Upgrade your Bass Pickups.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

If you are now at the point that you are cool with a pickup upgrade on your bass guitar, then you should check out my other upgrade video, where I talk about the wonderful world of bass bridge upgrades right here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXetmZyhqd2qj8k

[@andywillis9701]

the smirk he has saying he upgraded his Rickenbacker is just devilish. love it.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Primarily because it actually solved the problem I had, and because it was Really risky to do. Glad you liked the vid!

[@andywillis9701]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 absolutely but I could feel the haters and purists in this world raging and the thought brings me joy. It s like a car, upgrade it and drive it...don t let it rot to death just to stare at it :) Thanks for all the vids, love the no frills and easy to soak up information ! ✌

[@SplitRensonator]

This is a man that loves his guitars.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Like they're my children even.

[@jesserobinson20]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 they'll cost you a hell of a lot less money than children.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@jesserobinson20 Yeah, but I love my kids! but I do have more basses than kids.......LOL!

[@blacklikethesun]

This guy is so likeable and well spoken lol

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Yup, I really am a nice guy.

[@dropCvoices]

Excellent channel for beginners and even 16-year players like me! Will definitely send this channel to any friend looking to play bass.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks so much Sweet Potato! I'm glad all of it is of use to everyone that visits this channel!

[@JakeTheCrow]

Just found you on the you tubes, absolutely love the attitude and flavor your videos have!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Cordell, thanks so much! I'm glad the approach seems to do well for my subscribers, while allowing me to be as natural as I can in front of the camera.

[@stevenordstedt2535]

I also have a Rickenbacker. a 1978 4001 Mapleglow. Bought in 1980 from an old friend who sold it to me for $250. with the original case. After playing it with different bass amp set ups. I didnt like the pick ups. So I to changed the bridge pick up to an active Bartolini. Instantly Sounded much better. Im a Player Not a Collector!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I have yet to hear a Ric with a Bartolini, but I believe you when you say it was an improvement. I just can't figure out why more Rick users don't install Barts on that bass. They really do look nice from the pics I've seen.

[@chrislopez9156]

Very thorough explanation thank you!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Chris. Thank you so much for the feedback. It is our hope here that you will find the rest of the content useful as well. Please fell free to ask any question at any time.

[@321mzzz123]

so glad I found this channel. thank you for the info! subscribed

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Cool! I'm so glad that you are finding the content useful!

[@tigerscott2966]

Good start...going to a music store has been an unplesant expeience. I've watched hundreds of videos on the tube. Very helpful. There should be a video on all different types of pickups, configurations and tone quality.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Tiger. Yes, doing business at a music store is about building a relationship, and some stores and chains are better at trying to earn your money than others. There is one where I live that I basically gave up on, so I just go to their competition, where they seem to care that I buy from them instead of the Internet. You wrote: "There should be a video on all different types of pickups, configurations and tone quality." I hope this video did that for you. Thanks for the feedback!

[@patrickjmolloy]

Thanks for this. Very informative. Just the information I needed, as I'm planning to upgrade my old Fender Squier bass.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Patrick. This is cool! Let us know what you decide to do, and what you think about the upgrade when you can.

[@patrickjmolloy]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 I will indeed.

[@bobt5778]

For anybody looking to upgrade a Squier type bass, I found buying used Fender Mexican or American pickups online to be a cheap and effective upgrade. You get better quality sound while retaining that Fender tone.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I'm all for whatever works for the individual that owns the guitar. So, yes!

[@christopherstorrier5560]

I rewire all new bass's ,just done my 75th Anniversary Fender Jazz, fitted a new pickguard, a brass nut, Guyker brass saddles, SD Apollo linear dual coil Jazz noiseless pickups, CTS 8% tolerance linear pots (250k) hifi grade polypropylene caps (5% tolerance) & 4k7 resistor (1% tolerance) i use the Greasebucket tone set up,much better sound imo..i fitted a TinyTone dual contacts mono jack socket, 200% more contact & a snug solid fit then finally a full set up, dress fret ends & check fret levels, set neck releif, bridge height & intonation....i have Nordstrom 'Big Breaks' pickups fitted in my active/passive playing Ibanez SR 600E...great quiet pickups when playing active or passive...don't leave batteries for to long unchecked as if they leak acid they can do a lot of damage ,especially cheap batteries...good video, good advice...👍🎸

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Christopher! Awesome comments and confirmation on the value of making an instrument work the way you need it to. BTW, I have every intention of talking about the Ibanez SR 600E in the next series for sure!

[@fstopPhotography]

Wow! 20 minutes of knowledge that isn't being shared anywhere at all. I really appreciate this. I'm new to the bass and I built my P Bass from a kit and the first thing I did was replace all the hardware it came with. I replaced the pickups with SPB-3 Quarter Pound pickup from Seymour/Duncan pickups, the new bridge is Performance Music Co. I had to enlarge the low E string hole on the bridge. Not a good sign from the beginning, so I replaced it with the new one. And finally the strings were replaced with D'Addario, flat wound, regular light gage ECB81 svideos. MOJO Tone, 250K pots. I'll take it down to my local music shop and have their technician look it over to make sure I did it all correctly once I'm done. Should another couple of days when all the parts arrive. This is a lot more fun than I thought it would be. Thanks again for your videos.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thank you Greg. I'm glad you took the leap into upgrading your kit. BTW, what brand was that kit, and would you recommend it for people that are starting out as well? I hope you find the rest of the channel helpful. Please let us know here what you think. Please let your friends know about this channel and encourage them to become a subscriber when you have a moment. Thanks again!

[@fstopPhotography]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Sure, The kit I made was from Solo Guitars. They have a nice selection, but like I mentioned before, the hardware that comes with it is second rate. It works, but, it really does sound pretty bad compared to other bass guitars for $600 plus. So, I bought all new hardware to include the strings and boy does she sound great. I took down to our local music shop and showed them and one of the guys said he was surprised how well it sounded. I total, I think I payed $200 for up-graded hardware.

[@Smelter57]

I have just bought my first ever bass guitar and never played one, so very much a newbie. The previous owner fitted "Fender Squier Tuners" and "Wilkinson M series pickups" so it looks like it's already "pimped up". when I've learnt to play it I can decide if its the sound I want. Thanks for posting.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Welcome to the tent. It's a big tent, and there is so much exciting stuff to learn and enjoy while doing it. I'm thrilled that you made the purchase, and I hope you will benefit positively via my videos!

[@FVB-ym4rx]

Thanks to explain, i love it❤

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Any Time!

[@baroquer]

10:05 = in my very favourite TEAL colour. What a BEAUTY 🤩

[@MrBowser83]

I bought a new Ibanez gsr200b and upgraded the pickups to the EMG Geezer Butler's. Just ordered them, waiting for them to arrive! Awesome video! Thanks!!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Those get a lot of high praise from people. Send a recording when you do the upgrade!

[@robertsuggs2510]

This is 1st of your videos I've seen,, FANTASTIC,,,KEEP IT UP & I WILL KEEP WATCHING,,,thank you 🎸🤠

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@allendestine3406]

Give this man a gold metal, he's giving us jewels

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks Allen. For a brief second there, I actually thought of doing a metal cover of a Jewel song.

