Squier Bronco bass mods Ep.17: FLEOR hot rail humbucker review - 250k vs. 500k volume pots

In this unsponsored video, we will install a FLEOR hot rail humbucker pickup (9-10k) in this Squier Sonic series Bronco short scale bass. I purchased this economical pickup for $20 CDN from Amazon. How does it sound in comparison to the stock pickup? In previous episodes, we found that the rail humbucker design sounded muddy, 'mushy' and lacked clarity in the high end. So let's see whether swapping out the 250k volume pot for a 500k pot will make a sonic difference.
The bass was recorded direct through a Line6 Pod Go with my usual GK800RB model settings. Identical recording settings for both pickups.
Level matched, but no EQ or compression was added in post.
1-2 week old D'Addario XL nickel roundwound strings
To best appreciate the sonic differences, headphones or quality speakers are recommended.
*note: I somehow lost the white pickup cover for stock pickup. So the stock bronco pickup is being used without a cover.
00:00 Intro
00:23 Background
01:45 Installation issues - size
02:29 Installation - no p/u cover
03:05 Wiring colour scheme
04:51 Comparison setup
05:50 Track comparison
08:28 Assessment
jonathanwong.bandcamp.com

[@Max_TheGrooveHacker]

I bought this bass for my videos and I find it very comfortable and quite well made. Your videos were very helpful in deciding whether to buy it. Thank you man ☺

[@jonathanwong458music]

Did you get the pink one? Sounds great man! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@Max_TheGrooveHacker]

It's a strange colour, between pink and orange. I like it. For now it has the original pickup, but it sounds good 😁

[@jonathanwong458music]

Great colour. The older I get, the more I like fun colours!

[@contratoronto5868]

Always enjoy and appreciate these videos!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching! Appreciate the encouragement!

[@classicalthrasher]

Finally got the DiMarzio Fast Track 1 (DP181) installed by a local gentleman, alongside the jack, and two 500k pots. Left cap stock. Another bass-truly silent, dead quiet. Added more mids without muddying it up. Less air than stock, but not necessarily a loss of clarity due to improved mids. Better low mids, overall a fuller tone vs stock single coil. The stock pickup does sound good, only having its noisy nature as its main drawback. But also, it's a bit hollow in the mids (not too much, but noticeable.) Not super thin, but relatively so, especially vs the DiMarzio. About the only con vs stock is less air-that's all. Dynamic range is still astounding. Great ceramic pickups! It's hard to research for these, as they were meant for guitar, and their graph guides work only loosely transferring that knowledge to bass. I feel going "thicker" than the Chopper model could be too muddy, but perhaps would work for someone. However, the Fast Track 1 is a safe, "bass friendly" choice, not muddy, not too bright, just "right" (for me, of course-we are different! But I think you would notice a positive difference vs stock.) Since you are already committed to the p incarnation of your Sonic Bronco, my comment is rather useless-however, it must be known the Fast Track 1 is TON better quality wise than the the Fleur. The blades are indeed also radiused, but the tone is even, and can be placed pretty close to the strings without major issues. No cutting edges, and no noises should your fingers touch these blades (I should know, have been playing over them a lot.) In fact, quite relieved after seeing this video first that none of your problems with the Fleur pickup were at all replicated on the Fast Track 1. Thumbs way up for me, though I am glad you are so enjoying your Bronco with that great pickguard and the japanese precision pickup! Thanks for your series. This humble Bronco is so good and inspiring with the upgrades, I still have it on my lap since I returned home with it, several hours ago. Hard to put down, great little bass. Best wishes on all projects ahead. 🐱

[@jonathanwong458music]

That’s so wonderful to hear! Thanks for sharing your experiences! I’m sure it will helpful to someone in our community!

[@akira_21_]

I really wish fleor had 7 string guitar pickups and 5 string bass pickups, they sound soooooooo good, and for their price it's impossible to find anything better (imo)

[@jonathanwong458music]

The price is pretty accessible. Maybe if there’s enough demand? Thanks for watching!

[@classicalthrasher]

Also, thanks for your hard work! Hope many appreciate/can find them useful for their unique needs. 🎸 🙏

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for the encouragement!

