Making $100 Bass Sound Like a $1000 Bass

So I've been wanting to post more 4 string bass content on my channel for a little while now, but have never had a good sounding 4 string bass to use, so I decided instead trying to buy one and spend over $1000 I thought I'd take a cheap $100 4 string bass that I had in the closet and make it sound like a $1000 bass.
Huge thanks to my friend Justin Cobb for helping me with this!
Check out his channel | ‪@neoguitarconcepts20‬
EQUIPMENT USED IN THIS VIDEO
Donner DPB-510 - BASS
www.donnerdeal.com
DiMarzio Relentless Pickups
www.dimarzio.com/pickups/stan...
/ dimarzioinc
dimarzioinc?igs...
Lusithand Double NFP Preamp
lusithanddevices.com/
/ shop_tab
/ lusithandevices
Rotosound Stainless Steel Strings
imp.i114863.net/2rZn67
Chrome Metal Knobs
imp.i114863.net/rnYjKv
Music Nomad Guitar Tools Kit
imp.i114863.net/Xx7zeX
Fret Oil
imp.i114863.net/mgYxmM
Let me know in the comments if you can hear the difference!
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Music in this video
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Travis Dykes
1011 E Old Hickory Blvd
Madison, TN 37115
#TravisDykes

[@markusm108]

The 'before' actually did sound a lot better. The upgraded version sounds much more scooped - more top end and bass but also sounding much more muddy. Maybe it plays better now but those original pickups were a better fit to the body than the new ones imo.

[@darkfox2401]

It also sounds like its picking up more sounds from the body after the re-work.

[@taliesinmusic]

definitely not scooped. Might be your headphones, there's more crispy high end and the low has more clarity as if its edges have been sharpened. The earlier pickups had no definition between the lows and low mids so it sounds flatter, and more like a mumble - that's what I call muddy.

[@cyborgchimpy]

@@taliesinmusic KZbin bitrate is 256.

[@NousSpeak]

Yeah, way too bright.

[@joymonger69420]

1. He didn't use EQ at all, we don't know how would it sound in other positions (some EQs have 0db at 0% and some at 50%). 2. The more hardware you use, the more important pickup quality is. There is a lot less noises in DiMarzio 3. DiMarzio is not the best choice for a bass guitar. For electric they are great. Fender, Aguilar, Seymour or MEC are main to go.

[@jeffreywells6573]

I personally am not a huge fan of preamps, I prefer a more passive tone but I will say that it definitely helped the tone tremendously. Those DiMarzio pickups are gorgeous and really sound great!!

[@ryananthony4840]

Dimarzio is the best! However, I really like the seymour duncan quarter pounders when it comes to bass

[@buffkangaroodog]

I think Ibanez does their preamp well. It enhances the sound rather than changing it (mostly it just allows for their EQ and mids selector)

[@bassyey]

How do you record? You're likely plugging to a preamp. There will be EQ somewhere there, whether you like it or not.

[@jeffreywells6573]

I was referring to the preamp on my bass, not preamps in general. My bass has a preamp but it also has a toggle switch where I can switch between active or passive tones. I prefer a more passive tone. If I want an EQ, I'll adjust my amp.

[@aaronocelot]

@@buffkangaroodog but it's still a battery sucking flat-sounding onboard preamp. I have no love for them. I have no love for that half-charged battery sound either.

[@NMbass906]

That's awesome I had no idea you guys were buds. I've been watching both of you for a few months now lol. This is the crossover episode I didn't know I needed!

[@cliffpurcell6363]

My daughter-in-law, Rachel Wammack, introduced me to both you guys. She pointed me your direction, Travis, years ago because of your collaborative work. After I built her a guitar, she told me I needed to familiarize myself with Justin’s work at NEO- she was right! Y’all do killer work, and this video was a fun study in the modding business. I wish you both well!

[@larneyshah4563]

Now turn a $1000 bass and turn it into a $100 bass

[@jockojohn3294]

Only way I know to make both these bases sound the same is to drop them from a third story balcony to a concrete sidewalk below. My guess is the sound each makes is pretty darn close........