[@allendestine3406]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 awesome, I have a question. What pickups do you think would go well with a john east preamp on a Mexican fender jazz bass?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@allendestine3406 EMG Geezer for passive. Or like what I did to my MIM Jazz with two active EMG J. You will be thrilled with either set

[@i94yeh2p]

Very informative. You have a very patient, calming, relaxed kind of voice. Very straight forward to the point with explaining things, I'm sure you're a great teacher. A few years ago I went down the Glarry bass rabbit hole here on KZbin and ended up buying one and I've been doing mods ever since. lol! I straightened the neck, lowered the action but I can't get the intonation right on the A and E strings. Got a Wilkinson bridge coming in a few days, hoping that will solve the problem. Also the E string is tapping the fretboard and pick up. I'm starting to think I should've gone with a $200-$300 Ibanez as my first bass but it's been fun and educational. I'll get her right eventually. 🤞😁

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

i9, thanks so much for the kind words! You may already know this, but if a bridge is mounted incorrectly at the factory in relation to the bass's scale length, then you, as the end user will be dealing with intonation problems for ever. So I mounted my bridge on my refinished short scale SG, and I had no idea where the original mounting holes were because everything was filled and smoothed out. So the only thing I could do was measure the distance from the nut to the 12th fret, and whatever that was in inches was what I doubled from the 12th fret on back to determine where the new bridge saddles were to hit, with consideration that I needed whatever travel forward and backward might be required to fine tune the length of each string. Since you are getting a new bridge, you may have to re-drill mounting holes at the correct distance if the factory holes were positioned incorrectly at inception.

[@i94yeh2p]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Great. I thought all I had to do was swap it out. Oh, well. I've done everything except take it to a professional. Just delaying it at this point I guess. Thanks! 🙂

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@i94yeh2p It just might be a direct swap, don't worry just yet. All my LEO QUAN bridges were in fact, direct swaps, but each one was done on a guitar that was built to solid specifications by the maker. I'm sure Glarrys are made pretty solidly because they indeed serve their community well with affordable stuff. But like anything else, their stuff may need some extra curricular refinements when upgrades are being considered. Let me know how new bridge goes on. It's probably gonna be easier than you imagine.

[@i94yeh2p]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 I hope so. I'll let you. Thanks! 🤞

[@joeballs5669]

great video !

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks Joe! I appreciate your feedback on this one!

[@Foulball0206]

It's all good. Thanks.

[@MacySpitfire]

11:38 EMG on rickenbacker. Oh yeah I can hear sounds of tables breaking by rick's purists. You're my hero!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I know. they all scoff until they hear it in a recording or through a 10k WATT Pa system. kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6a6p4tnYq6gfJI

[@MacySpitfire]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 nice :D funny thing even Lemmy always swapped pickups in his rickenbackers cause they quote "sucks" Soo i don't get why the purists are the thing. I am planning to change pickups in my precision from pj into humbucker mm style from emg pickups Soo it's like same thing basically ;p

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@MacySpitfire You're gonna love those MMs from EMG!

[@Kreln1221]

Not only Lemmy, but Paul McCartney, Cliff Burton, and Mike Rutherford are just three more that come to mind that modded their 4001 basses to oblivion, and even Geddy Lee would use Badass bridges and Schaller tuners on his before he considered them ready for the stage or studio...

[@rockereivanivan]

I have a Yamaha bb405 and I know that this bass is worth upgrading it, has alder body, perfect resonance, bouncy strings for a good time slapping, plays like butter, no buzz. Just new pickups, some upgrades to machinery and a new jack and you have a beast right there.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Eivan, let us know what you decide to put on that Yamaha, and make sure you record with it before the upgrade so you can do an A/B comparison and let us know that too. Awesome!

[@rockereivanivan]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 sure thing! I have the "before" recorded, I'll mod the bass and I'll record it again to see the changes but basically I want: -Hipshot tunner machines -tusq nut -tusq saddles -Emg JAX pickups -Locking jack -And straplocks

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@rockereivanivan Hipshot makes a Rick Bass bridge that I am lusting after BIG TIME!

[@rockereivanivan]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 I've seen it, it would look so good on any bass! I really like my bridge its not a kickass but a smaller version but, its just the saddles that I want to replace with Tusq saddles and hear the little differences. On a side note I think the bridge is the only thing I'd leave just like that, it's very well made and I love the bouncingness of the strings I get with it

[@jimbee89]

I like that SG.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

It's a cool little bass!

[@rainrichards8068]

Great!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Glad you liked it!

[@user-ct1qp8bh6g]

Thank you very much!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

You're welcome!

[@dennisswanberg1718]

Thanks good stuff

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I'm glad it was helpful. Let us know eventually what you decide to go with, so we can spread the good news.

[@prestachuck2867]

The Fender sounds fuller with the tone up full, and a touch brighter with the tone rolled all the way off. Maybe could make the Sire a little bit closer by changing the pots and tone capacitor.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I have three here. One is a pristine, untouched Jazz. One with EMG and Leo Quan hotrod stuff, and the third one with just a Leo Quan upgrade. They each sound unique from one another, and I love all three!

[@prestachuck2867]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 I recently purchased a Sire V-7 Fretless 2nd gen. I tried the oem pickups and preamp, EMG Active J Set (with passive VVT), and DiMarzio Area J set with the Sire preamp. . My favorite is the stock setup after carefully shielding the pickups! They are just more growly and well... Jazz Bassy!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@prestachuck2867 The Sire Line is one of the ones I talked about in the Intermediate category of suggestions. I always regarded them as "Already upgraded" because of how well they are made and sound out of the box.

[@prestachuck2867]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 I have to agree with you now. I did upgrade the tuners to Gotoh Res-o-Lites, and other than the additional shielding, that's it! My Pedulla Buzz now stays in the studio, and my Fretless Sire V-7 goes out on the road with me.

[@Cruiseangel72]

Love what u did with the Rick! Just heard your limelight. Amazing !

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks so much!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Not once have I regretted doing it too!

[@brucegibbins3792]

I'm upgrading my pretty basic Behringer bass and planning the mods brought me here. On the Bass Talk forum a member describes the mods he made and I will probably do the same. These are two: a Fender High Mass Bridge and Seymour Duncan SPB-4 Steve Harris P Bass model pickups. I have the bridge and will hit eBay for the pickups. Soon, all will be wonderful- I don't deserve it😂

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Bruce, I'm excited for you. I think it is entirely cool that you are upgrading that Behringer. I hope that Fender HMB is a simple drop in replacement. Please be mindful that it needs to be grounded to the electronics via a wire of some kind. (you'll see it when you remove the stock bridge). I also think that you will be immensely pleased with the SPB-4 once that is wired in. Please be mindful of pickup height once installed. The right and wrong on pickups is that if they are too close to the stings, then it will interfere with the mechanical resonant behavior of a string while vibrating via limiting it's movement. The other end of the issue is a pickup that is set too low into the body. That situation usually and predictably means ridiculously low output. Seymour Duncan (should) give you guidance on that stuff in their documentation. Please drop in again and let us know how this killer upgrade goes. And yes, you do deserve it! LOL.

[@Bialbagtl]

Got a Ibanez TBM 100 that I am planning on Changing the Tunnnig keys and Pickups in the near future. Love the bass is my first guitar, looks and feels amazing and the construction materials are are great for the price.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

That bass reminds me of what the bassist for The Spin Doctors played in their heyday. But yeah, I own 3 Ibanez guitars and I struck lighting on each individual guitar. look at what Hipshot and Schaller have as replacements for this bass if you don't want to use factory tuners by Ibanez.

[@Andy-mv9qj]

This was a very helpful video for me! Thank you!!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I'm so glad this channel works for you. I hope you can benefit from the rest of the content. Thanks for the feedback.

[@rbjerrea]

Reg. battery life: Why not install a small voltmeter in the back of the bass or is this a really bad idea?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

It's more than likely way easier to just remove 4 screws and remove a plate and see everything that may or may not need attention, which would include the battery.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

Great episode. I just bought a sterling 5H just to hot rod soon, with an EMG pickup and EMG BQC preamp, I have a Sterling 4H with that setup and I highly recommend it, some cavity space routing is needed for the preamp but still worth it!!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Very cool!

