For those who are confused why I said "I never owned a P-Bass" that was mistake on my part in editing I meant to say "I never owned an EXPENSIVE P-Bass". Sorry for that!
I agree to some extent, but a well built bridge and tuners do influence the tone ever so slightly, but in terms of sustain a good bridge is definitely an important aspect.
@@lechistanskiswit320 I never said bridges make no difference. They do make difference but not necessarily positive difference. In this case, the old bridge sounds better to my ears. And there is nothing wrong with that bridge.
I modded a Squier Affinity P bass into a PJ with Seymore Duncan 1/4 pounders and that thing is a beast now. Doesn't help that I've changed the neck twice, the bridge, rewired it, and put a D-tuner on it. It's been a fun 20 year project!
I also have a bass which says ”squier” in the headstock, but in reality is modded to be closer to a US made Fender. It’s always fun to surprise people who think I’m playing just a normal cheap squier 😂
I also did this! i upgraded the neck because i found a killer deal on a fender neck and wanted maple fretboard not rosewood but those 1/4 pounders have sounded amazing on everything for years now!
I got a "crate electra" PBass copy at a market for 100 bucks and got the 1/4 pounders in it as well, thing is a beast, i do need to change the neck tho, truss rod adjustment thing is busted and i can't adjust it
I bought a Squier mini P bass for giggles. I gave me plenty of giggles and also some pretty convincing Steve Harris clank. I’m gonna throw in some quarter pounders. Say hello to my little friend. lol.
Hi Travis love the channel. Been playing 40 years and spent lots of money on mods. For me, a good set-up and strings goes a long way. If the pickups are dead cheap, they can help too with an up grade. Bass like a Fender P will pick its own strings with the way you play. Flats or Boomers on my 73 P bass. Now a good compressor n amp is a must ! Talked to your father inlaw the other day. Very proud of you and so am I .😊
P basses are the most low maintenance basses you can get. They always just kinda sound good so even cheaper ones are often used to record hit records. In this case the bass really did not sound that different after the mods and I feel like most of the difference could be attributed to the new strings, but I’m sure the instrument feels a heck of a lot better in your hands and improved tuning stability is always nice. Sound wise though, it felt like the bass had a bit better note sustain after the mods but thats about it (this could also be due to the fresh strings)
@@drewonthebass If anything this video taught me you really have to have a very defined goal when modding an instrument like this because you can really spend hundreds or even thousands and achieve absolutely nothing (nothing against what Travis did though, it's always a personal thing after all)
I’m a NYC katt.I have a Lakland DJ5 that I’ve modified with MiKe Pope Preamp and a Babicz bridge and a Fender professional precision 5 string modified with a EMG PJ setup and preamp all done by 30th street guitars. Matt. Guitar tech,is a genius!!! With low action.,The both of them sound & feel AMAZING!!! Thank you TD. I’ve been following from the beginning when started with a Rogue Bass Guitar 😂 I also learned a lot from you on your TH-cam videos as a 60year old man I’m still learning churching is what I do the most these days. I wish you had bass zoom lessons I would sign up like yesterday 😊be blessed and keep it coming.
The most dramatic change for my ears was the chord demo, followed by the slap demo. Clear improvement. I have an American Performer Precision and I am about to upgrade the pickups with Aguilar Hum Canceling pickups.
As much as I love the P-bass on it’s own, the true test is how it’s sits in the mix with other instruments. That comparison would have been fun to listen to.
All those mods brought the bass to live! Personally I have an American professional II p and loved it at first but it was a bit too high end for me even with the tone rolled back. So I changed the pickup to a nordstrand np4a and changed the pots and it literally sounds huge now very aggressive for rock but rolled back it does it all. The best part it has the perfect amount of high end.
I think you nailed it with this review. The biggest difference for the pbass when upgrading is more the feel. Most PBass pickups sound Similar due to that 60 cycle hum canceling. So after feel your choice is either flats of rounds.
Great video. You could definitely hear the difference. The mods P Bass was fuller and more mid range forward. A lot more clarity. The bass turned out nice.
WOW. night & Day. Awesome job. I've used the PV63 pickups and i think these are the best Fender produce for aftermarket .. So much more like a vintage P Bass sound . I am working on my 2nd project with MJT Body, American Pro II neck . Will use Babicz bridge and Mojotone 70's clone pickups
bought a Fender FSR Standard Precision Bass back in 2008 or so hated the original electronics. Had a P-Bass original series Pickup layering around so I bought an Obsidian wire solderless harness. broke it got ahold of Obsidian wire for parts and they simply send me (for free) a brand new harness.put the guts in and used a set of Rotosound Stainless Steel Round wounds Best bass I ever heard. somehow over the years the pickup broke so I replaced it with a Mojotone '70's clone P-Bass pickup. Not as good to me but still a great player.current string are about 14 years old and I Love the sound.
Definitely a difference, sounds like more open air. But what brand and make pick-up did you install, what value cap and pots did you use, and what was the original cap value you swapped out? and what new strings did you swap it out to? So we can see what you've upgraded it to. Both versions sounded great to my ears, btw, both different, and yes, the upgrade sounds better of the two. Thanks.
I have an Epiphone EB-0, which is a short scale bass that comes with a single pickup right up by the neck. Last year, I replaced that pickup and added a mini humbucker, both from Artec, near the bridge. I replaced the original volume and tone controls with concentric controls and wired it like an old Jazz bass, with a volume and tone for each pickup and no selector switch. I also replaced the large, vintage-looking tuners with smaller ones like I have on my Ibanez bass. It sounds great, gives me more options for sounds, and the total cost of parts was less than $100.