[@paulmea3166]

You could wire those humbuckers coils in parallel instead of how it comes (series ) that would expand the tone at the expense of about 20% loss in volume. Keep the 500k pots Personally I'd keep the bass with the stock PU. I play guitar and have to deal with way more noise than a single coil bass..

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching! Absolutely, parallel wiring could open up the tone. I experimented with that using a Seymour Duncan hot rail. Here’s a link should you be interested: Squier Bronco bass mods Ep.2: Seymour Duncan Hot Rails pickup. Series vs. Parallel! kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYS5eaqbpcSAgKs

[@gfgoalie28]

Have you considered testing the DiMarzio BC-2? I believe it has the highest low end output out of any of their strat sized rail pickups!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Cool suggestion! I haven't tried the BC-2 myself.The Dimarzio rating of 7.0 for lows, 9.0 for low mids but only 2.5 treble makes me think it'll be pretty mushy in the highs and muddy in the lows for a 4 string bass. But I haven't tried it, so I'm speculating. It'll probably be pretty cool for dub or reggae type tones (in the neck/middle pickup position). I've heard from some people who enjoyed the Dimarzio Fast Track 1 in a bronco. As per Dimarzio, that is rated at 1.5 for lows, 3 for low mids and 6.0 for treble....it's the polar opposite! Guess it really depends on what type of tone you're desiring. Thanks for the suggestion and thanks for watching!

[@josephbania4564]

You have that James Jamerson "hook" going for you! To me the Fleor with the 500k has a more defined deep end.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@nieko3038]

If you can hear the tapping on the pickup it’s probably microphonic. I got a 4 Euro rail from Ali. Wich could be used as a drum. Put it in candle wax and that reduced it.

[@jonathanwong458music]

For sure, it could be microphonic. It's also my finger likely causing a grounding-out noise. I guess one gets what one pays for in these circumstances. Thanks for sharing and for watching!

[@dd_pnw]

I installed this same pickup in my Bronco and ended up taking it out. I got way too much of the tapping noise you mentioned, my assessment was the pickup was microphonic from either loose winds or it not being wax potted at all or wax potted properly.

[@jonathanwong458music]

So it’s not just mine! Thanks for sharing and for watching!

[@dd_pnw]

@@jonathanwong458music yeah, when I’d tap the body of the bass the pickup it was picking up a lot more vibrations compared to the stock pickup. Since it was acting more like a microphone than the stock pickup that was my assessment. It’s too bad because I liked that midrangey character you described. Your videos are awesome BTW, keep it up!

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for your kind words and encouragement!

[@jakelondon]

Assuming you don't have the Musiclilly any more, yes? Would be interesting to see how it sounds with the 500k pot, cuz I agree that the 500k pot seemed to bring some extra brightness out of the rails pickup in this video.

[@jonathanwong458music]

Yeah, the Musiclily got sold off to make way for the next thing. So I took the opportunity to try something new for this one. The 500k pot will likely brighten up the Musiclily. It would likely make the Duncan more open too. Thx for the suggestion!

[@Ant1fl4sh]

Awesome content! Could you please check the OriPure PB5 Alnico 5 15-16K Hotrail pickup? It is an inexpensive option and has the highest resistance that I could possibly find. Also, I would be interested in the split-coil sound

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for watching and for the suggestion! 15k DCR is wildly hot!! Looks interesting. Here's a link to the episode where I had the seymour duncan hotrail in, and showed series vs parallel wiring. kzbin.info/www/bejne/rYS5eaqbpcSAgKs I'm not sure how much longer I'll have this Bronco, unfortunately, as a local friend really has an eye on it! But next on the slate has me installing nordstrand mustang style pickups in it, before it potentially goes off to a new home.

[@jonathanwong458music]

PS, if you like the hot overwound-type sound in a drop in replacement, check out the Lace sensor Red in ep.14. A bit pricey, but I preferred it tonally to the hot rail type tone.

[@Ant1fl4sh]

Thank you for the reply, I really appreciate it. The reason I was thinking of putting a very hot overwound pickup (15K) as a replacement is because the stock Bronco pickup measures as 13.5K on mine. Another bit that I've found out by experimenting is that the coil-split of a humbucker sounds very different from the parallel or series wiring of a humbucker, essentially using only a half of the pickup and thus being a somewhat true single coil. In parallel humbucker connection you have hum cancelling, but the output amplitude is 4x lower than series connection, in coil-split you will have mains frequency hum, but the output amplitude is only 2x lower compared to the series humbucker. Meaning that for the before mentioned Oripure 15K the parallel connection would measure as 3.75K, while coil-split would measure as 7.5K. Anyway, I have ordered one for myself to try out, but I thought that it might be of interest to you as well, plus I would like to hear your opinion on the sound as I am only a beginner. By the way, I've watched every single video from the Bronco series on your channel and would like to thank you for the great job you have done!

