Ordered the Seymore duncan quarter pounder p’ups for the P bass and then a pre-wired pots and plug for the electrics, so only thing that has to be done is solder 2 wires from the p’ups to the pots, one of which is just on the body, the other on a post. I haven’t soldered in 10-15 years, but think I can do it OK, but don’t know if I can get the screws to line up and give me no problems. Also read about grounding wires or similar. If there a way to screw it up I’ll find a way to do it, so am I better off just going for it and trying to do it myself or am I better off taking it to a pro Tech who knows what he’s doing? Only $70 for the install. $90 if I want him to do the whole setup. I just bought all the tools to learn how to do setup.s, so figure have him do the p’ups and I’ll do the set up and If I screw that up than I’ll take it back in for that.
Well if you just bought all the tools there is no better time to do it. If you fail you can always take it to the pro who can fix it in a jiff.
You don’t have to solder there are several ways you can do without. I can solder but lately I like these wire connector it eliminate the need for shrink wrap for me. Another solution is to just hook the 2 wires together and shrink wrap works just as well. I do that sometimes just use the wand type lighter to heat it up.
A quick tip that I picked up from a pro at FatBassTone is to use Alligator clips to test the wire first. While plug into the jack Clip each to the wire you are soldering (or whatever method you choose) then use metal screw driver to tap the pickup, if everything is correct you should hear some tapping on your amp (hopefully you have a small guitar amp). 
This is how I usually do it, test before solder anything. It can be a pain to have to fix the mistake.
PBasses, JBasses, and Telecaster are among the simpler instruments to wire up especially if you’ve already purchased a pre-wired control harness. Just follow the wiring schematic. There are some tips and tricks to soldering to the pots you can easily pickup on line the most important of which is to not overheat the pot and damage it.
I’ve been doing stuff like this myself longer than I can recall but for each and every one of us there has to be a first time. This is yours. I’d suggest at least giving it shot on your own. If you screw up your can take it to the tech and he can show you what you did wrong. You get your bass made perfect and you pick up some knowledge along the way.
I’ve looked at several videos and it looks simple, I also know me and my luck and I can see so many situations where I’d mess up and it would end up costing me more. I just wish I knew some folks who have done this who could look over my shoulder. If I do it once I’m good to go from then on, but without a guiding eye I usually mess stuff up. I think I’ll just bite the bullet and have everything done correctly then try and check everything and keep it setup from there.
You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law? I have a cousin named Jim Murphy, so I’m related to Murphy!!!
Wish you lived in Ft Collins, CO. I’d have you bring the bass over and we’d do it together with me looking over your shoulder. But I don’t believe you do and the cost of airfare for you and your bass is far more than your tech will charge you. But ask him if you can look over his shoulder to learn how it’s done.
I live in Woodland, Ca. outside of Sacramento. I asked the Tech if I could watch and he advised the old "Insurance won’t allow it’’ comment! 
His educational insurance, 
You’ll be fine. Just have to do it. What’s the worst that can happen? You just have to do it again. You can also get some cheap pots and wires to practice. I’d do that anyways, keep practicing striping the wire and solder till you get your count down and not burn it.
Yeah right. Then how does his policy cover those who come in to drop stop off or pick it up? They’re on the premises.
Trust me. There are no trade secrets to doing a proper setup or a pickup swap. I offer lessons and minor repair and tech services that I can do right out of my place and I don’t need special insurance to cover it.
@HIPCHIP I totally get the hesitation, but there are a ton of great youtube vids both on soldering and also this specific bass upgrade- you can find no end of instructional material. The pickup makers also provide wiring diagrams and instructions.
That said, totally cool to just have someone else do it. One thing you could do to build confidence is buy a cheap used instrument to upgrade as a fun side project.
This is true.
The potential reason would be that the tech think that it may look too easy and simple for the amount he/ she charges. Some people have that self conscious about things they do.
To that I say, like everything else, if you are competent and good at what you do, you’d make it look easy and simple. It takes years of experience to determine what’s wrong with the instruments or what needs to be done to fix the problem, and usually takes seconds to determine that for pros because they have done it a hundred, a thousands time before. Experienced techs would make the task look so simple as 123. It’s the economy of motions effect.
Take me for example, I’m a chef. I can prepare a dish right in front of you and while watching you’d start thinking hey that’s looks really easy and quick, I can do it too. Then the next time I’d see the same person and I’d hear comments like I tried to make it at home for my kids and it fail miserably, lol.
That said, your journey have to start somewhere. I jumped in head first during the lockdown working on Squier Strats and basses, first cleaning then change pickguard (well it’s more complicated than you think because everything is attached to the pickguard, ) then pickups changes. I burned a few wires and pots, scratches and nicks so many, now that due’s paid, I can confidently work on my premium basses and have “less” fear of e’ffing them up, ha ha. That said I still have the StewMac Klon clone pedal kit that I’m still have a little fear to get started, that thing has probably 100+ soldering points I’m just have the fear that my old eyes would not measuring to to the task.
Yup, similar kinda thing years ago when I was machine polishing cars at work, one of the young lads asked if I’d do some on his too, told him how much I wanted for doin it, decided it was easy from watching and too expensive and he’d do it himself,
Well… he burned through some of the paint and made a right mess of it and ended up needing panels resprayed, all I could do was look and ask “still too expensive?” 
Lol.
It’s all easy when ya know what you’re doing 
at my restaurant, it’s always been, I’ll replace, remake, and or refund the dish you ordered if you don’t like it, but if it’s your dish, a la substitutions or no this add that, then YO-YO lol.
Japan gets around this by not allowing substitutions. Period. It’s just not a thing culturally in restaurants. The wait staff will be very confused if you ask.
The one exception I have heard is for religious differences at some places. They are used to that. But be aware that “vegetarian” will often still contain some kind of dashi, which is made from fish.
Oh and western fast food chains. You can do it there.
Hahaha…yup that looks at it from a wholly different perspective.
Maybe I simply look at passing along knowledge as good thing. I did it professionally nearly all of my career. But I can also understand that there are others who feel differently. How they run their business is up to them.
True but then we learn by doing too right?
I really can’t recall now when I first began doing at least some of my own work on my gear. Probably some time in the '70s when money was tight and I would buy stuff that needed some work. Like most I made some mistakes and had many “do overs” but through all of that I did finally learn to do it correctly.
It’s OK if someone lacks the confidence to be a DIY’er or simply doesn’t want to spend the time doing and learning. I’ve done tech work for others for longer than I can remember too. But great guitar techs and luthiers do have knowledge and tools I don’t have and in some cases they should be doing it.
Just a matter of personal choice is all.
at first I read Woodland Hills which is about 90 mins from me but then he said it’s Woodland near Sacramento, that’s 6 hours away
I’d have love to pollute his innocent mind, cue evil laugh, 
Whenever I type my city in it automatically brings up Woodland Hills. Used to live in that area many moons ago, and that was when I knew people who did musical stuff! I’ll be 68 next month, my mind was corrupted a long time ago! (LOL)