“Can I mod my Squier P-bass to sound like an expensive P-bass?” What if I told you 99.9% of people - even bass players - would not be able to tell the difference between the Squier and a bazillion dollar custom shop Fender in a blind comparison. Most of the “Mod my bass” vids with a before-and-after comparo in them sound either minimally different or different in a way that isn’t objectively “good.” 🤷♂️❤
Travis, the magic of the P is flats (I like LaBella) and just like a Tele, it gets ‘the’ sound when the tone is wound off some. I have a 70P with B neck, 66 knobs and as you roll on the tone from completely off, you hit a point where the bass thumps! That’s it right there and it beds in a mix perfectly.
I’ve got a Squier Affinity PJ Bass; I replaced the pickups with the Seymour Duncan Qaurter Pounder PJ set, new Bourns Pots, and an Orange Drop Capacitor. I also removed the 2nd volume and replaced it with a switch. Next up, a Hipshot Drop D Tuner and maybe some new frets.
Beat bass I ever had was a 1962 Precision which I bought second hand for £75 in the late 60s.The previous owner had removed the original finish and had covered it with a horrible brown varnish. First thing I did was remove the varnish with Nitromors which worked a treat. I then gave it numerous coats of clear varnish which looked great against the torty pickguard.
Remount the neck making sure the pocket is clean and level, adjust truss rod, lower string height to just where it begins to buzz and adjust intonation perfectly, capacitor bypass on the volume pot.... Does wonders to a cheap bass.
The most important mods are the pickup & electronics. Next the bridge, then the tuners. Having a good setup goes without saying. Exactly what I did to my 1987 Mexican Squier P-bass.
I think for P-Basses the best mod is improving feel and playability because a p bass will p bass. It comes down to if you want a hotter pup or mellow. It all about the neck on a P bass for me. A Jazz Bass is harder to wrangle, IMO. I took my MIM Fender and had to wrestle with it for years to get it how I wanted it. I replaced everything: Hipshot hi-mass bridge, Hipshot tuners with a drop tuner, Hipshot 3 string retainer for better string tension, Dimarzio relentless pickups, obsidian wireless board and controls, and leveled/polished the frets rounded the fret ends myself. I have a Sandberg California Nighthawk which plays and feels GREAT, but man this Fender is my go to. From tone to feel and time/memories it’s perfect.
If you compare, you should A/B with the instrument you tested. I don't think you can make a 400 dollar bass sound like a 4000 dollar bass. As Roger Sadowsky used to have on his website: the electric bass is first and foremost an acoustic instrument. So he (and I as well) do not agree wood is not important. I've played many vintage P basses from the 50s - 70s and while not all of them were great, a good vintage bass has a certain sound you can not get with a new instrument. IMO the instruments that get closest are custom shop fender and Olinto. My experience has led me to believe that the secret is in the wood (the other factors also play a role of course). So starting with bad tonewood, you can put what you want onto the bass, it will be a bad bass. That being said, I like the sound of the Squier and this series gives you a lot of bang for your buck. I even thought it sounded amazing even unmodded for a 400 dollar bass. The upgrades give it a bit more focus and clarity and probably tuning stability etc. But I would rather take the upgrade money and look for the same value in a higher price segment.
I will often replace stock tuners with Hipshot ultra light weight tuners because in many cases they’re better tuners but primarily to reduce the overall weight by half a pound, but it will also reduce neck dive. For my Player series P, I replaced the tuners with Hipshot ultra lights, replaced the bridge, replaced the pickup and electronics with the EMG Geezer kit. For aesthetic reasons, I replaced the white pick guard with a black one and replaced the knobs with chicken head knobs.
I put hipshot tuners on my Fender Mexican P bass,a Fender high mass bridge,fender vintage P bass pickups and an Obsidian wiring harness from New Zealand.
To me the biggest differences between a $400 and a $4000 p-bass is the feel \ playability. There is some different in the pickups \ electronics of course, so they do sound different, but also a lot of the difference I heard could just be explained away by getting new strings. I say all this as a big fender fan, but not a very big squire fan. Squires sound great. But a high-end fender p-bass is going to be a lot easier to wield and have some nuances in the sound that are just caused by higher quality materials, better quality control, and finely tuned electronics. Most of the differences you will have to pick up and play the instrument yourself to notice, so if you're saying that there is a big difference in "feel" to me that sounds like you guys really did manage to elevate that squire p-bass in ways that can't be perceived by just an audio comparison.
Definitely hear the difference. Mostly it sounds like the EQ is opened up and tweaked to focus on the instrument's important frequencies. More body, much clearer tone. Recently bought an inexpensive bass to start trying things like this. From elx to fret dressing to all the gremlins you encounter along the way, it's clearly an art to do it well. Kudos to Justin for such a nice job!
With all the work done in the video, you could even save money by using a cheaper bass as a starting point. Once you replace the electronics, pickups, hardware, and level frets the extra price tag for a Squier CV doesn't really add much more value to the project. I'm currently renewing an Austin P Bass I got for free. It was in terrible shape. I've only invested about $45 into parts so far and it already has improved significantly.
