Pickup replacement advice... Mighty Mite soapbar to what?

[derrenleepoole]

Well, as some of you do or don't know I play short scale basses, and for a while now I've been scouting around for a Cort Action Junior 4 string. Think I've finally found one. Used to have the full scale Action five string and loved it. I even did some serious modding on that bass and got some killer tones.

I know that there are drop in replacements available for the Mighty Mite pup on this bass, notably the EMG-40 series pickups in passive and active models. But I'm not sure just how different tonally the replacement will be. Can anyone here offer some advice please? I did see a video on Youtube were someone did a pup swap on a Fleabass Junior, and I'm sort of sure it's the same pickups involved. Just wanted some informed opinions here first.

One thing I did consider is maybe just swapping out the internal electronics as well rathe than the pup, either with an EMG-BTC control pot, or maybe a full precision esq styled internal preamp. But again, I'm sort of clutching at straws as I've never used the EMG-BTC before.

I know that the Cort will work well for me playing wise as I've had several of them before and I love their necks. Even though the Action is a budget model, I found it a very well made bass that played excellently. But I also know that as a cheap model the electronics are a bit, well... average.

[Ou7shined]

If an EMG-40Hz (passive only job*) will fit I think you should try one. I used a spare 35Hz (unused - picked up on here for £12) on a joke bass that I made and that wee passive 'bucker sure surprised me with what it was capable of. I believe the 40 is the same pup in a bigger housing.
I have a Cort with Mighty Mite pups knocking around here somewhere and I must say when I tried it the tone wasn't off putting - it certainly didn't sound like a horrible budget bass... I'd put it somewhere in the range of a bass fitted with mid range pups - think Wizards etc. - sort of nice but not boutique but not cheaply nondescript either.

*not to say you can't fit a pre afterwards if you wanted to.

[spinynorman]

I had a Spector Rebop5 which had the EMG HZ pickups. I didn't like the Spector preamp or the Aquilar I replaced it with, so I stripped out all that battery-based nonsense and rewired it passive. It was great, if it had been a 4-string I'd still have it.