[@jonathanwong458music]

@@Ant1fl4sh Thanks so much for your loyal viewership! The Bronco is a great modding platform. Good luck with your mod! I hope it gives you the tones you are looking for.

[@Ant1fl4sh]

Agreed! I love my Bronco bass. Any chance you could do a video about a coil-split on one of your rail humbuckers?

[@trappenweisseguy27]

I didn’t know that the stock pickup cover was removable. Does it have 4 or 6 poles, I cannot tell ?. If 6 poles, then I could foresee making a soft steel “blade” such as filing down a nail or strip of steel to lay across the poles to even out and boost the magnetic field. I didn’t really dig this particular humbucker, even with the 500 k.

[@jonathanwong458music]

The stock pickup on the bronco is a cheap strat pickup. 6 pole pieces. The pickup cover comes right off (not epoxied). I accidentally lost the original cover.

[@trappenweisseguy27]

Thanks for all the responses. I think the 6 poles may be responsible for the soft midrange. I’ll let you take a break now 🙂.

[@jonathanwong458music]

@@trappenweisseguy27 appreciate all the watch time!

[@classicalthrasher]

I have nothing against affordable options-this bass is an example, as I have it as well! But while all pickups are pickups, and "the sound is in the hands" (truly is, in the end), I definitely advocate for quality pickups-not necessarily uber-boutique $300+ models, but definitely past these super cheap models. They will allow both hands and mind a better musical enjoyment, and thus a greater audience satisfaction, if that makes sense. When you are happy with your bass, strings, setup, pickup, that happier performer will have an awesome time playing, which will transmit to the music and finally, your audience. So even if they do not care what strings or pickups you use, *you do*! So I try to always perhaps "over spend" even on cheaper instruments such as the humble Sonic Bronco so I am at my happiest when I hold and play it. That is why I changed bridge, tuning machines, added the Xtender, etc., and bought the Dimarzio Fast Track 1! When I have it installed, will update-this video gives me an idea that 500k won't be too bright for the likely brighter than the Fleur pickup Dimarzio (however I have a higher tolerance for highs and upper mids than many, to an extent that bass and low mids frequencies are not overly compromised.) VERY sorry for not keeping my word last year-got busy and the project got left behind. Will try to have it done in the next few weeks if not days. (The stock pickup is still good sounding, just the noise gets in the way at times. Surprisingly decent.)

[@jonathanwong458music]

Thanks for sharing! One's hands, for sure, has a lot to do with tone. Even with all of these mod videos, all the playing examples still sounds like me! Cheaper components have a wider range of tolerances (especially pots) so you may not always get what's on the label, unfortunately. I totally agree, that if I am content with the instrument and its components, I play 'freer' and pay more attention to the music and those around me and less time day-dreaming about what the next mod or hack is going to be. It doesn't need to be expensive! This bronco platform has far exceeded my expectations.

[@jasondorsey7110]

​@@jonathanwong458musicI picked up a single-pickup gretsch g2202 junior jet which is supposed to have the older tv jones-designed minibucker, but it's as noisy as these squiers are with the stock pickup, and it has alot less replacement options...I think I'll end up getting an actual tv jones pickup, because other than that it's an awesome bass, better than the 2-pickup junior jet I used to have though it feels a few pounds heavier for some reason

[@jonathanwong458music]

Cool! I’ve never tried the ‘trons and blades. I’ve heard the outputs are low, but I guess that’s part of the tonal charm. Good luck!

[@jasondorsey7110]

@@jonathanwong458music The stock pickup is surprisingly high output, one of the highest passives I've come across, but it hums like crazy...I'd take the lower output of a tv jones though if it means no hum

[@jonathanwong458music]

I hate hum too! Good luck with the mod!

[@StevenDoyleLuke]

For me - Stock +250

[@jonathanwong458music]

Yeah man. I think so too! Thanks for watching!