I have a Seafoam Green '70s CV Squier that I nodded with Fralin Precision Pickup Hipshot A style bridge Obsidian wiring harness EB Slinkys 40-60-80-100 8.2 pounds This plays and sounds better than the American Ultra I almost bought
Changes I made to my generic bass: Wilkinson P, Bourns pots, bronze saddles & bone nut, all for $25. Now it can go head to head with those CVs, maybe even better. I didn't go for an expensive pickup, like a DiMarzio or Fender, as they are more expensive than the bass itself.
My go to has been a 2013 AVRI 58' reissue. I haven't had to change a thing on it other than Lindy Fralin rewound the pickup for me after it died on a gig. Flats or rounds it does the thing.
I can hear the difference. Did you use the same strings you used before you had it modded? Otherwise, it really sounded like new strings to me being the big difference. Also, were the recording settings the same? I think the biggest thing would be the playability of the modded Squier. Was it easier to play? You seem to indicate it was.
Dude.. I hear the difference well, it sounds very similar to my old American 2016 p bass I used to play, I don’t have it anymore but that bass was a work horse for gigs. I love the way you’ve changed the sound of this bass, I would def gig with it
I have my “$100” p bass: bought a neck with a busted truss rod, half dead Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounder P pickup and a almost broken in half P bass body for a total of $98. Replaced the rod (removed/reattached the fretboard), repaired the pickup, repaired the body and repainted it. I put more money in just the tuners than pretty much everything else, but it’s one of my two “never sell” basses.
Did you use the same strings for the before and after audio samples? If not it's really hard to tell how much of a difference came from the new pickup and potentiometers. The difference is definitely there, but I've heard at least that much of a difference from just a string change. I'm sure leveling the frets and changing the tuners made a big difference. Changing the bridge probably changed the look more than the sound. In the end if you enjoy it, it's all worth it 👍
It's hard to tell anything with TH-cam Compression and a $4 pair of IEM but one of my favourite mods for a Precision Bass is the Fender TBX and Greasebucket circuits. That poor 1970 P-Bass has probably been sitting there a while. Thanks for the video 🍺
I didn't think the after improvement was significant and certainly not comparable to a most expensive P bass. I have a Squire VM V that I upgraded with Nordstrand NP-5 Fender pickups. That was change was truly night and day and comparable to a much more expensive P.
I can hear the difference but tone is so subjective and I really like both the old and new. Would just be for different times. I have a squire 40th anniversary P-bass with flats and the strings are the only thing that I changed on it, love it. It isn't my main bass but it was never supposed to be, ended up being my traveling bass, I travel a lot for work non-music related. Modding is a ton of fun though and did get a Jazz bass kit off amazon and modded everything on it. Even taking it from a 4 bass side to a 2x2 tuner headstock. I am still trying to get the body to look like I want because come to find out, lacquering is hard lol. Learned a ton with the build but it was challenging enough that my idea of making the bass of my dreams from scratch has been tempered for a bit.
I can definitely hear more definition in the high-mids, its a lot more growly. The pre-modded bass definitely sounded flatter and less present in that frequency range.
Dude, I had a 77 p bass , modeling it off of a 70s p bass is not a bad idea. I can't get over they want 35 hundred when my 50s 3tone mim sounds just as good. If you want really good p pickup tom brantly is the man
the brass saddles on the high-mass hipshot tuner change the subdued tone of the pbass into a snappy, bright, and more sustained tone, similar to a jbass.
Definitely more clarity in the mids and upper range with the P bass pickups and other additions. Just overall, there is more clarity and definition in the playing.
Thank you for your very interesting clip, always interesting to get to know new things. I play a TRBX 304 Yamaha (Markbass amplifier) and am very satisfied. I still have something on my mind, do you remember your fantastic clip "5 Diminished Gospel Bass Licks" Someone (edburdo) there had a video idea that you found positive: Video idea: simple turnarounds and "transitions" to go from one root to another. Really basic stuff, but I know a lot of beginner gospel bass players who only do roots and would like a little more to add to their playing. EX: If I'm going from the 1 to the 5 - what "transitions" can I do to add a bit of spice? I hope there will be a video from you soon! Thank you!
The real secret is that pickups, strings, and setup make far more difference than anything else. Did you put new strings on before recording the 'before' demo? Same type of strings? Same setup?
The modified squire played more distinct notes with a pleasing tone in contrast to the muddier sound of the original squire, which in your hands is t too shabby.
Hey Travis. I’ve received buy a Squire Affinity Jazz Bass 5 string and I’m trying to upgrade with new strings, bridge, and new jazz pick up and preamps as well. What do you recommend
Were the Before clips recorded with brand new strings? If not, a lot of the added clarity and fuller frequency response on the After clips could potentially be attributed to new strings. Just curious :)
I have some questions. How old were the strings on the bass before the modifications? Were they the same brand and type of strings as the new ones put on after the modifications? How much was the setup changed from before to after? I ask because I have a Squier Jazz bass, and with new strings and a good setup, it sounds fantastic. No one would know that the monster bass tone on St. [b]Anger was a stock Squier Jazz bass unless I told them. You're a good player, you can make the instrument sound good just with your playing. If you just changed the strings, gave it a good setup, and covered up the logo on the headstock, everyone would think it's a $4,000 bass.
I moded a $275 Hohner PJ bass. (they stop making them in 1990) replaced the cheap bridge with a high-mass one. And put in EMG Geezer Butler signature pickups. Sounds terrible slapped. But fingerstyle sounds much better.
