BrunoBass Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 (edited) My recently acquired cheapo Jazz Bass is shortly going to be upgraded. The bridge and pickups/electrics will be first, the tuners will be next. What are your recommendations for half decent but budget conscious parts? This bass cost me just £109 so Aguilar pickups and Sadowsky preamps are not really what I'm looking for. Pickup wise I'm more interested in a vintage type tone. Thanks. Edited June 13, 2017 by PaulGibsonBass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbartlett Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Get in touch with Mark from Limelight. He winds vintage spec pickups. I have one and it's great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 There seems to be some not-entirely-unsubstantiated rumour that Squier are putting Tonerider pickups in their very well-regarded Classic Vibe guitars and basses. I've got a Tonerider in one of my own Frankenbasses and it's really rather good - I suspect you could get your hands on a matched pair for south of £70. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Yes, tonerider pickups ! very, very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrunoBass Posted June 13, 2017 Author Share Posted June 13, 2017 I've heard good things about Toneriders, they seem like good value? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 [quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1497364766' post='3317564'] I've heard good things about Toneriders, they seem like good value? [/quote] I wouldn't say I was a connoisseur, but they certainly sound good to me, and are a lot cheaper than some of the better-known manufacturers. See also Wilkinson, who are now providing the stock pickups for JHS Vintage guitars - not sure whether they have a specific vintage-type tone range, ironically enough, but cheap enough that you could take a punt on a pair. (In fact, my Frankenbass now has a Tonerider in the neck/middle position, and a Wilkinson by the bridge. Both sound pretty good, though I'm debating whether to swap one out so they're both from the same manufacturer to see if I can get a better match between their two tones.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timhiggins Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 I would keep an eye out for s/h p.u.p's from a squier vmj or vibe or the deluxe they are all very good in my opinion i once replaced a duncan designed bridge p.u. with a seymour duncan sjb1 vintage ,and found them to sound more or less identical i currently have some jazz pups from a squier deluxe in my bitsa jazz and they are great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
prowla Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 I've got a Shadow (German) pickup in my partsblaster; it's not at all bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodiakblair Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 I put a Warman Jazz blade humbucker in the bridge position on my Zephyr 5 and it was a belter of a pickup. Their jazz might not be your taste though. http://www.warmanguitars.co.uk/product/j-bass-4-string-bass-guitar-pickup/ Entwistle pickups are another top notch cheap replacement. I've linked to the JBX instead of the JBXN. I've 2 Zodiac DE Scorpios but 1 has an Entwistle Neo PJ set in place of the Duncan Basslines,the Neos have much louder output than the Duncans so not really the vintage tone you seek. http://www.entwistlepickups.com/pickup.php?puid=JBX Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Bay Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 I got a wilkinson bridge off eBay for very sensible money and it's ok quality wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted June 14, 2017 Share Posted June 14, 2017 Maybe keep a weather eye on the f/s bits of this very forum? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman68 Posted June 22, 2017 Share Posted June 22, 2017 (edited) Another thumbs up for Entwistle pick-ups, I upgraded a Chinese affinity Squier with a set of these & a Gotoh bridge. Edited June 26, 2017 by Bassman68 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc S Posted August 14, 2017 Share Posted August 14, 2017 Although there was nothing on the pickup to mark it as a Tonerider, I took one out of a Squier Classic Vibe P bass I only did this as I was having it pro converted to a PJ and wanted to try Entwistles The Squier CV pickup was actually really good. Guy I sold it to fitted it into a bass, and was over the moon with it I don't know if they are toneriders - but they're half decent, So if you can get one try it Alternatively, I can highly recommend the Entwistle PBXN. You need to rout out a deeper channel in the middle of your pickup cavity though ... for their oversized magnets - which don't half pack some punch! Don't be fooled by their low price btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted August 15, 2017 Share Posted August 15, 2017 [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]Entwistle pickups and Wilkinson Hardware. Sorted[/font][/color] [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]T[/font][/color][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]he Wilkinson Vintage Bridge is a great buy.[/font][/color] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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