[@juliojimenez9753]

Thanks so much for the information. I just found my old bass, bought at a mom and pop shop, the output is broken and the wires broke. So I’m thinking about changing the whole system. I know it might be more work than it’s worth for the instrument; but I love that bass(no brand name). Hopefully I can do it and bring my baby back to life.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

You can always replace everything and "Hot Rod", but maybe just re-soldering the connections is all it needs to come to life. But in either case, let us know what you've done and upload a picture here for all of us to see. I'm glad you liked this video. I got my 1st bass as a teenager from my mom, who took me to a pawn shop and let me pick it out. I loved that thing and fixed everything on it, including a refinish! LOL, it was a blast!

[@tonycampbell9626]

I want to upgrade my sg epiphone bass with EMG passive pickups. EMG told me they have no pickups for direct installation without a 100% overall which includes routing the body. Can you elaborate on the passive pickups model in your sg bass and if you had to have the upgrade done by a luthier. Very informative video.

[@janneboman8573]

Most importantly, the bridge was the upgrade for that Rick ;)

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Instantly, as I recalled.

[@jaysmesa]

Is that Whiteheart’s Messiah on the out track? One of my favorite bands of all time

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Wow! Thank you for catching that! And you should know that when I bought my Jazz bass in 1994, the very 1st thing I recorded is the instrumental version of that song that you heard here with that guitar. I thought everything on "Powerhouse" was done beautifully on the bass, even if the bassist at the time was obviously on a 5 string for most of the record. I do have this thing that tells me I need to do one or two of the other tracks on that record, or something from "Freedom", which had some very creative bass playing on it as well. Again, thanks for noticing that! I hope the content here is helping you in some positive way. JC

[@MikeCindyWhite]

Right on bud! Great video, very good info!! I own a guitar repair shop and in the last few years in business I've only had 1 bass in and that was just a fret job and set up. My wife plays bass though and she's been borrowing an old Ibanez (cheap SG model) from a good friend of mine (drummer in our old band) He never plays it so my wife has been jamming on his bass for over 5 yrs.! So for Christmas this year I bought a nice 5 string diy kit for her, so far it's a nice kit! (I obviously didn't get it done before Christmas, Lol) But It's nice, I mocked everything up before drilling all my pilot holes and the black hardware looks awesome!! I asked my wife how she wants it to look and she likes natural wood, So I did a nice 2 tone stain/dye job and covered it all in danish oil... Looks amazing with the black hardware now! It came with 2 stacked soapbar humbuckers with 5 500k pots. I wired it with 3 volumes, and 2 tones, 1 master volume. She likes that setup but I don't! Lol. I kinda wan't to put an active pre-amp setup so she has way more tonal range... (I installed a 21 tone Jimmy Page wiring harness for my Les Paul, and yup I'm a tone geek, Lol) I no nothing about bass pups so this video really helped. I wasn't sure what kind of pup's she even had, Just that they came with 500k pots, So I'm guessing by the 500k and the way they look (there huge!) They look just like those stacked humbuckers (soapbar style). Again thank you much for the video man, and thanks for the links! Mike facebook.com/Ipswich-River-Guitars-106563420706171/?modal=admin_todo_tour

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

This is so cool Mike, and thanks for subscribing! I'm really curious about kit builds myself, so you must show picks of your wife's bass for my viewers to see. I think that my subscribers may appreciate the option of a kit build if they are new to the bass, but they also may have the advantage of being comfortable with building their own bass from a parts list that they create. This is totally cool to me!

[@MikeCindyWhite]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Thanks again my friend! I will post pics of the bass as soon as it's completely done... Probably in about a week. As far as kits go, Solo music gear up in Canada makes excellent guitar and bass kits, I got this kit from Bargain musician out of California, only because Solo only had Fender style P & J kits. Bargain musician had a bigger selection of basses and she wanted an more modern style... Like a PRS guitar body, or kind of like an Ibanez body, No pickguard, 5 pots through the rear cavity... They both make great kits, I think the Solo kits would be better for a beginner because everything's pre-drilled for you, Just add the paint of your choice and screw it together! Very cool to start on. The kit from Bargain musician you get all the parts you need but nothings pre-drilled, so measure 10 times drill once! Lol. There both a really great way to understand how a guitar/bass goes together and how electronics work. Plus there cheap! I think her bass kit was one of the most expensive one they had and it was only 229$ shipped to my door, and you have a project that if you take your time and put a little artwork into it, you will treasure it, and if you ever need to mod/hot rod it you know exactly how since you built it in the first place! Thanks again my new friend, I look forward to seeing more of your video's! I just learned so much about bass pups from you, I'm always looking forward to learning more!! ... Mike (Ipswich River Guitars)

[@alanb287]

Thank you for this video. This is exactly what I needed to see. Are you still active on KZbin, maybe on another channel?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Yes I am! I'm such a lazy person. But I fully intend to give you a new video soon. I appreciate you checking in on me!

[@reygamingchannel1505]

Excellent video but what about the distance of the pick ups for different configurations? Great channel!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks for the question Rey! Yes, where makers ultimately decide to place pickups in the body has a great deal to do with how it sounds as well. Some basses that have a pickup near the neck have a more bottom end-like sound than pickups mounted near the bridge, which are often much brighter or produce more treble tones. A lot of basses will have two pickups like this, and the end user just blends them together to taste.

[@MarcG7424]

I've heard people say modding/upgrading certain basses/guitars because they are not worth it i.e. resale value or whatever. My feeling is if you like that instrument enough and you don't care about any of that like myself do whatever makes your bass or guitar feel and play the way you want go for it it's yours as you are good with not being able to recover all of your upgrade cost enjoy

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Indeed, none of my instruments are regarded as museum pieces, so since they don't hang on a wall so that people can ogle at them, I put them to work. And as you've already established, they need to do what I want them to do, which requires modifications at times. I am the luckiest person in the world for being able to do that.😆

[@MarcG7424]

You are and it's a skill I would not mind learning at this point in my life

[@jesserobinson20]

I switched out the stock pickups in my MIM Fender Jazz for some Seymour Duncan Classic Stack pickups. Still sounds like a jazz bass with less mud and less buzz which is what I was going for.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Seymour Duncans are a fantastic option for replacements. I love my MIM jazz too! I absolutely hate it that the wonderful factory those Squiers were made in was destroyed in a horrific fire.

[@hereonmars]

Great video man. I've been playing guitar for 30 years but bought an Ibanez soundgear for cheap and want to learn more. Sure is a different world than six string. Thx!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Those SR basses are really good. I almost bought one till I discovered the EXB line. But yeah, the SRs are really good and do work in just about all experience levels.

[@alanb287]

The mod I want to do is on my Fender American Deluxe P Bass that I bought new in 2000. It didn't come with an active/passive switch, so I would like to install one for the times when I forget to check my battery and don't want to have to replace it in the middle of a set.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Indeed, that would be an awesome thing to do. Let us know here what you end up going with!

[@joecastro6523]

I have always love the clean crisp sound of EMG's they are very versatile, I recently got an Ibanez premium bass with the Nordstrand pickups, and I am really not happy with the tone, they just change the sound of everything in my pedal board, and harmonics are terrible, I don't know if I should sell it or maybe change them out, I put EMGs in my chep Fernandes bass back in the 90's and it still sounds great.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Joe, since 1988, I have only had one EMG HB fail on me out of the 12 basses I own, so its a testament to their longevity.

[@HorrorGeek13]

Great video, subbed

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks for the sub!