I love the mod videos, the first one you made gave me the inspiration to try on and old cheap bass i eventually brought it to a luthier cause it had some deeper issues but i want to switch out the pickups one day, pegs and bridge. But it sounds good already after i change the strings and plan to play it at my church soon 💪🏿
Could you tell us what the chord progression was for the last demo you were playing? And I thought this video was awesome 😎 this was a good video. Serious.
Travis, have you ever played a Sire? I've owned two... If you ever come up (or back) to Maine... you can try mine. I may even let you play at church. :D
I completely overhauled an Epiphone Newport Bass: Hipshot Bridge, Hipshot Tuners, Bisonic Neck Pickup, 3-way switch instead of blendpot, and of course an extensive fretjob, the parts and work were more expensive than the bass, but the modded bass rivals my Serek Midwestern in tone and playability. Well worth the money and effort.
Your after strings are brighter. Probably because you removed them and put them back on. When you de-tension strings they lose a lot of the gunk in between the windings and get a breath of freshness (that doesn't last long). Hard to tell the difference when the strings sound different.
Mannnnn! You are now very thin! Congratulations! I almost don't know you! A really big exemple of superation! God Bless you guy! Congs for the video content too! Let's fly bass!
After the mods, it sounds like someone turned up the tone knob; subtle, but (to my ear) slightly more clarity and treble. I have a '72 P-bass that just has it's own sound, but it's different from what you've created. Not better or worse, just different.
Squier Classic Vibe are excelent basses, great value for the price, i believe that they are the best Bass for mods. But for the comparisson i think you should tell us about the strings, if in the sounds of the stock version the strings were old or new. Strings are very important too, so if the strings in the bass with no mods were old and in the modded one were new, It will impact the sounds. I think this is something to consider
The most drastic change you can ever make in terms of changing the tone of your electric guitar/bass is changing the neck. Another neck will give you a dramatically different sounding instrument.
I just recently upgraded my inexpensive bass (a Luna Tattoo) - thank you Christmas money! Like you, I installed the Hipshot Kickass Bridge. It was a drop in replacement, so no drilling, and the sustain and adjustability are phenomenal. I did sand a little of the black finish off the underside to ensure a solid ground and it's dead quiet. I also installed Hipshot's Ultralite tuners. They were also a drop in replacement and are super stable. And, between the lighter tuners and the heavier bridge, there's zero neck dive. I went with DiMarzio's Relentless pickups, mostly for the soft edges, and they feel great when resting your thumb while playing finger style. The electronics were replaced with Switchcraft pots and output jack. This was the toughest part as, like you found, the body of the pots was significantly larger, making things pretty tight in the cavity. I've got a Graphtech nut that I may install at some point, but so far I'm super happy with the upgrades.
I want to like P basses....but I just don't...lol. I do love my Jazz basses...I am definitely a Jazz guy. But I have an old 70's no name Jazz copy that has been one of my main basses for years. The only thing that I did was add some Duncan quarter pounders and installed a new bridge that a friend gave me. $50, total invested other than the $125 that I paid for it. To me it is WAY better than any $1000+ Jazz bass I ever played.
It was a $600 upgrade, so $1000 total. It's comparable to a sandberg P in terms of the quality of sound (+ the fret leveling & tuners), so you're saving roughly $600-1000
For those who are confused why I said "I never owned a P-Bass" that was mistake on my part in editing I meant to say "I never owned an EXPENSIVE P-Bass". Sorry for that!
Tell Justin he's got a dope hoodie!
For tone, bridge and tuners were not needed to be replaced if you're on a budget, especially if tuners are keeping well.
I agree to some extent, but a well built bridge and tuners do influence the tone ever so slightly, but in terms of sustain a good bridge is definitely an important aspect.
@@DoodlezMusic that bridge and tuners of Squire are good enough. I'm a bass guitar builder. Sletch Guitars
id have done the nut before tuners myself !
Actually bridge makes huge difference. Badass or Babicz makes difference.
@@lechistanskiswit320 I never said bridges make no difference. They do make difference but not necessarily positive difference. In this case, the old bridge sounds better to my ears. And there is nothing wrong with that bridge.
I modded a Squier Affinity P bass into a PJ with Seymore Duncan 1/4 pounders and that thing is a beast now. Doesn't help that I've changed the neck twice, the bridge, rewired it, and put a D-tuner on it. It's been a fun 20 year project!
I also have a bass which says ”squier” in the headstock, but in reality is modded to be closer to a US made Fender. It’s always fun to surprise people who think I’m playing just a normal cheap squier 😂
I also did this! i upgraded the neck because i found a killer deal on a fender neck and wanted maple fretboard not rosewood but those 1/4 pounders have sounded amazing on everything for years now!
I got a "crate electra" PBass copy at a market for 100 bucks and got the 1/4 pounders in it as well, thing is a beast, i do need to change the neck tho, truss rod adjustment thing is busted and i can't adjust it
@@vonkouva2619guess you either have to replace the truss rod or to replace the neck entirely
I bought a Squier mini P bass for giggles. I gave me plenty of giggles and also some pretty convincing Steve Harris clank. I’m gonna throw in some quarter pounders. Say hello to my little friend. lol.
