razze06 Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 (edited) I have a spare set of JJ MEC pickups from a 1999 warwick corvette (it has EMGs now), and I was wondering if it would be advisable or even possible to put them on a jazz bass. Essentially I am looking at a cheap Squier VM, which plays nice but is a little harsh sounding, and I was wondering if it would be improved by installing the MEC pickups. On top of that, I'd be curious to know if anyone thinks it would end up sounding more like a corvette than a jazz after the transplant Any experience/opinions? Edited December 30, 2013 by razze06 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I think you mean "MEC". I'm happy with the MECs on my Warwick. I'd go for it, if they fit as a straight swap you've got nothing to lose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1388400614' post='2321470'] I think you mean "MEC". I'm happy with the MECs on my Warwick. I'd go for it, if they fit as a straight swap you've got nothing to lose. [/quote] Quite right, edited i need to buy the bass first, hence my hesitation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 If you're thinking of it being a good move financially, then that's something else. I've got a Squier P. I bought it for £100, stripped it, sprayed it. Fitted new tuners, bridge, pups, pick-guard and pots etc. I've priced it up and I recon the whole thing cost me £300. If I were to sell it and wanted my money back, I believe I'd need to strip it and sell it as a basic p-bass and sell the parts separately. The bottom line is it still says "Squier" on the headstock. I might get more if a made it a fake Fender, but that would go against my principles. It's a great sounding bass btw!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 You're hoping for a simple drop-in replacement of the pickups? Just be aware that some J-Basses use a different size pickup for the neck and bridge positions, so make sure your MECs match whats in the Squier for size. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 No reason why not. Corvette MECs are the silver type and are passive so no issues there. Providing they fit, go for it! If you don't like it, swap them back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1388404502' post='2321529'] If you're thinking of it being a good move financially, then that's something else. I've got a Squier P. I bought it for £100, stripped it, sprayed it. Fitted new tuners, bridge, pups, pick-guard and pots etc. I've priced it up and I recon the whole thing cost me £300. If I were to sell it and wanted my money back, I believe I'd need to strip it and sell it as a basic p-bass and sell the parts separately. The bottom line is it still says "Squier" on the headstock. I might get more if a made it a fake Fender, but that would go against my principles. It's a great sounding bass btw!! [/quote] Not really thinking of doing it as a financially sound move, I tend to believe that basses sell best if left unmolested. Modifying one for personal use, that's ok by me! What I meant is, I need to decide whether to buy the squier jazz or not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 [quote name='razze06' timestamp='1388404871' post='2321537'] Not really thinking of doing it as a financially sound move, I tend to believe that basses sell best if left unmolested. Modifying one for personal use, that's ok by me! What I meant is, I need to decide whether to buy the squier jazz or not! [/quote] What's your reason for asking? What could be bad about it? What worries you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted January 2, 2014 Author Share Posted January 2, 2014 [quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1388419082' post='2321760'] What's your reason for asking? What could be bad about it? What worries you? [/quote] I quite liked the look and feel of this VM jazz i've seen in a shop, but the sound might be a little too harsh for me. So I was going to leave it, as sound is what matters the most to me. Then I remembered I had these pups in the house, so i started wondering if they could have a positive effect on the sound of that VM jazz. Before I shell out the money to get the bass and start modifying it, i wanted to see if anyone has done the same before, and what their experience was. Essentially, I wanted to know if that is technically possible (seems to be), and whether the bass would end up sounding more like a warwick in "wrong" body and neck, or if some of the characteristics of the original jazz would be retained. I guess this last question won't be answered unless I try it for myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 [quote name='razze06' timestamp='1388659776' post='2324401'] I quite liked the look and feel of this VM jazz i've seen in a shop, but the sound might be a little too harsh for me. So I was going to leave it, as sound is what matters the most to me. Then I remembered I had these pups in the house, so i started wondering if they could have a positive effect on the sound of that VM jazz. Before I shell out the money to get the bass and start modifying it, i wanted to see if anyone has done the same before, and what their experience was. Essentially, I wanted to know if that is technically possible (seems to be), and whether the bass would end up sounding more like a warwick in "wrong" body and neck, or if some of the characteristics of the original jazz would be retained. I guess this last question won't be answered unless I try it for myself [/quote] The wood used in the body and neck construction will undoubtedly have some effect in the tone of the bass, or otherwise Warwick would also make their basses differently. I have a Warwick - see avatar I love it's deeper, warmer, growl. I also have a Squier P-bass, on which I've changed the pups and bridge etc., but IMHO the tone of the P-bass is still too harsh. I've got Rotosound steel strings on there and will change them to nickels soon, and maybe to flats - both will make it smoother in tone. I keep it because it's probably worth more to me as a spare, throw-about bass than the money I'd recover from it. It's also good to have a bass on which you can try certain things out on the elects, without any worries. As you say though, you won't know until you try. If you get the bass at a good price, you may not lose too much if you later want to move it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 You could always take the MECs to the shop where the bass is, and place them over the Squier originals and see if they're the same size. That will at least save you the probelm of buying the bass only to find the pups dont match size wise. Wont help you with the tone, but you would have eliminated one of the two potential problems Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badboy1984 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 My experience tells me it will still sound like a jazz even with MEC pickup on. I used to own a Warwick Corvette with MEC passive jazz pickup on and a set of Delano jazz pickup. I've replace the MEC with delano jazz and it sound pretty much the same with more clarity on the delano. At the end of the day it still sounds like a corvette ........ For testing purpose, I've try putting the MEC jazz on a jazz bass hoping it will have that warwick growl on the jazz bass but end result is, the jazz bass still sounds like a jazz bass ......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Or, if you haven't even bought the Jazz yet, just get the CV which has a mellower sound than the VM! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razze06 Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1390491275' post='2345989'] Or, if you haven't even bought the Jazz yet, just get the CV which has a mellower sound than the VM! [/quote] I used to have CV Jazz, but I sold it for some reason... I shelved the whole idea for now anyway, i've found that I need the money for something else atm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 if the bass sounds too harsh then "better" pickups are probably only going to make that more obvious? unless they are voiced in a specific way to avoid that ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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