of your money back.

It's your call.

Personally speaking, I'd always live with an axe for a while, different strings, fine tuning the setup, different ways to approach the amp, etc. After several months, once I figured out how to live with it, I rarely found much reason to start swapping bits under the hood. But that's me.

 

I totally agree for the most part, BUT, as a bass player, once you get that bug in you that you want a change you won't be satsisifed until that change happens.

Heavily upgrading an instrument is fun, but if you want to upgrade and flip one day, you're almost never gonna get the value back whereas a nicer used bass will only go up in value.

And i understand a bass is not an investment, i have many, but things change and better to have the possibilty of selling it and getting something better or recouping your investment.

Also, theres a chance the upgrades will make you lose what you love about the bass in the first place.

 

Can you take that 700 for the upgrades add another two and build a cool warmoth bass?

Then you'd have two basses exacrly what you want!

Warmoth builds are fun and easy, you get exactly what you want and you can doxa reranch refinish which is fun and comes out great!

 

Me thinks you answered your own question! I’d stay put

 

It's really not hard. Screw it together, pay someone 50 quid to wire and setup.

A bolt on is easy to put together. Easy to wire as well in passive or with a prewired harness. You'd be surprised.

You get eveything pre dilled including neck and control holes.

 

Sell it and get a stingray special

 

Generally I say go for it, but I’d leave that particular instrument alone.

 

I would leave it or sell it and get something closer to what you are thinking. Just about every time Ive modded something, I was disappointed. I have a nice Jazz bass right now that I was thinking of doing some pups and or preamp upgrades but it really has never given me the "improvement" I was seeking so im thinking I just might sell it instead.

 

^ Right. Put a price to your time. Tweaking = Time = Dollars. IMHO

 

I'm all for experimenting, but I think that if:

1. You're already very pleased with how it sounds, and
2. You can't define exactly what changes you want to make and why... ie. what is your end goal by tinkering with the electronics,

Then you're just throwing money at a problem that doesn't even exist in the first place.

 

IME upgrading is usually a real good way to wind up $600 in on a $300 bass, $2100 in on a $1400 bass or in your example $1600 in on a $1000 bass.

IME the best pickup swaps are lateral.

 

Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

 

That particular model already has great pickups and a great preamp. There is no reason to change them.

If it was a Sub Series, then I would suggest a pickup swap, but your Ray 35 is already well equipped.

If you want to change your tone from that particular bass, consider changing strings and/or technique, and it looks like you’re already working the fingers (technique) and eq.