This is what I did with my first bass (same thing you have) and it’s still one of my faves. I went nuts and swapped out everything but the body, neck, and pickguard (missed the pickguard a bit to all black with a sharpie on the edge). Fender CS ‘60s pickups. They are amazing.
Whether you buy another bass or not, take some time and upgrade your current one. All sorts of things you can do, but I think best bang for your buck is in pick ups and strings. I’ve upgraded with fender CS pickups and they sound great. I’ve got a jazz bass that I’m going to start on soon, may go with Fralins, may go with fender cs. Also, if soldering is not your thing, I’ve used obsidian wire pre wired setups. I also hear that gun street has a good product but I have no personal experience. These make it a super easy upgrade.
I also commend you on playing for a year and having one bass. That’s will power at its best!
These would be very good pickups for the Squier IMO; when demoing P pickups I liked them more than Fralins and I assume the J would be the same.
Man I’m gassing for a green bass now. There was a green Yamaha local but I like being married too much.
If it’s the BB434 that’s a cool color. It’s called Teal Blue and it photographs green but is more blue/green in person. Looks awesome.
Thank you for sharing pickup model. So much to choose from. A good reco is so helpful.
Thanks JB. I do like my CV. She’s def earned the upgrade
. I’ve not soldered in a long time but imagine it will come back
.
Thank you Howard. Helpful advice… and what not to do advice ![]()
Gotta love the Mighty Power!
My GHS flatwounds, with the purple silk, should arrive today.
So, I will upgrade the Purple Orange Bass with them tonight.
Pics will follow.
I just looked at my bass rack and can confirm, looks fantastic.
Ahh yeah thats a nice color too ![]()
The plastic thingie comes off, don’t worry - it’s not a sticker, just a card.
That said I would recommend a 504 or 604; they aren’t that much more but you get a lot more bass. I loved my 304 but I loved my 604 a lot more ![]()
Yea I think eventually I’d like to get one of those. I’m not in love with my Squire Jaguar so maybe.
If cost is a factor, the 504 has the same electronics and pickups as the 604. The difference is in the woods used and the weight (to my recollection).
Yeah. The 604 has a flame maple top and glossy finish, and an alder body. The 504 is mahogany and has a more matte finish. The 604 is a bit lighter.
Both are great basses, really recommend them. I was actually shopping for a 504 when my 604 turned up used.
Humbuckers buck hum; they eliminate the 60 cycle hum by having a second coil wound in reverse direction. So single coils cannot be a humbucker.
Technically any pickup which eliminates noise is a humbucker, but people usually equate humbucker with soapbar shaped pickups, which have to coils in parallel in a rectangle.
There are other kinds of humbuckers though. 3 come to mind. Split coil, like you find on a P bass, linear humbucker, which is a split coil in a side to side setup, looks for all the world like a single coil. I have a Jazz bass with a set of these. And a stacked humbucker, which hides the second coil underneath. Sting uses one of these on his 50s P bass
Thank you for detailed description! Super helpful as I’m researching and speaking with guitar shop staff.
I was being a bit cheeky with my comment… wouldn’t single coils be called hummers because they create hum instead of buck it? Equivalent of a guitar dad joke.
Thanks again ![]()
I think the other meaning of “hummer” would prevent it being used in polite conversation
and I didn’t pick up on that ![]()