[@joeywilliams2675]

I know this video is old but fishman fluence soap bars are incredible

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Joey. Yes. those are nice, and I would hope that they are "incredible", as you say, for the nearly $300.00 US. price tag for a new set. On my next update video about pickups, I will include your suggestion along with the rest. Thanks for the tip!

[@jorgewolynski9125]

Nice video. I made my first mod to a Fender Squire I bought 6 years ago with my employee discount. Payed less than $100 brand new. This year I installed Fender Custom Shop 60's pickups and replaced the control board as well. Night and day difference. Made my $90 horribly sounding bass into a $600 sounding beast. It has that clean and warm classic Fender tone that I love. I did have a question. Where do you get your wiring diagrams from? How do you know what kind of wiring you need to do when you combine pickups like you did for your Rickenbacker?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Jorge, The magic that is built into nearly every Squier is that you can easily turn it into a beast. That is why I'm a happy owner of 4 squiers. The diagram for the RIC came from their web site, but that is only good if you are going to use passive replacements, and wire the whole thing to the original stereo output "Ric-O-sound". I didn't really care for the stereo output, and just wired my 4001 in the classic Gibson style of 2 independent volume and 2 independent tone w/ a 3 way switch, with active EMGs to a mono output. Several pickup makers have diagrams on their sites, but a lot can be found on the web. I actually ended up making my own diagram for the RIC, which you can see if you go to kzbin.info/www/bejne/h6a6p4tnYq6gfJI

[@wordreet]

Great video my man! I like the way you come across, you know what you're talking about, but you also add in your sense of humour. What's life if you can't laugh a little at yourself and other things? I just received my short scale SG copy Epiphone EB-0 in cherry red, and already want to add a bridge pickup, even though I can't play yet! Hahaha! Laffin at myself! 😅😅😅 Subscribed after watching just one video! 😁

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Wordreet, Thanks for the kind comments. I think you'll be happy with the EB-0 just as it is and not add a 2nd pickup that will require some serious work. The EB-3 has 2 pickups from the factory, which may be what you want. The other option that you may have already noticed is that DiMarzio makes a killer drop in replacement for your EB-0, but it will change the look from a chrome platted outer shell to an outer pickup shell that is in black plastic. It is the DP-120, if you want to look it up. Let us know how you progress with your new bass.

[@wordreet]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Yep, I'll be starting learning on it for a while anyway. 👍 I love the fact that it's all mahogany, and even has new strings. All for £100, not too bad. I actually bought one 40+ yrs ago, but didn't manage to get started on it and took it back to the shop.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@wordreet 100 pounds for a new EB-0 is a fabulous price. Let me guess...you made this acquisition nowhere near London, or in any large city in the UK. I went to a shop in Southampton proper, and that owner had everything priced at MSRP.

[@wordreet]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Ah no, it was not new, and came from the Manchester area.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@wordreet Well done! I await with great anticipation, your first recording with this bass. I think you are off to a fantastic start!

[@Kreln1221]

*My absolute favorite bass setup is two EMG 40TW dual mode, (fat humbucker/J stacked single coil), active soapbar pickups, (or 35TW or 45TW, depending on the number of strings), that are mounted with the EMG logo on opposite corners from normal. (This is because the side of the pickup that remains on when in stacked single coil J mode is the side under the copper EMG logo, which means that normally that would be the side closer to the bridge, while for both pickups, I prefer the louder, fuller, and deeper tone of having the J mode be on the side closer to the neck), and an EMG BQC Control, (not Set), which is an active 3-band EQ with a sweepable mid and four user preset treble knob ranges, which I set for the lowest range, which is the lower treble/upper mids range... (The BQC Set costs more than just the Control, and also includes a master volume knob and a pickup balance knob control, which neither are needed, as with the two dual mode pickups, two independent push/pull volume knobs are needed to select the pickup modes, instead of a master volume and a blend knob, as dual ganged blend pots are not offered with DPDT push/pull switches.) I also only use lithium 9volt batteries with EMG pickups and circuits, as they not only last much longer than alkaline batteries, but they remain near their rated 9 volts over their entire lifespan until they suddenly die, whereas alkaline batteries drop in voltage in a much more linear manor over their lifespan, so you only get the full rated 9 volts when the battery is brand new... I also only use the 1250mh hour lithium batteries that I can get online, not the 750mh hour Energizer lithium batteries that are available in local stores..., and I run two in series for a full 18volts... I also DON'T use the new X Series EMGs..., as I prefer the greater compression of the standard models, as well as the fact that with the 40TWX, the jump in volume from stacked J mode to humbucker mode is too great, the J being too weak and the humbucker being too loud relative to each other, whereas with the standard 40TW, the volume jump is not as drastic, and thus more usabley consistent. So in short..., two flipped around 40TW pickups, each with its own volume knob that switches that pickup's mode..., and the stacked treble/bass knob & stacked sweepable mid knob provided by the BQC Control..., powered by two 1250mh hour lithium batteries... With that two pickup, four knob, 18v configuration, you can cover ANYTHING...*

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi John, What brand were those 1250mh lithium 9-volt that you use?

[@Kreln1221]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 It was Tenergy, and it was only 1200mah, not 1250, (short term memory loss I guess), but the Energizers are only 750..., & I get em from Amazon...

[@midtown3221]

I admit I'm a little vain. Gold pickups and machines please! LOL The bass I chose only has active EQ and a push/pull for active and passive mode with passive pickups. I'll only be recording in my room so I'm not worried much if I'm using rechargeable.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Gold is good, don't get me wrong. If the metallurgy is good, it will stay awesome looking, though most gold hardware on guitars do not stay nice as a daily workhorse tool.

[@johncallison5262]

always wanted a 445 i have an original rd727

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

You should hear what is sounds like. I'm glad I got it back in 1994!

[@PhantomPhaze]

0:56 when your girl has a bad attitude but you don't want to break up with her

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I know........all too well.

[@MonserratFoster]

I've been considering getting an upgrade for my ibanez mikro, getting an upgrade in quality that has the same feeling and look as ibanez as well as being passive and having a PJ configuration and is also a short scale (as I've tried long scale and my little T-Rex arms hate it) incredibly difficult to find. The thing is I do love my bass dearly and I can't imagine parting with it, but I also don't know if spending basically the same price as the bass when I bought it in a set of pickups like seymour duncan quarter pounder is a good idea vs to trying to find a "leveled up" bass that has the same qualities I already love on this one... How do you resolve this dilemma? 😅

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Monse. This really is a dilemma a first glance, but now that I think about it, you may have arrived at the solution on your own from your comments above. Well, my response is to tell you that yes, you would be spending some cash to put a nice set of pickups on that Ibanez, but you may have noticed that a lot of guitar makers do have short scale instruments available for consumers. People like Yamaha, Epiphone and Squier to name just three off the top of my head. There are plenty out there to chose from if you are in a position to buy another bass and are going to keep the GSRM20. You may also do well with medium scale length basses, though those are not as abundant as the long and short scale varieties. So that's what I would do.........yes, get another bass. And please come back and let me know what you decide to do. I hope I answered this for you that will give you peace of mind. Your upgrade at this moment is a 2nd short scale bass. Congratulations!

[@guidosaur7506]

I've got the Ibanez mikro bass as well as my first bass. Really good for small people like us. I liked playing (and also I spend too much money), so I bought a DIY active 5 string kit. The active EQ and pickups are just something cheap and Chinese,but my god, the sound is so much better. Much louder volume and just overall better clarity on every tone. It's really made me put down the mikro for awhile. Did you ever upgrade to louder or just better pickups?

[@Spinachsupersonic]

i just learned 10 things just by watching 2 video

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks so much. That was precisely what I was hoping for when I started this.