[@Chilla81]

😂😂😂

[@MrClassicmetal]

The one with an alder body would make a more balanced sound, with equal doses of lows, mids and highs when it hits the concrete. While the mahogany bodied bass sounds more musical, with a warm sounding crash that sustains more.

[@tednugentlives]

@@MrClassicmetal yep

[@tednugentlives]

Sometimes a "good" cheapie gets out of the factory..ive seen it. (My E7 squier) and a 50 DOLLAR "trinity river" Chinese knock off. But its easier to get a selfie with a unicorn.

[@AtomizedSound]

That’s cute. You’re funny, so funny

[@hunterhelfrich1270]

Definitely a lot more articulate with the new electronics, not only that, those pickups look amazing!! Great video 🤘

[@TeIegram_Pask_Makes]

👆👆👆,. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, expect more videos. (Text me above to claim your prize).

[@larrytaylor5222]

After you did the comparison of before and after, you should have done a comparison of the new bass vs one of your $1,000 5 string basses. That would of lead to a good price comparison for sure, none the less, great video 🔥

[@larrytaylor5222]

@davidwang1326 it’s literally the title of the video 😅 I’m saying that as a way of comparing the two.

[@last808]

I would have liked to have heard the Donner properly set up without the added electronics.

[@1funkyangel]

Love your videos Brotha Travis ! Always fun and enlightening !! :)

[@bigjohnson7415]

To me, if the pickup didn't need a preamp, the pickup itself would have made a huge difference.

[@Funkbass85]

The bigger issue with $100 basses IMO is playability. Cheap necks with very bad fret work kills tone and playability.

[@user-xf8is8qs2w]

@@Funkbass85 A few simple procedures would expose any neck/fret defects. One of the first things I always check on a new bass, is the neck bow. On some cheaper basses, the truss rod doesn't extend far enough along the whole neck, which causes the neck to be completely flat from the 12th fret to the heel.

[@ramencurry6672]

True. Get a good neck or fret level. Possible that the tuners a may not even need to be replaced. Even the nut may not need replacement

[@user-xf8is8qs2w]

@@Funkbass85 I bought a new Ibanez GSR200 for $185 from Guitar Center. I ALWAYS check the neck for bow, and flatness after the 12th fret. The one I bought HAD NO ISSUES WHATSOEVER. Not all basses are the same. The only thing I replaced, were the pickups, which I removed, and then installed a PJ pair of Dimarzio's, which I already had removed from an older Ibanez bass. The bass sounds awesome.

[@karenzarate_bass]

@@user-xf8is8qs2wImma bout to do the exact same thing, just because i love the softness of my $400 ibanez, EMG 40 pups for me

[@andyhamm6389]

There is a real dip in the mid range after the mods, the low end is more prominent and the top end is too bright. I'd have to say that the before was a more workable tone. You should have moved the jack to make more space for the preamp if you wanted to go that way.

[@damiandoherty8183]

Yeah - I'm glad I'm not the only one - I actually preferred the tone of the bass pre-mod - much more balanced and spread across the range. Having said that, I'm sure a bit of time dialing in the pre-amp and the tone controls of your amp would help.

[@RobVespa]

...or routed? The pickguard will cover changes. Additional or a different style of pickups could've been added or placed in a different area. There are a lot of possibilities.

[@danielhdz.643]

You could have replaced the blend knob with a fixed value resistor and get more space inside the cavity.

[@forkless]

...and not run the risk of having a rogue pot making all sorts of noises when it gets dislodged.

[@Steve-mp7by]

remove the pot and use jumper wires. A resistor is not needed

[@forkless]

@@Steve-mp7by He literally said in the video that he wanted it to be 100% blended with the other pot, ergo you do need the resistor. No resistor=No blend

[@Steve-mp7by]

@@forkless Oh well I see you know nothing about electronics. I guess ignorance is bliss

[@forkless]

@@Steve-mp7by Resistance of a piece of copper wire is effectively 0 Ohm, a potentiometer however depending on the type used (for guitars) while fully extended is somewhere between 250k and 500k Ohm. Like it is stated in the video he uses the pot at 100% for blending purposes, ergo 250k (or 500k) Ohm resistance. So you tell me, where is that 250k-500kOhm for the desired blend coming from?

