Upgrading my Squier P

[boabski2k]

What Pups and pots should i use to upgrade my Squier p-bass.

I'm not trying to change the tone too much, but a rockier tone would not be a bad thing.

I am also not looking to spend shed loads on this small project.

Cheers

 

[MRuss]

change the pots, to full size cts or whatever pots, the ones in squier are mini, not sure if it really matters. 250k, for a warmer tone, 500k for a brighter tone.

Pickups: Quarter Pounders, Model P's, or Antiquity's

 

[4StringTheorist]

I'll second MRuss on recommending the Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound for P-bass.

My first bass was the Peavey equivalent of a Squier P. Foundation II was the model I think. They don't make it any more.

I wanted to save up the $$ for my true dream bass, so I did a few cheap upgrades to keep me happy with the Peavey until then.

I was in a classic rock / blues band at the time. I ended up in an experimental punk band with this bass too.

I dropped in a Seymour Duncan Quater Pounder. Great improvement in the tone! Worked wonderfully in a rock context!

Then I bolted on a Leo Quan badass II bridge. Between those two upgrades, my cheapo beginners bass was a reliable gigging workhorse that lasted until I put together my dream bass.

 

[theory028]

I wouldn't mind getting one of the Link Removed from Bayou Cables for my two cheap P basses. If you don't like soldering, that may be something to consider. I have not ordered anything from Bayou Cables but a lot of great things have been said about the service and quality Butch provides. For $25 plus shipping, it isn't a bad deal. I'd certainly pay that much to have someone else do the soldering.

As for pickups, I've got the MIA P bass pups in my parts fretless Precision (with the whole MIA P bass harness, including the S1 thing). In my Squier P is followed the masses that went with the Quarter Pounder. It sounds pretty good for some of the stuff I was playing. You'll find a lot of love for the pickup here so it's definitely worth looking into.

Those are the only two P bass pickups I have any personal experience with. I'd like to try some a Dimarzio pickup but I don't think I'll be getting another Precision anytime soon.

 

[BSOD]

change the pots, to full size cts or whatever pots, the ones in squier are mini, not sure if it really matters. 250k, for a warmer tone, 500k for a brighter tone.

Pickups: Quarter Pounders, Model P's, or Antiquity's

I replaced the stanard 500K pots on my Squire VMF with DiMarzio 250K Pro pots. The DiMarzio's were larger enough to stop me from properly remounting the face plate. So, I could have drilled new screw mounting holes, made the cavity larger or get mini-pots. I've done the later, in this case some Gotoh 250K pots.

Craig

 

[Lemoore-on]

I sheilded the cavity, replaced the pots with cts 250k added an orange drop cap to the tone pot. added an old SD pick up I got from a TBer for $20.

I then added elixir coated strings.

Man what a difference! This cheap POS sounds great! I'm gonna add a badass II bridge and eventually change the nut too.

I play in a rock cover band and I gig with this thing.

 

[kyral210]

250k, for a warmer tone, 500k for a brighter tone

It depends on the DC resistence of the pickup, not just being a matter of "250k, for a warmer tone, 500k for a brighter tone".

My recommendation for an upgrade? Sell it and buy a Fender MIM P-Bass. Then upgrade that with Basslines Quaterpounder Pickups. You wont regret it!

 

[boabski2k]

kyral,

I have a MIM P Bass Special.

I want to mod my Squier purely for experience. Play with the Pups and Pots on the old one before i play with the new one.