Help me upgradine my MIM Jazz Fretless

[d_g]

I'm sure loads of posts have been made along these lines before but I couldn't find exactly what i was looking for and I don;t know much about upgrading so need to detailed advice!

I have a fretless MIM jazz at the moment and I've found that for recording the sound of fretless could be a lot nicer than my fretted musicman, but I got the bass second hand and its a bit rattly and i dont feel i can trust it at the moment.

I have ordered a Gotoh bridge for it which should be here in the next few days which should cure a few rattling problems, otherwise I'll look at maybe replacing the nut?

Also pickups, the MIM jazz stock ones really dont make the nice sound i am looking forward , it's very dull and lifeless. I'm looking for a nice warm sound that I can record with but also need the definition to hear the notes well too. Ill be playing it for various things, from function work (possibly) to singer songwriter pop stuff to playing in musicals. I see people recommending Wizard pickups here all the time and today I also noticed the EMG Hz series for around the same price, anyone have any experience with these? I dont want to spend more than about 100 tops on pickups, so I'm guessing there arent any active options under this price (being that I would need to buy a preamp too)? Although I am a fan of the active controls on my musicman, and an not too much of a fan of the two volume, one tone control thing on a fender. Also, I have never fitted pickups before, are the above pickups likely to fit into the gaps perfectly or will some modification be needed?

the knobs on the control plate also feel really loose which I dont like and the tone doesnt seem to change much until the very last quarter or each turn - is this a pickups issue or should I get a new control plate or something?

The other thing is the strings, I have flats on it at the moment. But wonder if the reason I am not getting the difinition I want is because of these, and would I be better using half wounds or something like that?

I am open to suggestions, and will consider active possibilities if they are of a resonable price, also I do like theplain black look of Barts and EMGs so am slightly inclined towards them, but sound definitely comes first.

Any input anyone can give me would be a great help, cheers!

[Vibrating G String]

[quote name='d_g' post='1000316' date='Oct 25 2010, 11:02 AM']I have flats on it at the moment.[/quote]
Unless you plan on keeping flats change those before anything else. I would suggest a nice nickel roundwound, unless you play very hard it will be a long time before they damage your fretboard. Once those are changed and set up right your rattles may be gone and you might like the tone. For me the bridge and pickups on the MIM are quite useable.