[@andrewblawson]

I converted a 2003 Squier P Bass to a PJ with Seymore Duncan's and a maple neck, and a badass bridge, and it's become my main instrument. Modding is great!

[@MadJackF1]

I modded out my Donner DPB-510 with a complete rewire (CTS, SwitchCraft & Sprague) and an AlNiCo V pickup. I also did something similar for the frets and fretboard, I went just a tad further by radiusing the edges of the fretboard just a hair. I used an extra fine sanding sponge. Makes the edges just a little more comfortable, like a well work fretboard. I also have another bass that uses an active preamp. The blend knob was on it's own lead from the master board. I just removed the blend pot and wired directly to the lead. I'm not sure if you could do that with the Lusithand preamp, but it worked fine on my active bass.

[@edsfkna]

You could put a switch in place of the blend and it would act as mute. And they make battery boxes that you could install on the back of the body and have access to the battery easily.

[@cameronfrost3225]

Yep. Hiding the battery behind the pickguard is regrettable.

[@markdavis4754]

@@cameronfrost3225 I was thinking the same thing however I get the feeling that the video was to make the mods as easy as possible. Personally I would not have bothered with the active preamp and used the money to upgrade the bridge and machine heads.

[@kds58]

Ha! I love how the upgrades also made your pocket deeper on it!

[@budizen3104]

I have been modding basses for over 40 years. One thing I have learned is that if the basic platform doesn't sound all that good, throwing money at it is just a waste. My rule of thumb is that if the bass was originally passive, keep it passive. P basses are a known quantity in the studio. If you change the pickups AND add a preamp, you no longer have a standard P bass. I love Rotos but not on a P Bass because when you consider the classic P Bass sound in the hands of trad. players (Jamerson comes to mind immediately), bright Rotos are the antithesis of what that sound is. As one other person here said, I didn't learn how to make a $100 bass sound like a $1000 bass, but I did learn how to throw money at a cheap bass to make it sound like a more expensive cheap bass.

[@RogerSanGabriel]

I agree but sometime one needs content.

[@fonzworthbentley7455]

I put Seymour Duncans into a cheap Squier Affinity and it sounded so much better

[@brunoraffo6726]

To me a must do is put a real bone nut.

[@budizen3104]

@@brunoraffo6726 Why is that? Just curious. I don't think I have ever had to change a nut unless it broke.

[@brunoraffo6726]

@@budizen3104 Bone is way harder than plastic. You don't need a soft material that dampens the vibration of the string. Great Spanish guitars use bone nuts even today.

[@lawrenceholmes55]

Hey man your base sounds great now it always pays the upgrade your base especially when you know you need to I have a few bases myself that need upgrading and looking at your video has expired me to get the job done thanks man

[@SirBoopBoop]

I was surprised that Justin didn't consider routing in a battery box onto the rear of the right cut and then drill a 1/8" hole through the battery box cavity into the pickup cavity for the battery box wiring. It's a one time install but now you have a convenient way to change your batteries. Also it looks clean AF! I only say this because I learned how to do it and though it takes a bit of effort to do, the work is worth it overall. So much so that I installed a battery box into every active bass & guitar I own that did not have one already. Also I despise trying to fish a battery out from underneath the pickguard! XD

[@jdmafparts5585]

Hey bro! Whatever you're doing with this video is working, as I haven't seen your channel before and got it in my recommended. That being said, super helpful video as I'm restringing/refreshing my Ibanez SR805 for the first time as someone who is normally a drummer. Keep it up man!

[@D0peSince85]

Cool to watch the process

[@terran3276]

Great video. I had the same situation. I was given a FREE bass that retailed. for $100 or less. It is a Hamer Slammer P Bass. Since the bass was free I decided to do the same thing. Do a conversion to bring it up to par with my other higher ended basses. P Bass is a passive instrument so I wanted to keep it passive. I researched what I needed and brought an Emerson pre-wired electronic harness and replaced the pickups with SD quarter pounders. I brought an actual fender P Bass pick guard and gave it all the pieces to a Fender Certified luthier locally here. He installed all what I brought. After he was finished I took it home and plugged it in my amp and turned the amp up to 10. No buzz or hum noises at all. It Sounds and plays great and I spent $260.00 for everything. It is a fun bass to play. You dont have to spend $1000.00 and above to get a good bass if you take the time. Thanks T.

