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The official "Show your basses" thread part 19!

#9,421
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#9,422
MonsterRain said:
So I picked up a brand new Fender Squier Bronco Bass for $100 and immediately set out to improve it. (Brand new as I’m purchased by someone and never played so technically “used” but straight out of the box)

I’ve had some elbow surgeries View attachment 3501946 View attachment 3501941 View attachment 3501942 View attachment 3501943 View attachment 3501945 and have been struggling with fretting the standard so in seeking a SS bass I found the 30” Bronco to be ideal. The Ibanez Mikro was TOO small.

Anyhow, I couldn’t be more pleased with the final results of what has been changed.

Strings were swapped to LaBella flats 40-100 which I paid $39 for.

Bridge was swapped for a Babicz FCH-4 at a cost of $129. This is worth every single penny.

Tuners swapped for Graph Tech tuners from Canada and these are brand new as the packaging wasn’t even ready yet. So I’m surely not the first with them but who knows.

They are worth every penny as well and night and day improvement obviously over stock. These were $100.

Stock pickup was swapped for a RTBV Razor Tele pickup 7.9k ohms. Perhaps there is better or something you prefer but I really do love this. Now, I’ve no clue what I think of Hot Rails/anything else anyone has tried but this was worth the price for $62.

Stock tone cap was swapped for Paper In Oil .047 at a cost of $14 and is definitely worth it.

I’ve $444 invested into this bass total now and perhaps it isn’t “worth it” to someone who will tell me it was foolish and to have bought a better bass but I am very happy with the end result for money spent.

I’m told it plays more like a $700 bass. This I don’t know. Heck the way I play it maybe brings it down to a buck and a quarter but you’ll have that.

It certainly plays a whole heck of a lot better than stock, is super light weight and so comfortable to play and while I do hope to have no issues playing standard again; this bass could be a life saver so far as playing again.

For home use it’s being played through a Rumble 40 which has been upgraded the @AstroSonic way which to many will again not be worth it based on putting coin into a practice amp but for me it was worth it.

Definitely lower lows and more volume with the Basslite S2010/lining/port tuning change so if anyone has been considering doing that to theirs then here is another vote of confidence toward the end results of that.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Take care.
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Very nice! I think there's something to be said about the whole process of upgrading a bass compared to just buying a "better" stock one. The process of upgrading is enjoyable and makes the end result a bit more personal and special. At least that's how I've felt about a few of my basses that I modded.
 
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#9,423
N4860 said:
Very nice! I think there's something to be said about the whole process of upgrading a bass compared to just buying a "better" stock one. The process of upgrading is enjoyable and makes the end result a bit more personal and special. At least that's how I've felt about a few of my basses that I modded.
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So true.

In the negotiation stages of acquiring an older Squier VM PBass that might get an EMG Geezer p/up upgrade and electronics.

My Fender FSR has CS60's and an orange drop cap and my Squier VM fretless Jazz has SD Quarter Pounders and upgraded electronics (pots + orange drop cap 0.34). Both sound significantly better than originals (IHMO), the Squier's improvement is quantum.
 
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