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Post subject: American Precision Deluxe Pickups with a Squier. Worth it?
Posted: Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:53 pm
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Hey all, I'm looking at putting American Precison Deluxe Pickups with my Fender Squier, bought new at $400 NZ. I just want a few opinions as to whether it's worth it or should I just get a new bass or cheaper pickups? Also what's a good bridge to buy? Preferably with whammy bar.


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Post subject: Re: American Precision Deluxe Pickups with a Squier. Worth i
Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 1:50 am
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Gazzy wrote:
Hey all, I'm looking at putting American Precison Deluxe Pickups with my Fender Squier, bought new at $400 NZ. I just want a few opinions as to whether it's worth it or should I just get a new bass or cheaper pickups? Also what's a good bridge to buy? Preferably with whammy bar.


You didn't say which Squier P-bass version. That might help a little.

Wow, that is a good question. Here's my opinion because you asked for it.

Only if you are not happy with the sound of an instrument and only if you are going to keep it for a long time should you ever consider a pickup change.

Fender pickups will not make your Squier sound just like a Fender because of the woods and neck construction between the two are different, and so are the other electronic components. It might make it sound better, but I don't know if the expense and trouble would justify it because when all is said and done it will still be a Squier.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking Squiers, but they are not Fenders. Squiers are better than some that actually cost more. Case in point is the Vintage Modified Series and the Classic Vibe series that everyone seems to love.

More than once I've spent money on upgrades that made so little difference that it just didn't justify the expense. I do keep trying upgrades though, but only when I'm not happy about something.

Whammy bridge? Wow, that is so out of my range of expertise I can't even comment. I do think a high mass bridge would improve sustain. There are several popular aftermarket high mass bridges out there.

If you can stand to play it as is for a while, it might be wiser in the long run to save up for a step up to a real Fender.

Whammy on Gazzy!


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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 2:37 pm
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Hey thanx for your feedback brother dave, I appreciate it! It's a California Series Squier, made in china I believe. Definitely in a few years I will get a better bass, but I'd like to get a few more years out of this one. I guess it's hard to know whether it will really improve the sound of it until I've put some pickups in.
I will look into the high mass bridge you suggested. I'd like to know, how does that bridge sound if I'm playing funk and ska?
Thanx again,
Gazzy


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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 4:47 pm
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Gazzy wrote:
I'd like to know, how does that bridge sound if I'm playing funk and ska?
Thanx again,
Gazzy


You'll get better sustain and often more woodiness in the tone (especially on a passive bass) with a high mass bridge because the body will vibrate more. That would be good for Ska me thinks!

I might try a different pickup if I was going to keep it a while. It wouldn't hurt anything. There are some very good pickups you could try that are less expensive than the one you named initially. Seymour Duncan and the WILDE series by Bill Lawrence are two that come to mind. The WILDE series ($56 plus shipping USD) is very genuine vintage sounding and smooth and perfect for my old R&B stuff and for your SKA tones, but maybe too vintage flavored for Funk slap type bass. The Seymour Duncan Quarter Pounders ($65 plus shipping USD from Bass Parts Resource) might work better for Funk because they have more upper mid bite and are very sensitive while delivering an output that is balanced and not too hot. Overwound "hot" pickups usually lack upper mids needed for Funk slapping. Links to Bill Lawrence & Guitar Parts Resource appear on the resource page in my signature under REPLACEMENT/UPGRADE Bass Parts.

While in there to replace the PUP I'd also change out the tone capacitor to a 225P Sprague 0.047 or even to a paper in oil cap if you can find one in either 0.05 or 0.047. I'd probably leave the pots alone unless they were noisy. The cap won't make a huge difference, just a little one, but it is a very cheap easy modification.


Last edited by brotherdave on Sat Apr 04, 2009 11:36 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Posted: Wed Mar 18, 2009 5:15 pm
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Just to add my two cents -- I did a rehearsal last night with my Squier VM Jazz fretless and the stock pickups sounded really good. Squiers are better than they used to so, as Dave said, you may not want to change those pups just yet.


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Post subject: upgrade to squire bass
Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 11:11 pm
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If you plan to keep it a while, than go with Seymour Duncan pus and for get the whammy bar. Just get a Bad $@! II bridge. thats if it were me.


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Post subject: However - where to get those American Precision Deluxe p-ups
Posted: Sat Apr 04, 2009 8:40 am
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I think the electronics on the Deluxe bass are amazing. Can that whole harness be ordered somewhere? What are those parts? I actually have a bass with two humbucking p-ups (a 65 precision someone altered - what a shame) and I have never found a proper blend pot like on the Deluxe.

Do tell!

THanks
Jim N


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