Pick-Up Help

[neptunehealer]

I have an old Fender P-Bass copy, it's got Vintage on the headstock only set me back £120 10 years ago. I am used to it and don't want to gig live with anything else.
I want to upgrade the pick-ups instead of buying a new bass and i have decided to install a seymour duncan quarterpounder SBP3 (i think thats correct).
The question is how much do you think this will cost for a shop to fit them, i can buy the Pups for £50ish.
Is this a good idea?

Edited June 3, 2009 by neptunehealer

[Shaggy]

If you're happy with the bass then it should be a worthwhile upgrade that will dramatically improve tone and output. There's often quality ones for sale here cheap mind - bought and sold my last 3 or 4 p/u's on BC at a fraction of retail.
I'd never contemplate asking a shop to do it though; just take the strings off, unscrew the pickguard and lift the whole gubbins off, have a look where the old wires go and mark where they're soldered to with tape or tippex, cut them at the lug they're soldered to (sloppy) or unsolder them (neat), old pickups out, new pickups in, and solder the new leads onto the marked lugs. If you've never soldered, good little project to learn on! Then put some new strings on worthy of the new pickups

[hubrad]

Shouldn't cost much with a direct replacement pickup like that, prob a tenner or so.
If you're not confident with soldering, get someone else to do it.
As Shaggy says, not a particularly hard job, though, so if you're interested give it a go and spend the tenner on tea and biccies.

[Kongo]

[quote name='Shaggy' post='504779' date='Jun 3 2009, 03:59 PM']cut them at the lug they're soldered to (sloppy) or unsolder them (neat)[/quote]

I can NEVER seem to get the solder on the pots to melt! I have always cut mine because of this but would really like to solder them out next time.
ANy particular soldering iron I could use?
It's also worth asking, what's the best solder as well.

I always used what I could...but I'd like to do it 100% expert next time.

Changing a pickup from a cheap one is a great idea. Even changing a good one IF you know what sound you want and know what the pickup can offer.
I put a DiMarzio Will Power in my P-bass that is now so heavily modded but it was once a Squier.
The pickup change is drastic! It's STILL my loudest bass and the pickup is so sensative you can hammer from nowehere onto the 12th fret and slide down with no effort yet it sounds so big and clear!

SO go ahead with the change. 1/4 punders are hot output too...I got a Jazz 1/4 pounder in my Yamaha RBX 270J...It's so much louder than the P-pickup that's in as well (Yamaha is a P/J style).
If I ever got another P-bass...if I ever wanted another (I love this one!) I would most DEFO put another Will Power in.

Edited June 3, 2009 by Kongo

[The Burpster]

off to techie for you....

[BOD2]

[quote name='Kongo' post='504841' date='Jun 3 2009, 04:57 PM']I can NEVER seem to get the solder on the pots to melt! I have always cut mine because of this but would really like to solder them out next time.
ANy particular soldering iron I could use?
It's also worth asking, what's the best solder as well. [/quote]

Soldering pots - this is how to do it

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swfQi7GtK78&feature=player_embedded"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swfQi7GtK78...player_embedded[/url]

He uses a 25 Watt soldering iron. Any lower and you won't get enough heat into te pot shell. You can use higher (e.g. 40 Watt) but then you have to be quick so as not to "roast" anything !

Use a "cored" solder (that has "rosin" cored through it to help it flow) and follow that tip on "tinning" the wires before you join them - it makes a big difference.

[geoffbyrne]

I regularly use a 40W soldering iron, and it's fine.

G.