[@kentucky1519]

I'm a electric guitarist and I've put emgs on by bc rich six string and it absolutely made the thing sound amazing, but I just bought my first bass (because I don't get along with people well enough to record with a group) it's a jackson js1m with p style pickups an I was considering upgrading it by purchasing a emg px and I was wondering if you would consider it worth it. I play thrash metal if that is relevant information

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Kentuky, you already have one thing going for you, and that is that you have 1st hand experience with EMG, so if you are really happy with what you got on your BC Rich, then the Jackson would benefit from a similar upgrade. My advice though, is that you'll need to make certain that your control cavity on the back of the bass can accommodate the new, well, everything that comes with the kit. What is not mentioned in their documentation is that you will need to have room for a 9-volt battery as well, and it all needs to fit in there nicely for it to even be worth it.

[@kentucky1519]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 yeah my bc rich I had to remove the neck pickup and selector switch entirety so that I could fit the battery in the control cavity but I was ok with that because I prefer the bridge sound , as for my jackson it's already single pickup with master volume and tone and the cavity is triple the size of my bc rich cavity. Thank you for your input and quick response

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@kentucky1519 You got it man. Come back soon and give us an update on how it all turns out and sound!

[@kentucky1519]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 it will probably be a bit before I make a purchase but I'll let you know thanks

[@cristianvallesi2805]

hoa deberias probar las wilkinson ,,,!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hola Christian! Gracias por su pregunta. Sinceramente, no tengo ninguna experiencia con pastillas Wilkinson porque no se encuentran en muchas guitarras en los Estados Unidos en grandes cantidades. Sólo unos pocos fabricantes utilizan Wilkinson, y son marcas de las que nunca he oído hablar. Guitarras Vintage: Esta marca utiliza a menudo pastillas Wilkinson en sus guitarras y bajos eléctricos, especialmente en sus modelos de estilo Stratocaster y Telecaster. Guitarras Fret-King: Las guitarras Fret-King suelen llevar pastillas Wilkinson, conocidas por sus tonos de inspiración vintage y su fiabilidad moderna. Guitarras Revelation: Las guitarras Revelation también utilizan pastillas Wilkinson, ofreciendo una combinación de asequibilidad y calidad artesanal. Guitarras Gordon Smith: Conocidas por sus instrumentos hechos a mano, las guitarras Gordon Smith a veces vienen equipadas con pastillas Wilkinson, mejorando sus capacidades sónicas. Lo bueno es que Wilkinson parece estar disponible en buenas cantidades en otras partes del mundo como América Central y del Sur, así como en una gran parte del Sudeste Asiático. Si está pensando en las pastillas Wilkinson, lo más probable es que las disfrute si sus pastillas de serie no rinden como usted desea. Traducción realizada con la versión gratuita del traductor DeepL.com

[@michaelrandolph2493]

You mentioned that the Ibanez EXB 445 5 string has a narrow neck. Would that be an issue when upgrading the bridge or nut?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Michael, the narrow neck specification is probably an incorrect use of the term for Ibanez EXB guitars. The EXB-445 has a neck width that is similar to the P bass 5 string, but not as narrow as a Jazz 5 string for instance. The thing that people ubiquitously say is a narrow neck is actually the depth of the profile, or thickness one perceives while griping the neck with your hand. This is Ibanez's "Wizard" neck, which is one of the thinnest profiles around in it's day, and it is what Ibanez designed primarily because they are fast to play on, due to the smaller "D" shape that is significantly less pronounced as it is on other basses. Replacing the nut on one of these basses should be fairly straight forward. I would imagine that the nut width is a fairly common one to get if the original plastic one is broken. A good aftermarket bridge for this guitar would also have the standard spacing between strings that are probably going to be similar to what the factory bridge is already. So no, it should not be an issue to upgrade the nut and bridge on this bass. I am the original owner of my 1993 EXB-445, and all I did to it was put passive EMGs on it, and that's about it. That thing is amazing to play!

[@stevenordstedt2535]

Well that’s not true in my Active Bartolini pick up In my Rick. It’s got a push pull knob. Just in case the battery dies. With pull of the knob. I’m back in the game until I can change the battery. Yes it’s not active then, but it still works as a passive pick up.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Noted Steve. The average person starting out with this kind of upgrade would still need to know about their power supply if they happen to not have an active switch. The actual intent here is to alert people that they need to be more involved in the maintenance of their guitars. My failure on stage because of my negligence is the example in this video that I wanted to convey of what (not to do).

[@RGalindoM]

I've got a 1981 Ibañez Blazer Bass and thinking of change pick up set for a DiMarzio DP122BK+G Do you think is it a good upgrade? What other pick up set else would you recommend?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

A $90 dollar DiMarzio or Seymour Duncan pickup will sound better than most factory pickups from 1981. Go to: d2emr0qhzqfj88.cloudfront.net/s3fs-public/diagrams/Sixties%20P%20Dimensions.PDF Make sure the dimensions for that new pickup will drop into your bass.

[@Jihadbearzwithgunz]

For my spectors it's always emgs.. My euro 5 lt has 2 emg 40dcx my rebop 5 dlx ex zebra has 2 emg 40jx (gonna swap the bridge for a twx) and my old q4 pro has 35 p4ax rc neck and 35jx bridge.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I bet they sound like a million dollars!

[@AngelsINIDemonsCafe]

I modified all of mine guitars to my desire taste, no matter what all the "guitar experts" opinions said that is wrong thing to do... they are my guitars.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Lol! It basically boils down to, "What actually works for the individual" so, yes, it's good to read that I am not alone in this sentiment!

[@og-greenmachine8623]

My 6-string has 2 batteries. Now I know how I ran’em dead...

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

There you go. I at least was somewhat helpful to you. Thanks for watching! When you replace your 9volts, you'll literally have a new bass!

[@innocentbystander87]

Hi. I have Cort Action Plus bass and i want to upgrade pickups. Sounds crazy, but... What would you recommend? Thanks 🙏

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

It totally depends on what your budget is, like anything else. It looks like a PJ setup right? So I would look at DiMarzio DP126BK as a starting point.

[@tonycampbell9626]

Which bridge do you have on your short scale SG bass?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Tony, What you see in this video is my SG with the 1st Gen BadAss bridge, which was eventually installed on my new P-bass that I got as a Father's gift. The bridge that is on the SG now is a Fender Vintage style low mass bridge. www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001L8NFCU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

[@dhaniOliver]

Great video 👍. Can you make comparisom vid about p pickups, jazz, and soapbar pickups?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Ok, so to hear what Active Jazz Pickups sound like, go to: kzbin.info/aero/PLOcNnZ4-U2bBKTis550N9XOKTXYwJgMR4 To hear what Active PJ Pickups sound like, go to:kzbin.info/aero/PLOcNnZ4-U2bB01_qfmGj2trPjbmf1VwuE To hear what passive P Pickups sound like, you will hear me playing one in all of the videos in the intermediate price series, starting with this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y2Oqm6qdhrSDp6M I have a few recordings of most configurations, but to do a comparison video on this platform would be of little use. The major reason is that my entire setup to record is not a representation of what most beginners would have at their disposal at the beginning of their journey. The other reason is that what one perceives sonically in a video is nothing like hearing it with your own ears as you play the instrument in your own hands at a music store, while you try one bass after another. My finger playing and picking style is unique to me, as it is the case with all bass players that I know. Everyone has their own tactile approach to the instrument, which is why comparison videos do not give you the full scope of what is going on. Trust me. Go visit a music store if at all possible and try out as many instruments as you can in your budget range. I promise that you will make a far more informed choice based purely on your needs and taste on what bass and pickup configuration you're interested in that any comparison video I would upload. When you do try out some basses, let us know here what you've discovered. My subscribers would benefit tremendously in whatever discoveries you've arrived at.

