Upgrade for a jazz bass : new pickups or preamp ?

[Professor Jones]

I have a Classic Vibe JB, and I would like to have a more defined sound, especially when rolling off the tone knob. With the actual configuration, the sound gets muddy easily if I try to smooth it out. More tonal options would be cool too, the only sounds I like to use right now are the bridge pickup soloed and the two pikcups opened full.

I'm considering upgrading the bass with NJ4 pickups -or- an audere preamp. At 150$ each I don't want to do both as it will equal the price of the bass, and it might not be needed anyway.

Which upgrade will be the most useful for me ?

 

[PilbaraBass]

the tone control will always leave mud, as is...
go for a varitone type control instead.

You don't need different pickups, if you already like the tone...if you don't, the new pickups...

and there's no problem putting $300 of electronics in a $300 bass. Price isn't the determining factor.

 

[Soma666]

I havean audere. It does ggive you a lot of tonal options. It's a great unit. If you already like the tone of the pickups, get a pre-amp to give the variation your looking for.

 

[i_got_a_mohawk]

A rotary switch, some caps and a transformer and you're set

 

[g&lplayer]

Yea i was actually thinking about doing the same thing to my jazz bass. I've got a G&L JB-2 and I like the tone but its fairly limiting as it only comes with volume for the two pickups and a tone nob to switch between the two. I play a lot of different styles so I want some way to still have an awesome tone (or upgrade it and make it sound even more sick....) but I really feel like i need a bit more options. I play a lot of jazz, but i also need a really funky tone for soloing and playing the ever increasing number of funk tunes i seem to be doing. In addition, i also gig with a rock band that plays mellower stuff (so more of a pino palladino kinda tone). Any ideas would be GREATLY appreciated.

 

[dwjazz54]

I have to agree that price of upgrades should never be a deciding factor in uprgrading a "budget" bass. In all honesty, I think it's the wisest option (as opposed to upgrading, say, an American Fender Jazz that one would have already dropped a grand on).

I, too, have a Squier CV Jazz that I bought for the express purpose of it being MY Jazz for the long term and I had always planned to upgrade it anyway (these plans used to even involve a neck replacement and Darkstars). But upon getting to know her, I really rather like the bass pretty much as is. But I WILL be changing the pickups to some DiMarzio Model Js, partly for the (IMO) slightly preferable tone - but MOSTLY for the humcancelling (which drives me bananas). After that, it'll probably just be the addition of a D-tuner and an ashtray, and that'll be it (for now, I think - fingers crossed).

From what I can tell with budget basses such as ours, the pickups are one of the big money-savers - they are almost always lacking (though the stock pickups in the CV Jazz are FAR from bad), so I'd recommend uprgrading that first as I am partial to passive tone circuits in 4-string fretted basses.

Keep in mind (and this is important!) - technique has a LOT to do with your sound. I think I get a pretty "defined" sound playing over the bridge pickup and digging in just a little. If you REALLY want to save some money, try a number of techniques before upgrading and you may find you don't need to or even want to spend money searching for your sound.

Just my two cents.