Hi Travis love the channel. Been playing 40 years and spent lots of money on mods. For me, a good set-up and strings goes a long way. If the pickups are dead cheap, they can help too with an up grade. Bass like a Fender P will pick its own strings with the way you play. Flats or Boomers on my 73 P bass. Now a good compressor n amp is a must ! Talked to your father inlaw the other day. Very proud of you and so am I .😊
I really love after the mod,but it cost almost totally a thousand bucks!
P basses are the most low maintenance basses you can get. They always just kinda sound good so even cheaper ones are often used to record hit records. In this case the bass really did not sound that different after the mods and I feel like most of the difference could be attributed to the new strings, but I’m sure the instrument feels a heck of a lot better in your hands and improved tuning stability is always nice. Sound wise though, it felt like the bass had a bit better note sustain after the mods but thats about it (this could also be due to the fresh strings)
I agree
@@drewonthebass If anything this video taught me you really have to have a very defined goal when modding an instrument like this because you can really spend hundreds or even thousands and achieve absolutely nothing (nothing against what Travis did though, it's always a personal thing after all)
I only hear a little more trebble in the modded one
@@alexislacoursiere3221 that’s definitely the new strings, not the mods
@@kingdeedee right !
I’m a NYC katt.I have a Lakland DJ5 that I’ve modified with MiKe Pope Preamp and a Babicz bridge and a Fender professional precision 5 string modified with a EMG PJ setup and preamp all done by 30th street guitars. Matt. Guitar tech,is a genius!!! With low action.,The both of them sound & feel AMAZING!!! Thank you TD. I’ve been following from the beginning when started with a Rogue Bass Guitar 😂 I also learned a lot from you on your TH-cam videos as a 60year old man I’m still learning churching is what I do the most these days. I wish you had bass zoom lessons I would sign up like yesterday 😊be blessed and keep it coming.
The most dramatic change for my ears was the chord demo, followed by the slap demo. Clear improvement. I have an American Performer Precision and I am about to upgrade the pickups with Aguilar Hum Canceling pickups.
In a mix, you wouldn’t have a clue….
Aren't the p-bass pickups hum cancelling by the nature they are made (split coil = humbucker)?
Yeah that's what I thought too
As much as I love the P-bass on it’s own, the true test is how it’s sits in the mix with other instruments. That comparison would have been fun to listen to.
Amen !
All those mods brought the bass to live! Personally I have an American professional II p and loved it at first but it was a bit too high end for me even with the tone rolled back. So I changed the pickup to a nordstrand np4a and changed the pots and it literally sounds huge now very aggressive for rock but rolled back it does it all. The best part it has the perfect amount of high end.
Got a 70s Aria lawsuit P bass on marketplace for $125. Threw some flats on it with Fralin pickups and a new wiring harness. Sounds amazing.
I think you nailed it with this review. The biggest difference for the pbass when upgrading is more the feel. Most PBass pickups sound Similar due to that 60 cycle hum canceling. So after feel your choice is either flats of rounds.
Everyone needs a friend like Justin 🔥🔥👌🏽that bass sounds amazing looks amazing
You doing slap with a Pbass that sounds that good is AMAZING. The upgraded version reminded me of an active jazz bass sound. Well done!
Great video. You could definitely hear the difference. The mods P Bass was fuller and more mid range forward. A lot more clarity. The bass turned out nice.
WOW. night & Day. Awesome job. I've used the PV63 pickups and i think these are the best Fender produce for aftermarket .. So much more like a vintage P Bass sound . I am working on my 2nd project with MJT Body, American Pro II neck . Will use Babicz bridge and Mojotone 70's clone pickups
These type of videos are so interesting! So cool, to see the process and transformation! All of your videos are awesome!
bought a Fender FSR Standard Precision Bass back in 2008 or so hated the original electronics. Had a P-Bass original series Pickup layering around so I bought an Obsidian wire solderless harness. broke it got ahold of Obsidian wire for parts and they simply send me (for free) a brand new harness.put the guts in and used a set of Rotosound Stainless Steel Round wounds Best bass I ever heard. somehow over the years the pickup broke so I replaced it with a Mojotone '70's clone P-Bass pickup. Not as good to me but still a great player.current string are about 14 years old and I Love the sound.
Definitely a difference, sounds like more open air. But what brand and make pick-up did you install, what value cap and pots did you use, and what was the original cap value you swapped out? and what new strings did you swap it out to? So we can see what you've upgraded it to. Both versions sounded great to my ears, btw, both different, and yes, the upgrade sounds better of the two. Thanks.
I have an Epiphone EB-0, which is a short scale bass that comes with a single pickup right up by the neck. Last year, I replaced that pickup and added a mini humbucker, both from Artec, near the bridge. I replaced the original volume and tone controls with concentric controls and wired it like an old Jazz bass, with a volume and tone for each pickup and no selector switch. I also replaced the large, vintage-looking tuners with smaller ones like I have on my Ibanez bass. It sounds great, gives me more options for sounds, and the total cost of parts was less than $100.
“Can I mod my Squier P-bass to sound like an expensive P-bass?”
What if I told you 99.9% of people - even bass players - would not be able to tell the difference between the Squier and a bazillion dollar custom shop Fender in a blind comparison. Most of the “Mod my bass” vids with a before-and-after comparo in them sound either minimally different or different in a way that isn’t objectively “good.” 🤷♂️❤
Travis, the magic of the P is flats (I like LaBella) and just like a Tele, it gets ‘the’ sound when the tone is wound off some. I have a 70P with B neck, 66 knobs and as you roll on the tone from completely off, you hit a point where the bass thumps! That’s it right there and it beds in a mix perfectly.