[@dhaniOliver]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 nice. Thanks a lot.🅱️ass!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@dhaniOliver Hi Dhani, you are very welcome indeed, and thanks for subscribing!

[@PabloAGarcia73]

Where can I find examples for how different pick ups sound? I have a Sterling SUB Ray4HH that is like to upgrade but not sure which pick up direction to go with.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Pablo, the following response is totally my highly biased opinion. To answer you directly, the only place where you might be able to hear what other HH pickups sound like will be at a music store with SUBs that have been modified. An HH on any other guitar will not be an accurate comparison. To my understanding, there are about four or so makers out there that you could just take your chances with, that you will more than likely be happy with. Aguilar, Seymour Duncan, Bartolini and EMG. I'm sure there are others, but basically the ones mentioned in this video are trusted. Lastly, and more importantly. Your SUB is already "Hot Rodded" from the factory in Indonesia where it was built. I had two different ones here, and both only had one HH on them, and I was blown away with the Tsunami of tone that came out. Your guitar has two HH. It does not get any better than that in terms of tonal options in one instrument. You can surely spend the cash and upgrade. I'm just telling you that you already have it good! Again, this is my silly opinion.

[@PabloAGarcia73]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 I appreciate the response man. For the money it definitely is a great value bass and it sounds very decent with a lot of tonal options. The only minor complaint is that it does seem too hot and it takes quite a bit to dial it in. In other words it could be more punchy but in a more refined or dialed in, maybe less distortion or more clarity type of way. I did just put some Ernie Ball cobalt flat wounds on it and it sounds so much better than before. Real thick with some nice top end. Thanks again!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@PabloAGarcia73 Oh, yes! The distortion thing. In my zeal to recommend that bass, I did forget to mention that the two I had needed their respective pickups dropped down all the way into the body to reduce the "built in" distortion. A lot of people like that sizzle, but I did not. So I lowered the pickup till I got it to be less obnoxious. I still fell in love with them in the end.

[@PabloAGarcia73]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Interesting, didn’t think that was an option. I’m going to try that.

[@ewoodjeep]

Your guitar straps. Where’d they come from ?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi River Goonie, I have historically just walked into my local store(s) and just bought it, but the last five DD2800 that I bought came from Amazon, Sweetwater, American Music Supply...basically whoever has it in stock.

[@8Junio76]

Where did you put the battery on the Fender jazz with Emgs?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

It sits sideways in the control cavity, believe it or not. And it went in with no carving of the body to accommodate it. No one was more stunned that is all fit than myself..LOL!

[@8Junio76]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 thanks for answering. I need to try it now. Cheers.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

The sterling pickup is active?? Stock?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Stock! I was floored!

[@davidchesaldana5706]

Not soapbar, they are humbuckers Music Man “style”

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

you're right. Good catch!

[@keldrean]

I love this so much. And yes she is pretty

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I really love that guitar!

[@pacogavina2786]

te amo jose

[@hugovonbratwurst9443]

Dude youre so nice!😂

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hugo, you are very kind to write that about me! Thank you!

[@brianritzer8024]

Have you ever checked out Lindy Fralin?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Brian. No I have not. But Lindy Fralin and Tom Brantley are two independent guys making excellent custom winds for people at the premium price level, I will include them both when I do an update on the whole bass pickup stuff at some point soon. Thanks for the tip!

[@js4512]

I am asking myself if I should upgrade my pickups which I hate, and I find this video 1st in the list. The only problem is he likes EMG and that's what I have, and hate!!! I put EMG'S in a Peavey t-60 and ruined it... Put them in a Gibson SG and ruined it.. Now have a Jackson Bass with Emg pickups and active preamp which is staticky....All 3 of my experiences have been a dull lifeless sound....No punch on the bottom not much on the high end either....

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

You are the 1st one here that has had a negative experience with the same product line on several instruments from different makers. I understand your frustration......I think. Usually the response from an EMG upgrade is perhaps a slight criticism of the tone being oddly different for some people. So much so that they may feel that it altered the character of the bass away from what they had hoped for. But most people that do go with EMG preemptively understand that the radical difference is precisely what they were after, assuming that the pickups were installed correctly and set up to the proper distance/clearance to the strings. There is absolutely nothing wrong with trying Seymour Duncan pickups if you don't like EMG, or whomever, but just know that the same circumstance will apply to SD, or any other brand in that it will sound differently than stock pickups. If you get the same undesirable results with something other than EMG, then you may have some other electronic or mechanical factor with your rig(s) that is causing the sound that you hate. If you take the pickups out of the equation, there are dozens of other reasons why a bass would simply perform poorly. Too many to speculate here

[@agitatorjr]

This is a great video. I love your presentation style. You deliver a lot of info in a very approachable way. You deserve more subs. Got a question for you. I've searched around a lot and haven't been able to find it. But the thumbnail told me you might have the answer. I have a Yamaha TRBX174EW and I'm thinking about putting an EMG PJAX set into it. I'm worried that it won't fit. I haven't measured the pickup routs, I assume those will fit. But that's easy for me to measure, except the depth. But I'm more concerned about the rout for all the pots and connections. I'm not sure if there is enough room for the battery, bus, etc. Do you have any idea?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Thanks DP. The quick (not really) answer is the following. Go to: emgpickups.com and download the following PDF: pjx_instructions_all_0230-0354rc.pdf It will tell you the exact measurements of that set. The second thing to do is to loosen all your strings. Unscrew all 8 pickup screws and measure the inside cavity to be sure if what you want to put in will fit. Keep in mind that your depth should include the foam under each PU to help set the correct PU to string clearance during reassembly and setup. Lastly, the whole issue of including a battery in your guitar might be a bit of a challenge. If memory serves me correct, Yamaha carved just out enough room for the three controls and wires that you currently have. The output jack is probably a long reach EP-0151, because it is passing through the side of the bass and not on the front with the controls. You can try to remove the control cavity plate, and if you can fit a nine volt in there and still have extra room to accommodate all the "stuff" that EMG will require you to install, then you might be able to use the PJAX. If the answer is a big, fat "no", then you will need to go with a passive set, like the Geezer Butler set, or one of the sets seen at: www.emgpickups.com/bass/pj-models.html?cat=123 Let us know what you come up with!

[@agitatorjr]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 thanks, I had already downloaded that. Unfortunately, it does not include how deep the pickups are or provide the size of the battery buss. I'll send them an email to find that out. I've heard great things about their customer service.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@agitatorjr Be confident in knowing that a PJ set by EMG are designed to be a "Drop In and Plug and Play" to retrofit most factory configs. Yamaha uses standardized pickup dimensions like most of the big name makers, and I have yet to see where one of their sets did not fit on it's intended instrument. Most Jazz PU are .77 tall or about 3/4 inches tall. Precision PUs are around .695 tall...if that helps.

[@levialston518]

Do you really need that screw that holds the g and d string on the head thinking about removing it

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Yes.

[@morganfayel9329]

I'm thinking to upgrade pickup for my old Yamaha RBX300, which I bought it in 1992. It Is actually in perfect conditon, and love It. Any sugestions whats should I expect with the change ?, worth It or not ?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Morgan, You can actually choose from many makers for that one, since it only has one P-style pickup on it, with a one volume and one tone. You obviously like the bass since you've had it for 31 years. So I would ask you to consider how much money you want to spend? Dimarzio DP122. Seymour Duncan has 8 flavors for you to pick out. Bartolini offers the 8S and 8SU in a slew of configurations to suit what you want to do and spend money on. Aguilar's AG 4P-60 is also a good one. Finally, EMG offers two flavors for your RBX300 You can get an active set, or a passive set with a negligible price difference between the two now. Let me know what you go with. You are looking at spending zero to stay where you are, up to about $160.00 or so dollars U.S. on this. Where you cap off at within that price range will determine what from the above will apply to you.