[@carbonvibes]

My ears are getting a much deeper and full sound after the upgrade. Sounds really nice. 👍🏻

[@sending2ormore45]

Nice work. I have considered a project precision with a preamp. Things I have considered is replacing the tone control with a stacked pot for high/low on the preamp without having to drill another hole in the pick guard. Another though was possibly using a push/pull pot on the volume as a passive/active switch. Listening to the before and after sounds of your mod I think I would use a boost only preamp. The EMG BTC is interesting with the stacked knobs and preamp built into it.

[@brettolson8397]

The bright tone on the finished product sounds great

[@mythcrab6047]

I grabbed a 70s Aria Japan lawsuit P bass for $125. Went through the same process to restore it with a nice wiring harness and some Fralin pickups. It's almost indistinguishable from my 70s Fender P.

[@jamescharlesl7662]

His trading income stream is mind blowing, I also trade with him . I've made $62,000 so far trading with his guidance/advice .

[@possibly8180]

Wack ass bots lmao

[@tednugentlives]

Yessir that is the best way..those appreciate in value also..70s Ibanez , matsumoku, vantage, electra, even some harmony and hondos were MIJ. Seek and ye shall find..

[@tednugentlives]

Yes a bot got in here 🤣 lmao. Stocks anyone?

[@stephenhookings1985]

I genuinely thought they were talking about the guitar ...

[@vladimirkirillovskiy8056]

I'm surprised that you kept the bridge, that is the first thing I would change. As well, I would add shielding, as it is cheap and simple.

[@hoth2112]

That was my first thought too. Replacing the stock bridge for a Badass II would be a must imo

[@Sharpened_Spoon]

I mean.. “guitar builder” and doesn’t just route the cavity for the electronics. My expectations weren’t too high.

[@LUISPEREZ-vd3cz]

How about making vid of how frequencies work and how to blend them ? How hand technique in the mid range changes the whole sound of bass?

[@KeithCopeland778]

NICE!!!! The upgrades definitely added more presence and output!

[@londonsofttissuetherapy]

Great work. Love the pre amp addition but boy is that battery going to be a nightmare to change.

[@bradericksen3175]

this was my thought too

[@4EverLearning757]

Great video! I did a similar thing by putting a third pick up on my jazz bass up by the neck. I wanted the versatility of a Strat on my jazz bass. Thanks for doing this video.

[@4EverLearning757]

@TravisDykes. what does that mean?

[@robertbright2057]

After the upgrade there’s definitely more punch and output nice job.

[@powerforward1955]

The difference is unquestionable. My one concern is replacing the battery-looks like it could be a real chore. …wish I had a bud to help me with such a project.

[@beatrocka5]

Seems like a lot of work to put into an inexpensive bass to attempt to improve it, but I understand that if a person is into tinkering it can be a fun project. Me, I just gotta save for the one I really want. Nice, Travis.

[@andrewlong7578]

Cost isn't everything. If it's a really good player or happens to sound really good that would matter more but given what was changed it would seem to be neither in this case.

[@deandee8082]

yea thats nice, I do this to the good squier strats, the NC's with 60's style necks.. they sound GREAT

[@scotthamilton3163]

That was amazing. Love it

[@colomblanco]

I use steel wool directly on the frets and the wood too. The steel wool doesn't hurt the wood unless it's a polished maple.

[@TeIegram_Pask_Makes]

👆👆👆,. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment, expect more videos. (Text me above to claim your prize).

[@joewehner9837]

That was a really fun video!

[@b.ewoolcock7755]

I did a similar move with a Rogue XL200B. at the time it was $99. the pickups were $200 but on sale for $125 sooo..why not? It was an interesting project and the bass sounded a lot better but not something I would do again. I would just opt for a better bass. Love your work sir!