I’ve got a Squier Affinity PJ Bass; I replaced the pickups with the Seymour Duncan Qaurter Pounder PJ set, new Bourns Pots, and an Orange Drop Capacitor. I also removed the 2nd volume and replaced it with a switch. Next up, a Hipshot Drop D Tuner and maybe some new frets.
Beat bass I ever had was a 1962 Precision which I bought second hand for £75 in the late 60s.The previous owner had removed the original finish and had covered it with a horrible brown varnish. First thing I did was remove the varnish with Nitromors which worked a treat. I then gave it numerous coats of clear varnish which looked great against the torty pickguard.
Remount the neck making sure the pocket is clean and level, adjust truss rod, lower string height to just where it begins to buzz and adjust intonation perfectly, capacitor bypass on the volume pot.... Does wonders to a cheap bass.
The most important mods are the pickup & electronics. Next the bridge, then the tuners. Having a good setup goes without saying. Exactly what I did to my 1987 Mexican Squier P-bass.
I think for P-Basses the best mod is improving feel and playability because a p bass will p bass. It comes down to if you want a hotter pup or mellow. It all about the neck on a P bass for me.
A Jazz Bass is harder to wrangle, IMO. I took my MIM Fender and had to wrestle with it for years to get it how I wanted it. I replaced everything: Hipshot hi-mass bridge, Hipshot tuners with a drop tuner, Hipshot 3 string retainer for better string tension, Dimarzio relentless pickups, obsidian wireless board and controls, and leveled/polished the frets rounded the fret ends myself. I have a Sandberg California Nighthawk which plays and feels GREAT, but man this Fender is my go to. From tone to feel and time/memories it’s perfect.
If you compare, you should A/B with the instrument you tested. I don't think you can make a 400 dollar bass sound like a 4000 dollar bass. As Roger Sadowsky used to have on his website: the electric bass is first and foremost an acoustic instrument. So he (and I as well) do not agree wood is not important. I've played many vintage P basses from the 50s - 70s and while not all of them were great, a good vintage bass has a certain sound you can not get with a new instrument. IMO the instruments that get closest are custom shop fender and Olinto. My experience has led me to believe that the secret is in the wood (the other factors also play a role of course). So starting with bad tonewood, you can put what you want onto the bass, it will be a bad bass. That being said, I like the sound of the Squier and this series gives you a lot of bang for your buck. I even thought it sounded amazing even unmodded for a 400 dollar bass. The upgrades give it a bit more focus and clarity and probably tuning stability etc. But I would rather take the upgrade money and look for the same value in a higher price segment.
I will often replace stock tuners with Hipshot ultra light weight tuners because in many cases they’re better tuners but primarily to reduce the overall weight by half a pound, but it will also reduce neck dive.
For my Player series P, I replaced the tuners with Hipshot ultra lights, replaced the bridge, replaced the pickup and electronics with the EMG Geezer kit. For aesthetic reasons, I replaced the white pick guard with a black one and replaced the knobs with chicken head knobs.
Those emg geezers are beastly, I put the pj set in an old japanese-made jackson and it absolutely rips now
Great pups is a good place to start. If you’re not a fan of soldering EMG Geezer Butler pups are a great sounding pickup and easy to install.
I may have missed it in the video, but are they the same strings on both before and after examples?
I put hipshot tuners on my Fender Mexican P bass,a Fender high mass bridge,fender vintage P bass pickups and an Obsidian wiring harness from New Zealand.
To me the biggest differences between a $400 and a $4000 p-bass is the feel \ playability. There is some different in the pickups \ electronics of course, so they do sound different, but also a lot of the difference I heard could just be explained away by getting new strings.
I say all this as a big fender fan, but not a very big squire fan. Squires sound great. But a high-end fender p-bass is going to be a lot easier to wield and have some nuances in the sound that are just caused by higher quality materials, better quality control, and finely tuned electronics. Most of the differences you will have to pick up and play the instrument yourself to notice, so if you're saying that there is a big difference in "feel" to me that sounds like you guys really did manage to elevate that squire p-bass in ways that can't be perceived by just an audio comparison.
Definitely hear the difference. Mostly it sounds like the EQ is opened up and tweaked to focus on the instrument's important frequencies. More body, much clearer tone. Recently bought an inexpensive bass to start trying things like this. From elx to fret dressing to all the gremlins you encounter along the way, it's clearly an art to do it well. Kudos to Justin for such a nice job!
With all the work done in the video, you could even save money by using a cheaper bass as a starting point. Once you replace the electronics, pickups, hardware, and level frets the extra price tag for a Squier CV doesn't really add much more value to the project. I'm currently renewing an Austin P Bass I got for free. It was in terrible shape. I've only invested about $45 into parts so far and it already has improved significantly.
I have a Seafoam Green '70s CV Squier that I nodded with
Fralin Precision Pickup
Hipshot A style bridge
Obsidian wiring harness
EB Slinkys 40-60-80-100
8.2 pounds
This plays and sounds better than the American Ultra I almost bought
Changes I made to my generic bass: Wilkinson P, Bourns pots, bronze saddles & bone nut, all for $25. Now it can go head to head with those CVs, maybe even better. I didn't go for an expensive pickup, like a DiMarzio or Fender, as they are more expensive than the bass itself.
My go to has been a 2013 AVRI 58' reissue. I haven't had to change a thing on it other than Lindy Fralin rewound the pickup for me after it died on a gig. Flats or rounds it does the thing.