[@OmegaRectum]

Hey there!! Loved the video!! Can I get your advice? I'm looking to buy a cheap squire jazz bass as a upgrade project and I'm looking to upgrade the pickups to something passive around 100$ usd with low noise. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

There are tons of cheap, which you may or may not like. If you want to play it safe, and you really hate the factory Squier pups, go with: www.amazon.com/Fender-Pure-Vintage-Jazz-Pickup/dp/B00I3XGCXA/ref=sr_1_45?dchild=1&keywords=bass+pickups&qid=1614363513&sr=8-45 What you want to do to make a noticeable difference will probably require you to spend $20-40 more for some Seymour Duncans: www.amazon.com/Seymour-Duncan-Quarter-Pound-Jazz/dp/B00K0S6LYG/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=jazz+bass+pickups&qid=1614363875&sr=8-4

[@OmegaRectum]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 thanks for the advice! I may go for the Seymour Duncans but I'm starting to think I may splurge and go with the EMG jhz pickups as I love their sound! I would like to say I really enjoy your channel's content and subscribed!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@OmegaRectum Well, if you go with EMG, you will be beyond happy. I'm so happy that you like the channel, and that you are a subscriber. It really means a lot!

[@kuan1085]

Hello I'm currently have a Fender player series jazz bass, which pickup would you recommend for an upgrade?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Kuan, Are you sure you need a PU upgrade? That bass comes with Player Series Alnico 5 single-coil pickups from the factory. If it does not do the job out of the box for you, then go with the EMG JVX Set.

[@kuan1085]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 I find the stock pickup to be pretty decent but I'd like something better It's most likely just GAS though haha but I'll check out the EMG JVX. Thanks for the reply and how would you describe the sound of EMG JVX

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@kuan1085 I would describe the sound as pretty much versatile for all music types. Because they are active, you will have a greater ability to blend tone from both PUs or each individually to get just about whatever you are shooting for. Full disclosure: I have EMGs on nearly all my guitars and they were all vastly improved upon after I added those PU to each bass, but that's my bias.

[@kuan1085]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 That sounds wonderful but I do have a question, forgive me if this is basic question but I'm very new to bass gear The stock pickup is passive and the EMG JVX seems to be active does that mean my bass will become an active once I've installed them? Are they compatible?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@kuan1085 Correct. I'm assuming that your bass has 2 Jazz pickups, which is why I mentioned the JVX set, which will require you so introduce a 9 volt battery in to the control cavity, along with all the new wiring that will take to make this all work. If you want to keep your bass as a passive pickup rig, then you can still go with that brand but go with the JHZ set, which will keep the bass electronically passive, the way it was made.

[@Hellion73]

Been wanted to upgrade the pickups/electronics from my, not so high end, very first bass since ever, which my granpa gave as a gift, problem is that seems like i cant find the correct mesure of soap bar passieve pickups to fit on him, without have to make some mod to the body, cos is not a "branded" one😞

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Oskar, without knowing the brand of bass you are dealing with, its hard to make a guess as to what to do about your soap bars. You will need to take measurements of each pickup, which will help narrow the search. That being said, have you thought of having the originals rewound? Go to: tombrantleyrewinds.com/ Call or email Tom, and simply ask him if he can rewind what you already have if you want to keep your Grandfather's gift all original. Take care 🙂 Jose

[@Hellion73]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Hey man, thank you for the rep and advice. Yeah, when i mention about my bass not been a "branded", i meant it wasn't made by a big comercial brand like Fender or Ibanez. It is just a "Maxtone", a low key brand from the 90s, specialized in drums and brass instruments mostly. I been able to upgrade its "cosnetics" paint, bridge, tunning pegs, but never the most important part. Anyways, i would take your advice, even if sadly i am not based in the US, which is another problem in these matters, but tnx again. Rock on🤘🤘🤘👍

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Maxtone appears to use the standard stuff found on most other basses. But yeah, measure width, height, and depth. Then go to the pickup manufacturer web pages I have provided in the notes. Most of them do provide specifications. Soap bars usually show up on 5 string basses, but at any rate, take those measurements and visit all the sites. One of them is bound to have a fit.

[@ashrafulalam3314]

Which model of the Emg in this fender jazz bass...?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Those are the active JJ set. www.emgpickups.com/bass/j-models/jset.html

[@patrickmurphy2443]

Great video sir I noticed you had emg in a couple of your rigs is that a brand you would recommend for a beginner like myself think of a PJ pickup set up on my Ibanez Grs200

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Patrick, you are at risk of spending almost as much for a set of EMGs as the bass, when you could spend way less on a set of Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders. But honestly, do the stock pickups sound that bad on that bass? If the answer is a solid "yes" , then try for an SD set. That being said, you might be ready for a new bass like an SR250, or a TBRX204 or a JS3.

[@patrickmurphy2443]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 Hey man thanks for the reply I’m at a point we’re I feel like getting a new bass might be in order because of where my confidence and comfort level is at but with that being said I know at some point in the future I’d like to do modifications like this and was thinking I’d rather learn how on a bass that was only 250 but I’m somewhat new to the modification aspect so I’ll definitely check out the Seymour Duncan’s thanks for the quick reply

[@ramonemiliogomezjorge8557]

Any for an eb03?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Yes, Dimarzio has direct replacement pickups

[@ramonemiliogomezjorge8557]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 nice

[@bandidoripp]

Hello I have recently purchased a Guild Starfire 2 bass with D Armond pickups, apart from replacing pickups which i am reluctant to do can you advise if there are there any other mods which can be made to improve the guitar at all or do i leave the guitar as original ? Thanks for any advise you can offer

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Those hollow bodied basses that they make are practically constructed so that you are immediately discouraged of doing most mods on them. I think that if you really like the bass, then leave it alone. The only thing I can see that you could upgrade as a "do-it-yourselfer" would be the tuning machines. But again, if they work, leave them be. If you do want to do a pickup mod, then have a qualified tech do it for you, but don't be surprised if they tell you to keep it as is. How does it sound to you when you play it?

[@bandidoripp]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 bass sounds great really just wondered if changing the posts out for 500 instead of 250 might give a bit more control ? Thanks for the reply I like your presentation and advise for the pick up upgrades .

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

One just gives you more levels (or slices) of increments of resistance, as opposed to the 250ks, which will produce a quicker, audible difference in either volume or tone across it's sweep. I have seen people use 500k tapered volume controls and 250k tapers for tone. I have seen all 500s on a bass, and I have seen all 250's. it's up to your philosophy of use that will dictate which range of resistance you should use. For more detail about this, go to: guitar.com/guides/essential-guide/potentiometers/

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I appreciate the exchange as well. All of it helps both ways to increase the collective knowledge base for all of us, which is the whole reason why I started this adventure..lol! Too cool!

[@stevenordstedt2535]

Nice video though!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@frederickmaes1442]

How good is customer service with EMG - I like the Geezer Butler pickups but I hear a lot about poor instructions and problems with the pickups - like the jazz pickup not working at all?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Frederic, for the last 25 years of using EMG products, I have zero experience with having to deal with their customer service division. The reason for this could be one of two. A. I never needed them (customer service)to help out because their stuff just worked for me, and I was lucky. B. Their stuff is solderless now, which requires close adherence to the install steps to get it right. I had to solder all of my guitars, which seems to not be an option with the new pickups they offer today. EMG has downloadable diagrams for their stuff, if anyone wants to preemptively look ahead and see if it is achievable by the do-it-yourselfer. EMG is pretty big, and widely used by many top artists. You should contact them directly and see for yourself if what you've heard is actually correct. The Internet is a powerful thing. reputable companies have people on staff monitoring customer language used about their products. EMG has an Instagram account too that you can reach out to them directly if you like. I'm not sponsored by EMG, so let us know here what you find out. The rest of my subscribers would benefit tremendously by your findings.