[@judih.8754]

I have that Relentless Pick Up ready to install in my Yamaha Bass. BTW: Love the red 911 in the shop!

[@steveceo8447]

I've got the Lusithand Double NFP in my Jazz Bass paired with Dimarzio Area J pickups, love the options for tones it provides

[@DervishNagval]

I think the success of the experiment can be seen after testing with a live band. Because in the pocket the bass can get lost and have less stability of the "operating frequencies"

[@scottmatthews172]

If you have a good enough platform then it's worth the upgrade. Awesome demo and nice playing. You make that bass sound great.

[@bazerkly907]

I agree with Jeff regarding Pre-amps! Amps not only amplify the "Good stuff" but they also amplify the "Bad stuff"...

[@dustinkeller8476]

Amazing video! Thank you.

[@javadog6288]

So what was the total cost of the preamp, pickup, strings and knobs? What do you think the labor cost would be to have a technician install them and redo the setup? Also, anybody with a two pickup bass is going to have to cough up another 100-200 dollars for the second one. You may need a new tone capacitor and while you're at it , put in an upgraded output jack like the Pure Tone. All those costs add up fast.

[@madatlas3806]

DiMarzio pickups are the tops. I'm eyeballing a set of PJs for my Ibanez GSR190, just saving up for them.

[@bobbyseelye92]

sounds way brighter! cool video.

[@johnnyscript9669]

awesome bro! I see you from Colombia

[@Raytown007]

The clarity and output is such better with the new pickups. But you can hear the low quality wood of the bass in how it resonates.

[@Daddy53751]

As a builder, I’ve discovered a couple of things. As long as the neck and the fretwork is good, and the body is also good, You have 80% of everything you need. Decent pots (wired well) and average tuners are also perfectly fine. Now about the never ending battle of pickups. I’ve made a study of taking the absolute cheapest PUs and potting and experimenting with changing out the magnets, (Neodymium are my favorite with different sizes which really changes the sound depending on the size) What I also found was you can make some of the cheapest PUs sound amazing! (Of course this only applies to passive PUs, and not active) Ive come to the conclusion that IMO the lions share of the sometimes ungodly prices of really “high end” PUs is mostly brand name hype. My favorite “secret” which is actually no secret at all, but everyone raves about is this, As a final step, tape off the fretboard (If you don’t you’ll spend forever getting the compound off) and take a dremmel with a polishing wheel, and mirror polish the frets. Seems like such small and insignificant thing but it feels fantastic! Aside from “name” price hikes (I’m talking to you Gibson) Most of the cost of high end, especially custom made guitars and basses comes down to the man hours put into the attention to detail. The quest for “as close to perfect as possible” is nit picking and time consuming, but really fun.

[@stephenhookings1985]

I've not tried potting but it on my wish list. I tend to just use EMG active pickups - no noise. 100% agree with you.

[@Daddy53751]

@@stephenhookings1985 try it out with some cheapie eBay pickups and paraffin wax, you’ll like the results. 👍🏻

[@stephenhookings1985]

@@Daddy53751 I have a plethora of pickups front my guitars and basses (taken apart on my channel). From what I see I need a stove, some wax, a lot of patience :-). I am quite happy with the EMGs - I guess potting these things reduced the microphonic but I still have to shield. And I find that OK except it takes me an age. Dropping in a quiet at rest pickup ... about the same time as a noisy pickup. But agree - it would likely be fun - even with today's energy prices. Do it after a BBQ cookout:-)

[@ericstrauch3215]

The upgrades are great. Sounds ten times better. My question is...How did the playability/feeling of the bass change after the neck/fret upgrades?

[@user-xf8is8qs2w]

The problem with radiused pickups, is that they don't always match the radius of the neck at the heel (or 20th/21st fret), which leads to unbalanced volume between the strings. I put a Dimarzio Standard PJ set into my bass, and adjusted the individual pole screws (use an allen wrench) of each pickup to match the radius of the neck at the heel of my bass. Nice balanced volume over both pickups. I love DiMarzio pickups...they have a nice "growl" to them when the master volume(s)are turned all the way up. Also, don't forget to adjust the bridge saddles to match the radius of the neck heel.