I can hear the difference. Did you use the same strings you used before you had it modded? Otherwise, it really sounded like new strings to me being the big difference. Also, were the recording settings the same? I think the biggest thing would be the playability of the modded Squier. Was it easier to play? You seem to indicate it was.
Dude.. I hear the difference well, it sounds very similar to my old American 2016 p bass I used to play, I don’t have it anymore but that bass was a work horse for gigs. I love the way you’ve changed the sound of this bass, I would def gig with it
I have my “$100” p bass: bought a neck with a busted truss rod, half dead Seymour Duncan 1/4 pounder P pickup and a almost broken in half P bass body for a total of $98. Replaced the rod (removed/reattached the fretboard), repaired the pickup, repaired the body and repainted it. I put more money in just the tuners than pretty much everything else, but it’s one of my two “never sell” basses.
The difference in sound was really clear... loved it
Did you use the same strings for the before and after audio samples? If not it's really hard to tell how much of a difference came from the new pickup and potentiometers. The difference is definitely there, but I've heard at least that much of a difference from just a string change. I'm sure leveling the frets and changing the tuners made a big difference. Changing the bridge probably changed the look more than the sound. In the end if you enjoy it, it's all worth it 👍
It's hard to tell anything with TH-cam Compression and a $4 pair of IEM but one of my favourite mods for a Precision Bass is the Fender TBX and Greasebucket circuits. That poor 1970 P-Bass has probably been sitting there a while. Thanks for the video 🍺
One thing I would have loved to hear and see is you taking the Squire over to the guitar shop and doing a direct comparison with the vintage Fender.
I didn't think the after improvement was significant and certainly not comparable to a most expensive P bass. I have a Squire VM V that I upgraded with Nordstrand NP-5 Fender pickups. That was change was truly night and day and comparable to a much more expensive P.
I often go to Babicz bridge + superlight hipshot tuners on pbasses !
New subscriber. I loved the added presence and life the new electronics brought. Old base sounded very flat in comparison.
Modded my sq vm pbass with quarter pounders and made it sound expensive. Hipshot tuners and bridge looks tempting.
I can hear the difference but tone is so subjective and I really like both the old and new. Would just be for different times. I have a squire 40th anniversary P-bass with flats and the strings are the only thing that I changed on it, love it. It isn't my main bass but it was never supposed to be, ended up being my traveling bass, I travel a lot for work non-music related. Modding is a ton of fun though and did get a Jazz bass kit off amazon and modded everything on it. Even taking it from a 4 bass side to a 2x2 tuner headstock. I am still trying to get the body to look like I want because come to find out, lacquering is hard lol. Learned a ton with the build but it was challenging enough that my idea of making the bass of my dreams from scratch has been tempered for a bit.
I can definitely hear more definition in the high-mids, its a lot more growly. The pre-modded bass definitely sounded flatter and less present in that frequency range.
Dude, I had a 77 p bass , modeling it off of a 70s p bass is not a bad idea. I can't get over they want 35 hundred when my 50s 3tone mim sounds just as good. If you want really good p pickup tom brantly is the man
the brass saddles on the high-mass hipshot tuner change the subdued tone of the pbass into a snappy, bright, and more sustained tone, similar to a jbass.
I put a 60's Jazz Neck on my American Professional II Precision and it sounds awesome!
You can really hear it on the slap and chords. Good stuff!
Definitely more clarity in the mids and upper range with the P bass pickups and other additions. Just overall, there is more clarity and definition in the playing.
Thank you for your very interesting clip, always interesting to get to know new things.
I play a TRBX 304 Yamaha (Markbass amplifier) and am very satisfied.
I still have something on my mind, do you remember your fantastic clip "5 Diminished Gospel Bass Licks"
Someone (edburdo) there had a video idea that you found positive:
Video idea: simple turnarounds and "transitions" to go from one root to another. Really basic stuff, but I know a lot of beginner gospel bass players who only do roots and would like a little more to add to their playing. EX: If I'm going from the 1 to the 5 - what "transitions" can I do to add a bit of spice?
I hope there will be a video from you soon!
Thank you!
I think you Guys did a GREAT JOB, and it does sound so much better. Great investment!!!
i like the mod one, it has more clear tone
The real secret is that pickups, strings, and setup make far more difference than anything else.
Did you put new strings on before recording the 'before' demo? Same type of strings? Same setup?
Not gonna lie, I like the before tone better.. smoother sounding. Nothing to do with the luthiers ability.. just like the tone better…
The modified squire played more distinct notes with a pleasing tone in contrast to the muddier sound of the original squire, which in your hands is t too shabby.
Hey Travis. I’ve received buy a Squire Affinity Jazz Bass 5 string and I’m trying to upgrade with new strings, bridge, and new jazz pick up and preamps as well. What do you recommend
Were the Before clips recorded with brand new strings? If not, a lot of the added clarity and fuller frequency response on the After clips could potentially be attributed to new strings. Just curious :)
I have some questions. How old were the strings on the bass before the modifications? Were they the same brand and type of strings as the new ones put on after the modifications? How much was the setup changed from before to after?
I ask because I have a Squier Jazz bass, and with new strings and a good setup, it sounds fantastic. No one would know that the monster bass tone on St. [b]Anger was a stock Squier Jazz bass unless I told them.