[@marjtivi7420]

Can you give me an idea which pick. Up most used for upgrading.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

The most used at the moment are the Fender Custom Shop ‘62 P Bass pickups. It's probably because a lot of people want to stay with the Fender brand, and Fender just happens to have an upgrade set that mimics the sound of what a 1962 version did, but with all new technology and materials.

[@marjtivi7420]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 thank you for the suggestion. It really helps.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@marjtivi7420 Any time! What kind of bass do you have, and are you in the Philippines? I would imagine you could get any brand of after market pickups you'd like. Just keep in mind that some soldering skill level is required for most upgrades.

[@marjtivi7420]

@@TuneItOrDie4001yahh im in the Philippines and I have this passive custom bass filipino made. This is my first electric bass, i love the item but i have a little problem when it comes to its audio output. Thats why i ask you an advice to what pick.up most used for upgrading.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I understand. Just about any aftermarket pickup maker that I mentioned will make a dramatic improvement in output and tone. In the meantime, you may want to make sure that the pickup height is correct right now. If the pickup is screwed down too low into the body, then the output will be less than desired. If the pickups are too close to the bottom of the strings, or too high, there will be insufficient magnetic field to get the string to vibrate cleanly to be heard at 100% It's always the little things that get in the way.

[@zag1118]

I have an Ibanez gio 200b i like to play metal what pickups should I get ?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Bob, Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound P-Bass Pickup for the neck. Seymour Duncan SJB3 Quarter Pound Jazz Bass Bridge Pickup. Instant improvement!

[@zag1118]

Bass Chops for beginners thank you so much

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@zag1118 Any time! Please update us here with what you decide and send a recording too. I'd love to hear it!

[@cantgetrightlife]

I have a Fender passive 4 string Starcaster Bass & A Wolf active 5 what do you recommend

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

For the Fender, go with a direct replacement with: reverb.com/item/4635304-fender-modern-player-starcaster-bass-pickup-set-pickups-wide-range-humbuckers For the Wolf, go with Seymore Duncan or EMG. The Fender can go with and EMG HB, but those are active.

[@thephoenixcycle8854]

Thoughts on a 24v mod for the EMG PJ.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

I personally don't see the point, since I have had enormous results on just 9 volts. But that is my world only. But even more importantly than what I see or don't see, one really needs to read all the FAQ on that 24v conversion kit because there are caveats to using them on certain pickups. I would read that stuff and adhere to the warnings before anything else. If you find that your PJ can handle it after you've read and understood what you are spending your 20-30 dollars on, then you'll need to make your informed decision then.

[@thephoenixcycle8854]

Cool brotha thanks for your answer. Much appreciated

[@Esclavodelamusica]

Hey! first time I see one of your videos and I really like how you explain things in a simple way! I have this korean 5 strings Samick and has a great frettboard but not satisfied with the shape of the body and sound, and since I work with wood, I will take the risk and build a brand new bodie, upgrade pickups, bridge and tunning machines. They say I must use light weight wood but I would like to use ormigo since I have a nice piece of it but it is a real hard and haevy wood. And talking about the sound, I pretend to reach this Fender Jazz Bass nosey sound with Fender Ultra Noiseless Vintage Jazz Bass V pickups. I would appreciate your opinion!

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Dear Esclavo, If you have no intention of standing up and having that Hormigo body hanging off your shoulder and neck on a strap, then yes, go for it. I'm interested in hearing what it will sound like. If you are familiar with the tone of vintage Jazz and like it, then by all means you should install them. I would also recommend a Hi Mass bridge made by anyone other than the Chinese knock offs out there. Send us a pic once you build it!

[@Esclavodelamusica]

@@TuneItOrDie4001 thanks for taking a time to write me back and for your advices, I really apreciate it. And of course, will let you know hot it will sounds. I have the privillege to live in a country where I can find the most wonderful woods to build a bass or guitar. I will send you pics.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

@@Esclavodelamusica That would be awesome! I look forward to what you come up with.

[@TheSvartulfr]

What would you suggest for dual P bass pickups? I have one set of quarter pounders should I get a second set for the neck pickups?

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Yes, I would. Though it is rare to see a bass with 2 P sets like this, I would keep them as a matched set if what you are getting from that 1st one sounds good as it is. A second one will give it more tone, depending on where it would be mounted.

[@prestong515]

I can’t decide still

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Would it help you if I told you that any upgrade from stock would and usually is a huge improvement? Some bass makers will sometimes place good stuff on their basses. Even their entry level ones. If the concern is a cost driven one, and trust me, I get it. Then Seymour Duncan won't kill your wallet, and they are very much an upgrade to stock pickups. Let us know here what you decide to go with, or keep. Send a recording of it either way.

[@prestong515]

Bass Chops for beginners I’ve been kinda looking and heard that epic, Wilkinson,

[@prestong515]

Bass Chops for beginners or alnico, epic or Wilkinson I heard sound good and more reasonable on price

[@prestong515]

Bass Chops for beginners another question sorry which pre wired for pbass would you suggest Emerson custom from Sweetwater or a ObsidianWire traditional vintage plus that doesn’t need to be saltered

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Hi Preston, I don't have any hands on with Wilkinson, but they are budget priced. What kind of bass is this? Is it that Black Squier? Why don't you put on some original factory pickups if you hate the stock ones: www.amazon.com/Fender-Precision-Bass-Pickups-Original/dp/B0002KZB0W/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=fender+custom+p&qid=1591395868&sr=8-2 You know, I have a 2018 Squire Affinity Precision. Aside from the Bridge being upgraded, I left it stock because it really does sound good to me. You may just want to leave the factory pickups on your bass. To listen to my bass, that is probably just like yours, go to the end of this video to hear it. kzbin.info/www/bejne/r6fZZqOorc2DbdE It's just my opinion really, but It sounds good. I only have the P pickup on and the J one at the bridge off completely.

[@chillsmith9622]

That neck doe

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Which one? Too many necks here, I'm afraid.

[@DrewKane]

Batteries are so cheap that there's no excuse to not have a new battery in your instrument every gig.

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Yeah, everyone here will probably tell you that it was clearly implied in the video of that very blatantly, obvious fact. LOL.

[@Farewelltokingz]

Yay a fellow rickenbacker hater

[@TuneItOrDie4001]

Well, I wouldn't say that I'm a hater of Rickenbacker basses more than I'm at odds with the company itself for being unresponsive to the client/end user. As I said in my video, they seemed to be really tone deaf about the well cited criticisms of the mechanical/design aspects of the bass for several decades. That is until the reputation of not being worth the hassle caught up with them. Rickenbacker International is also beholden to the dysfunctional state of California, which seems all too happy, through draconian regulations in impeding the efforts of businesses being able to manufacture a product in a way that makes the business profitable and thrive, but most importantly, keep the customer happy and returning for more. I actually love my 4001, though my relationship with it was best described as a "Love/Hate" relationship that was often "complicated" for many years until I got it to function in the manner that worked for my philosophy of use. Are they (Rickenbacker Basses) worth the commanded retail price of $2500.00 for a new 4003? Nope. I don't think so. But that's just my worthless opinion as a literal nobody in the grander picture. They at RIC, and because of government overreach with crazy EPA regulations make limited production runs, which cause high demand and long waiting periods for the eventual delivery of an instrument that has an inflated price point, primarily because of name branding, along with a historical footprint that many well known artists were a part of in generating the buzz.