[@geoffkeeler5106]

Big improvement, more of everything. Money well spent!

[@ooj316]

Might I suggest an ohmmeter... The blend pot is a variable resistor which you could desolder and replace with a standard resistor after measuring the pot since you don't need the blend knob. You can go crazy and hollow out some more wood to make room with a drill press and chisel set but I understand why that would make a lot of people nervous.

[@Gosuminer]

Same what I wanted to write. A pot turned fully to one side is just a direct connection on one side and a resistor on the other. This takes no space at all.

[@marc942]

When the drummer/engineer decides to pick up his bass and get serious, the perfect vid pops up to motivate my desires. Now if I can just find the time to push away from the mountain of DAW work. 😊 Great information for us newbies. 🎉

[@gerson7998]

I have 2 Squier basses. One fretted(5) and one fretless(4). I installed DiMarzios on both, then I got custom passive electronics, better hardware and they sound very very nice 👌! All under $800 each including the basses!😉! Plus is just a lot of fun doing it!😃!

[@JBass_86]

Hey! I wonder why making a battery hole in the back wasn't an option and also moving the jack to the bottom and using the jack hole in the pickguard to put the tone knob, so you don't have to jam everything inside that tiny space. Anyway, I loved the video and love the sound of those new pickups!

[@judih.8754]

My thought as well. Move that Jack. Very simple to drill the hole.

[@aarsyl]

Looks awesome! Except for when that battery dies. That's gotta be a fun time

[@nozzlegoblin1]

Great video! I love this kind of thing. How do you change the battery?

[@TKOMUSIC405]

That bass sounds so amazing

[@jonofrye2394]

Hi Travis, Interesting video again thanks! Could a passive pickup have made the grade - a lot less hassle and how long does the battery last as it is a bit of a job changing it over as the pickguard will have to be removed? Cheers Jon (Australia).

[@wallacebarnett9208]

It def helped the tone and made it sound beefier....like it

[@freednighthawk]

For the blend control, what you want to do is jumper the signal in and signal out for the neck pickup, and singal in and ground for bridge. Then you can get rid of the blend pot kicking around inside the guitar.

[@checkeredpast2720]

Definitely a lot brighter sound!

[@ivan_osorio]

changing that battery is going to be wonderful... hopefully you never forget this plugged in.

[@reyesrodriguez2779]

Hi, I’ve upgraded my bass from 1 volume and 1 tone to a four knobs system. Volume, High, Mid, Bass, and it’s active. So I added a EX3 (3 position switch) to this system and the sound improve a lot more, and I want to add something else but I’m not sure what else to add. My question is, What potentiometers, blender, kill-switch or volume is suitable for this system? I’ll be great full for any advice, thanks

[@Grumdot]

I've done something similar to 40-year-old bass that had been sitting in a closet. But I left it passive, and also changed the bridge from the cheap-o crap-o to a good quality high-mass bridge.

[@krishnajayaputra6566]

I like the passive tone✌️😌

[@Slugg-O]

I'm a DIY'r so I'll go with the underdog every time. This my seem weird but I like knowing that I MADE that sound. Plus, it's great to tweak it until it plays like butter

[@gfcos]

How can I get my hands on one of those Travis Dykes Signature basses?

[@johnclement7473]

Sounds awesome man I also have a cheap Dean bass which is in excellent condition but also needs to be set up and get a good pair strings on it to how good it could sound.

[@nicolasgibbons4683]

I found this really awesome way to make all of your instruments sound a lot better and it doesn’t cost anything! Practice.

[@DavidMcbrady]

Hey Travis- I play a stand up 5 string BSX Bass Allegro model that uses individual transducers under each string inside the bridge as it's means of producing sound. The question I have to you is could you recommend a pedal, or if not a pedal, a combo amplifier that you think would work well to get that wirery fuzzy thump sound that magnetic pickup basses have and less roar in the back of the room sound. Is it a matter of a better EQ? Or is the sound just a thing that comes with transducers?. Thank you sir

[@camcook262]

Love it, man!

[@TravisDykes]

Thank you so much Cam! Means a lot coming from you.