You're a good player, you can make the instrument sound good just with your playing. If you just changed the strings, gave it a good setup, and covered up the logo on the headstock, everyone would think it's a $4,000 bass.
Light tonal differences I agree you can fix the frets but the electronics sound suttle difference. The problem is the resale value
I moded a $275 Hohner PJ bass. (they stop making them in 1990) replaced the cheap bridge with a high-mass one. And put in EMG Geezer Butler signature pickups. Sounds terrible slapped. But fingerstyle sounds much better.
Only other thing that I would have done was a faraday cage in the pick up and control cavity other wise excellent work
Definitely hear a massive difference! Justin killed it!
During the lockdown I sanded and re-finished my o bass neck to oil and wax. Amazing difference it made
Leveled frets and changed strings to GHS flats on Squier VM. The star was born. That's it.
I love the mod videos, the first one you made gave me the inspiration to try on and old cheap bass i eventually brought it to a luthier cause it had some deeper issues but i want to switch out the pickups one day, pegs and bridge. But it sounds good already after i change the strings and plan to play it at my church soon 💪🏿
We’re the strings new on the bass before you did the mods? Wondering if the crisp snap is strings as well?
I got that exact bass.
This is why I invested in a bass effects pedal.. I can make any bass sound like any bass
Can you explain what chords you were playing they sounded so melodic
It's kinda of cool to see your views go up as I watch lol this is a fantastic vid thanks for your hard work as always
Could you tell us what the chord progression was for the last demo you were playing? And I thought this video was awesome 😎 this was a good video. Serious.
sweet, cool concept! hyped to try this someday
That cut to the infomercial ad for the $4k bass😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
But seriously it did sound pretty good with the new setup
Travis, have you ever played a Sire? I've owned two... If you ever come up (or back) to Maine... you can try mine. I may even let you play at church. :D
I completely overhauled an Epiphone Newport Bass: Hipshot Bridge, Hipshot Tuners, Bisonic Neck Pickup, 3-way switch instead of blendpot, and of course an extensive fretjob, the parts and work were more expensive than the bass, but the modded bass rivals my Serek Midwestern in tone and playability. Well worth the money and effort.
Nice video ! Strings are fresh , let's hear them in a little while and then we could do another before-after check ;)
Your after strings are brighter. Probably because you removed them and put them back on. When you de-tension strings they lose a lot of the gunk in between the windings and get a breath of freshness (that doesn't last long). Hard to tell the difference when the strings sound different.
Mannnnn! You are now very thin! Congratulations! I almost don't know you! A really big exemple of superation! God Bless you guy!
Congs for the video content too! Let's fly bass!
My reno would’ve been just an ag5 pup, some nice strings and a setup and I would survive:)
After the mods, it sounds like someone turned up the tone knob; subtle, but (to my ear) slightly more clarity and treble. I have a '72 P-bass that just has it's own sound, but it's different from what you've created. Not better or worse, just different.
Although the difference isnt a continental gap..The Upgraded one packed more punch.
You need to collab more with this guy!!
Squier Classic Vibe are excelent basses, great value for the price, i believe that they are the best Bass for mods.
But for the comparisson i think you should tell us about the strings, if in the sounds of the stock version the strings were old or new.
Strings are very important too, so if the strings in the bass with no mods were old and in the modded one were new, It will impact the sounds.
I think this is something to consider
The Goku hoodie is so sick. RIP Toriyama
In what way is the "feel" improved?
The most drastic change you can ever make in terms of changing the tone of your electric guitar/bass is changing the neck. Another neck will give you a dramatically different sounding instrument.
Sounds better and looks better. You spent $500 on upgrades to a $400 bass, and ended up with a $650 bass in the end. I’d probably play it. 👍🏼
Strings in the BEFORE sounded older than the obviously-new ones in the AFTER.
Strings are a huge factor in how a bass or even guitar will sound.
What did the upgrades cost?
Loved the dragon ball z hoodie
I should really have a go and upgrade my cheap basses
I just recently upgraded my inexpensive bass (a Luna Tattoo) - thank you Christmas money! Like you, I installed the Hipshot Kickass Bridge. It was a drop in replacement, so no drilling, and the sustain and adjustability are phenomenal. I did sand a little of the black finish off the underside to ensure a solid ground and it's dead quiet. I also installed Hipshot's Ultralite tuners. They were also a drop in replacement and are super stable. And, between the lighter tuners and the heavier bridge, there's zero neck dive. I went with DiMarzio's Relentless pickups, mostly for the soft edges, and they feel great when resting your thumb while playing finger style. The electronics were replaced with Switchcraft pots and output jack. This was the toughest part as, like you found, the body of the pots was significantly larger, making things pretty tight in the cavity. I've got a Graphtech nut that I may install at some point, but so far I'm super happy with the upgrades.
I want to like P basses....but I just don't...lol. I do love my Jazz basses...I am definitely a Jazz guy. But I have an old 70's no name Jazz copy that has been one of my main basses for years. The only thing that I did was add some Duncan quarter pounders and installed a new bridge that a friend gave me. $50, total invested other than the $125 that I paid for it. To me it is WAY better than any $1000+ Jazz bass I ever played.
What is the cost of the upgrade and how much saving over buying a $4000.00 bass?
It was a $600 upgrade, so $1000 total. It's comparable to a sandberg P in terms of the quality of sound (+ the fret leveling & tuners), so you're saving roughly $600-1000
Seriously awesome bro 🥰