Upgrade Day! Anyone Else Upgrading?

And if you need to rout or dremel, make sure your tool is spinning at full speed before you touch the material to be cut.

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Getting closer.
Control plate and nuts, blacked out knobs too.

Just keep waiting for the tuners then done!

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I much prefer a black plate on a Jazz Bass, compared to the classic chrome one.

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Well, I downgraded a bit - sold my six-string, as I just wasn’t playing it. Guitar is fun but I deciced to just focus on bass and keyboards, and my bandmate is an excellent guitarist anyway.

Can definitely recommend them though; the Pacifica is a nice little strat-style guitar, really easy to play.

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I agree, there are so many chrome ones.

However, for my own JB build I ordered one like this:

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Well, sad news…

The Italia bass is not fixable, and has to go back.
This is sad news but a bit of a blessing in disguise.
The bass has no way to get into the electronics, its sealed (thank you fancy Italian design).
The piezo pickup in glued into the floating bridge which is a 2-piece wood bridge epoxyed together. The piezo was no installed far enough across the bridge to properly pick up the E string.

The good news is understanding that the bass is basically sealed shut presents some longer term logistical issues for cleaning pots, etc down the road, and, if the piezo or anything else fails later, too bad. So best it goes back to whence it came.

So back on the hunt for a hollowbody, maybe my “plan B hollow body” @howard, the Gretsch 5440b.

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Ok, this answered my question on another thread, so you can ignore that one, or just refer it to this answer in case somebody else is curious after reading my post.

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I actually kind of wonder if this is just a thing for most hollow bodies. like, do you have to cut the top off to get to the goodies on the inside?

Like, what if you accidentally drop a pick into the f-hole? Because you know that happens. Guaranteed. Picks always find their way into weird places like that.

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good reason to up your finger plucking game. :wink:

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No doubt, but in this case, no way. Hollow bodies are meant and just begging to be rocked hard with picks :slight_smile:

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You lift the guitar above your head and shake your money maker until the pick drops out. Succes guaranteed!

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When I swapped out my Squire Jazz pickups, there were no springs on the screws, same for the CS pickups I swapped in. Just foam underneath.

Do other folks add springs in if they are not present to counter foam compmression for future adjustment?
Is there a downside to doing this?
I got some black pickup screws for this bass, which all came with springs, now wondering if its worth throwing them on.

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I bought a bag of springs on eBay for next to nothing and I use them instead of foam on all my pickup replacements. With a humbucker (MusicMan) style pickup I had to cut about 4 turns off of the spring to get the proper length.

I had originally tried using the springs in addition to the foam, but this created too much tension, leading to stripping out one of the screw holes in the relatively soft basswood of the Squier body. :roll_eyes:

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Haven’t posted in quite a while, but that doesn’t mean that I still don’t upgrade my equipment :grin:

I’ve done several upgrades to my bass’s - especially to my MIM Fender P and my (original years ago) Squire P. All parts that I remove from my MIM Fender end up in my Squire which really helps that bass quite a bit but, this upgrade focuses mainly on my Fender P.

Awhile back I upgraded the Pickups (PUPS) from stock to Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders. The difference was substantial, but still not the quality of sound that I was striving for - enter the StewMac Premium Wiring Kit for the P Bass…

At around $40 (including S&H), this kit includes upgraded potentiometers, vintage wiring, jack plug, and a 47mf capacitor. The wiring diagram (included) is spot on. This is by far one of the easiest, least expensive, yet the most “bang for yer buck” upgrades anyone can do to their bass. I’ve done these upgrades to my tele’s and strat’s (my guitars) and noticed a world of difference… Actually, I believe that the upgrades have actually helped me play better… Go figure…

Anyway, if you wanna check the upgrade out (along with before and after recordings), here it is!

Electronics Upgrade to MIM Fender P

Keep on Thumpin’!
Lanny

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Good to see you back stranger @Lanny, Bill,
just had a listen, and the upgrades have really made a difference.
It is a lot warmer and the higher notes are really accentuated and have a really nice tone.
Big bang for the bucks $$
PS: Loved the video :+1:
Cheers Brian

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@Lanny - I am a big believer in pot/cap upgrades and you just proved it again.
Nice warm rounded tone, lots of character, nice video man!

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One of the “Biggest Bang For The Buck” upgrades anyone can make @TNKA36 Brian…

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Thanks @John_E… This is one of those upgrades that many people overlook… To me, one of the most important…

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Yeah, what a difference, awesome.
I just love the color of that bass too.

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Thanks Toby @T_dub… The color caught my eye too…

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