[@darrenokrain7058]

Travis is an amazing player that will make any bass sound fantastic. Unfortunately the only was to make $100 bass sound even better is to make it a $500 bass with upgrades.

[@sortextheguy]

Thats $500 less, but i get what you mean

[@MrNeroDiablo]

@@sortextheguy Without putting any value on Justin's time or knowledge, although to his credit he did say it was easier to just go buy a higher end instrument. Which would have less risk of will it work or not.

[@stevefiorito5379]

Yeah, more clarity and definition post mod. I bought a used Chinese Made Fender Squire 50th anniversary P-Bass. I changed the pickups as you did, I left all of that passive, I installed a hipshot bridge system, and I insulated the electronics with copper foil. Sounds great ... not bad for a $100 guitar plus mods ($120). Most important: the neck is amazing! Very playable.

[@derekdauchan2741]

Travis, you're well respected in the bass community, if you designed and sold a nice 4 and 5, competitively priced, you'll sell truckloads. 👏👍✌

[@TravisDykes]

That’s so kind man, I’m really thinking about doing something like that in the future that’s affordable and great quality. What would you say would be a decent price range?

[@derekdauchan2741]

@@TravisDykes A lot of us respond to the $500 and above range. No instrument is perfect, but as you know, If it's a workhorse with good usable tones, it will work on gigs. Thanks for all you do, we need the encouragement. 🕆

[@Dmeekification]

Thanks for this video it was cool! You said the preamp made a big difference… did it go from passive to active? I have a bass that has an active EQ (and passive pickups), and I keep reading conflicting information saying that if I don’t plan to use the tone knobs for boosting or cutting and leave them flat, that it’s not really going to benefit me to upgrade my preamp (some say a upgraded preamp will make a difference no matter what)… all I know is that I feel like my bass isn’t giving the sound I want, but when it’s unplugged, I can tell it sounds good naturally. Thanks!

[@MrDucehands]

Quite a difference. A bit more jazz bridge pickup only sounding to my ear. As well as a bit more treble than I’m accustomed to but really nice job. Add some overdrive and that a rock bad sleeper

[@902MediaUK]

dope project

[@JSRMedia]

That's awesome! Goes to show entry level basses have good bones. I think buying a mid-range bass is a happy medium between putting the work into a cheap bass and buying a high end bass. Mexican Jazz Basses go for $350 sometimes.

[@abegarfield7031]

True. They're not bad to begin with, especially for the price. The same goes for Mexican P basses and with some minor modifications you've got yourself a sweet bass.

[@gayrambo4529]

Mexican Fenders are getting expensive. Brand new Strats go for $700 and the used market is getting insane. I have two Hoppus signature basses that have appreciated 3x for what I paid for them since I bought them about 5 years ago.

[@tallmccartneymusic]

Their prices have skyrocketed unfortunately. I got mine new in 2013 for $400 and now they’re double that… I’ve put about $250 into upgrades and it’s still my number 1. Amazing instrument. Yet to find a more playable bass.

[@nativeprophet3915]

Coolest dudes ever. Also I want a Travis Dykes Signature Bass from NEO Guitar Concepts 💎

[@holstorrsceadus1990]

I'm about to redo an old Cort 4 string. I've modded a ton of guitars but I know nothing about who makes good gear for basses so I'm just going to do all the mods in this video. Thanks.

[@rikjones5924]

A few times if I needed 3 holes for vol/tone/etc I would use the hole for the output jack and drill a end jack hole Wich I prefer (easier on the face plate)

[@TravisDykes]

Yeah we thought about an idea like that we were just trying to keep it as simple as possible.

[@johnathanbrabham3241]

You could gone with a middle of the road bass $400 - $500 double pickup bass and good set of strings( why Roto Sounds)?

