To swap or not to swap

[TortCult]

I recently got my hands on a 2007 Squier Standard Jazz and I actually like it more than any of the new CV basses I've tried, it has a nice resonance, it's very light for a jazz bass and it sounds surprisingly good with the stock pickups.

So far I've replaced the nut, pots, knobs and next up would be the pickguard. It's a very cheap looking tort and together with the red burst, there is just too much red going on. I'm gonna make one from a black blank and since the dimensions of the neck pickup are of course non-standard, I have to decide, wether I'm gonna swap the pickups or not. As mentioned, I actually like the way they sound and I've read somewhere these are even supposed to be alnico's (can't confirm because they are sealed), but there is that little voice in my head saying "don't you know Squier stock PUPs are bad? You'd get a waaay better midrange response with (insert overpriced pickups)"
I play reggae almost exclusively, apart from some motown here and there, so the sound I'm going for is fat and deep without too much high end. Pyramid flats, foam, favoring the neck pickup, rolling the tone back to 20% and playing close to the neck definitely helps me to get there, here is a little demo:


Let me know what you think!

 

[dwizum]

If you like those, keep them. Making a pickguard from scratch gives you that freedom.

I like a lot of recent Squier pickups, no shame from me.

 

[TortCult]

If you like those, keep them. Making a pickguard from scratch gives you that freedom.

I like a lot of recent Squier pickups, no shame from me.

Guess I needed to hear that from someone, thank you for saving me a hundred €.

 

[sikamikanico]

If it works it works. Finding the right strings is key.

but I’d also not bother with the pickguard, looks fine to me!

 

[TortCult]

Finding the right strings is key.

The Pyramid flats seem to be a good match so far, they are very low-mid heavy and kinda fill in the
scooped jazz bass sound.

but I’d also not bother with the pickguard, looks fine to me!

It looks a LOT better on the picture than it does in reality.

 

[musicman556]

Though I've changed a lot of pickups in my day (and have two on the bench to swap out as we speak) if you like what it does... leave it alone!

And I'm with you on the pickguard... kinda just a hazy reddish/brown mess at the moment, huh? I think a black guard would look really nice. Post up the results when you're done!

 

[TortCult]

I'm with you on the pickguard... kinda just a hazy reddish/brown mess at the moment, huh?

It also looks very 2-dimensional, nothing worse than cheap tort.

I think a black guard would look really nice. Post up the results when you're done!

Yes sir, at the moment I'm kinda lazy, but I'll get to it.

 

[TortCult]

Post up the results when you're done!

There she is!

I only have basic tools, like a coping saw, utility knife blades, sandpaper etc., so this took quite a while, but it turned out really good I think.

Don't know if you can tell, but I actually ended up swapping the PUP's...
For some reason the E-string was louder, no matter how I adjusted the PUP's, so I basically blamed them and used that as an excuse to buy new ones, Tonerider TRJ1's to be exact. They are comparatively affordable (80€), but definitely live up to what I've heard about them, much smoother sound overall, no nasty high frequencies, that I have to roll off and the neck PUP is very usable on it's own, without sounding thin.
The E is still louder, seems to be the string itself and while putting the strings back on, the G snapped. For now I replaced it with a G from a Labella 760FS set, I had laying around. The output is much higher (steel vs. nickel), so it's only a temporary solution, but I like the Labella sound so much, that I've ordered 760FL's. 760FS is too much tension for me.

After taking out the stock PUP's, I still wanted to know what kind they were and as I said, the covers are not removable, but this is what i found under the foam:

These should also be alnico, right? If so, it surprises me even more, how much of a difference there is between the two sets.

Btw, if you see my foam mute somewhere, let me know...

 

[musicman556]

MUCH better! Great job!

 

[TortCult]

Thanks!

 

[dwizum]

That looks nice. There's nothing as classy as a clean jazz bass.

Not sure on those pickups. I don't think you can be 100% certain they're alnico either, rod magnets are available in alnico and ceramic (and a bunch of other compositions). Most cheap pickups will use ceramic by default since it's about half the cost.

 

[TortCult]

Not sure on those pickups. I don't think you can be 100% certain they're alnico either, rod magnets are available in alnico and ceramic (and a bunch of other compositions). Most cheap pickups will use ceramic by default since it's about half the cost.

Always thought ceramic pickups will have that bar on the bottom, thaks for the info!

 

[Jefenator]

I'm usually a tort fiend but I must concur, good call on the black pickguard.
Having done maybe more than my share of pickup swapping, my advice is to go with your gut instinct. If you feel itchy & restless, like there's something missing that the right set of quality pickups might fill in, then you know what you have to do.
If my own instinct isn't completely scientific, it is at least random. Sometimes I'm good to go with a new instrument as-is - sometimes I have to try multiple sets before I am satisfied. (Well, maybe not completely random. I am far more likely to go ahead & live with non-standard shapes that will be more expensive and/or bothersome to swap.)

 

[iiipopes]

Nice bass. If it isn't broken, don't fix it.