[@ajmonstern2009drmboy]

Bass sounds great 👍🏿 I wanted to see how it would turn out I was up at 6:53am watching this video glad I stayed up because I wasn’t disappointed A+ gentleman I really enjoyed that project $100 to $1000 😂❤

[@kalebrodriguez2126]

GREAT content

[@landmind666]

I changed the stock pickups from my lyons bass for emgs it came with the preamp. But had to go in with a solider iron and custom the output jack due to the one that came with the pickups was too short to replace the stock. Though i will try the fret stuff on it when i get a chance

[@waltermorgenroth7872]

bro the mandolin in the background music goes so hard

[@reefgrof5983]

Any tips for passive pickups to upgade a 5 string Fazley?

[@greekpapi]

I build these guitar kits all the time!!! The first one's always rough but by the third attempt you know what to sand, what to tweak.......some of my home made guitars now play and sound better than my high end instruments....

[@itsmatchew]

Great vid!

[@johnpitts8637]

Good work

[@xiaokang8692]

How are you going to switch of the preamp? It will drain battery in 24h. How are you going to change the battery? Unscrew the pickguard?

[@AtomizedSound]

The preamp beefed it up a little tone wise but that’s about the only thing I believe changed overall

[@sublimingmule6356]

Could also use a high grit scotch scotchbrite (I forget what the product is called, but people call it scotchbrite, which is the brand name) it's basically plastic steel wool, to polish the frets. Otherwise, there are plenty of other polishing methods for frets.

[@alevazquez9869]

Not only does sound matter in a bass, but also playability plays an important role, specially for beginners.

[@miguellogistics984]

Powerful Pups make a huge difference to how hard one might have to work the instrument against the Amp's Preamp circuit, which then effects the tone. I worked only with 18v preamps in the end, and was very happy, and inspired. They might have been making a slight overdrive snarl, and if so, I enjoyed it. My long time fear was distortion destroying speakers from being overdriven somehow. Fret dressing is the only thing that physically effects the hand, neck adjustment is only really possible into the 0.??=2mm Set after a proper fret dressing, and that is where the instrument is going to begin to talk the whole truth. I say "begin", because you need a friend with a Walk-in Refrigerator to place the instrument in for 8-12 hours to see what the Neck wood's reaction will be in an adverse circumstance, that is less hazardous than generating heat/fire. Heat, cold, humidity, altitude, they all move the wood. Different woods will do different things, Between the Bubinga stringers on the 1006 I have and the Walnut stringered 400's, 2880 abv sea level, in the East, to Iowa, to LA at sea level, to Eastern NC at Sea Level, and Dallas at 750 abv sea level, I became a skeptic of exotics as stringers, and walnut is fine with me, at least these pieces were nice to me. If the neck wood endures some temperature adversity, then it is worth a Pre and some pickups. Some will say, 'Why are you putting $500 into a $100 bass? Just get a $600 bass, or a $1000 bass!" Best answers are: A. Because it is stable: and; B. Because it is a known quantity of inspiration in my hands. Nothing worse than an uninspiring +$1000 instrument, that does not inspire when the newness is gone. A bad answer to people thinking spending money on a $100 instrument retro is, 'Why Spend $500 retroing a $1000 instrument?" Shouldn't it be right coming out of the factory? That is sad. So many people making so many products. So many performers inspiring us with their relationship with their instruments, that synergy of invisible inspiration. Stop looking, stop listening to what you are being told by marketers, and pick up instruments and assess them, go find your inspiration.

[@jttech44]

Exactly. People forget that wood choice is 95% structural concerns, ie, does it resist string tension well over time. The tone you get from XYZ wood is hardly noticeable, but, you will notice if it pulls a twist or if it has too much or too little bow or bow in the wrong places. If all that's good, fret work, or replacing them altogether is usually a big upgrade in terms of playability, and then pickups and a preamp. Sure that'll still land you 500-600 bucks from where you started, but, you'll land in a place where nothing else you can just go buy will feel right, and instruments that don't feel right only get in the way, life's too short for that brand of nonsense.

[@abelincoln95]

Travis!! Awesome video! You have to temper the temptation to put a lot of money in a cheap guitar. But if you only have $100 to get started and you find parts to upgrade the starter, you at least upgrade an instrument that you can pay forward to a beginning player.

[@InvictusBananman]

I know that all my basses have a preamp, but i don't really know what they do, besides giving me the possibilities to boost frequencies right at the bass