Does my bass need upgrading?

[bassdrummer2333]

I have an Ibanez GSR200 that i've had for less than a year but my perception of how nice guitars are has changed alot over the year. Should I invest in a new bass soon or is this one good for another year or 2? The bass that I would upgrade to is a Peavey Grind, but not right away.

[porttheman]

I have an Ibanez GSR200 that i've had for less than a year but my perception of how nice guitars are has changed alot over the year. Should I invest in a new bass soon or is this one good for another year or 2? The bass that I would upgrade to is a Peavey Grind, but not right away.

what type of music do you play?

[The Boathouse]

You could just get your current bass set up and ride it out. Unless you're having a noticeably negative experience playing your current instrument, I'd say to save the money. Personally, I'd save up and get a Warwick a few more years down the line, but to each their own!

[Tristan Needler]

Rickenbacker.

[OveriseFan]

Rickenbacker.

Haha. Truth.

Save up for something nice, if your current bass isn't killing you.

[Tristan Needler]

Which brings me to another point... my guitar is killing me. It barely even works half the time.

Know of anything good in the $100-$200 range?


Damn it, loving music and being dirt poor is such a heart wrenching combination.

[patrickhowell]

The bass that I would upgrade to is a Peavey Grind, but not right away.

Why that bass ?

[OveriseFan]

Which brings me to another point... my guitar is killing me. It barely even works half the time.

Know of anything good in the $100-$200 range?


Damn it, loving music and being dirt poor is such a heart wrenching combination.

Acoustic or electric?

Do you already have one or the other? I assume the one that's killing you is your cheap Yamaha electric?

[Tristan Needler]

Acoustic or electric?

Do you already have one or the other? I assume the one that's killing you is your cheap Yamaha electric?
I have both, and yes. There's something screwed up with the jack and I don't feel like it's worth repairing. But I'm broke so I can't afford anything nice. I'm sure I'll probably just scrape by with it for a few more years.

[Prestonxsmith]

I have both, and yes. There's something screwed up with the jack and I don't feel like it's worth repairing. But I'm broke so I can't afford anything nice. I'm sure I'll probably just scrape by with it for a few more years.
Search craigslist for a used Mexican Tele.

[Tristan Needler]

Search craigslist for a used Mexican Tele.
I've thought about something like that. But I don't know enough about guitars to know what types to go for what tones.

[patrickhowell]

I've thought about something like that. But I don't know enough about guitars to know what types to go for what tones.

What do you want to sound like? What guitar and amp do you have now?

[Tristan Needler]

What do you want to sound like? What guitar and amp do you have now?
I have a small 25 watt fender amp (I don't remember exactly what it is, I don't think they make it anymore), but it's at my mom's in the US. Currently I just play DI and use the Amplitude LE amp modeling plug in in Cubase. I don't play live or anything.

As far as sound, I don't have much of a specific genre. I play indie stuff, progressive stuff (like mars volta-ish), dancey rock stuff, old Beatles era rock and roll, and hippie-style psychedelic rock.



Edit: The amp might be something along these lines: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-25R-Frontman-Series-II-Guitar-Combo?sku=480669 although it looks quite a bit different.

[OveriseFan]

I have a small 25 watt fender amp (I don't remember exactly what it is, I don't think they make it anymore), but it's at my mom's in the US. Currently I just play DI and use the Amplitude LE amp modeling plug in in Cubase. I don't play live or anything.

As far as sound, I don't have much of a specific genre. I play indie stuff, progressive stuff (like mars volta-ish), dancey rock stuff, old Beatles era rock and roll, and hippie-style psychedelic rock.



Edit: The amp might be something along these lines: http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-25R-Frontman-Series-II-Guitar-Combo?sku=480669 although it looks quite a bit different.

A tele would suit you well, probably. You could also look into some kind of semi-hollow... Maybe like a used Epiphone Dot? (Others can probably give you better suggestions on semi-hollows.)

[patrickhowell]

A tele would suit you well, probably. You could also look into some kind of semi-hollow... Maybe like a used Epiphone Dot? (Others can probably give you better suggestions on semi-hollows.)

Both of those guitars are good, but if you can solder at all, or know anyone who can, you can get get all the sounds you need from one guitar.

[Tristan Needler]

A tele would suit you well, probably. You could also look into some kind of semi-hollow... Maybe like a used Epiphone Dot? (Others can probably give you better suggestions on semi-hollows.)

Both of those guitars are good, but if you can solder at all, or know anyone who can, you can get get all the sounds you need from one guitar.Haha that's good, because I love both of those types of guitars.

And I do know how to solder as well. Would I be able to get all those sounds out of my Yamaha (so I don't have to buy a new guitar) through modifications?

[OveriseFan]

Both of those guitars are good, but if you can solder at all, or know anyone who can, you can get get all the sounds you need from one guitar.

Care to explain?

[patrickhowell]

Haha that's good, because I love both of those types of guitars.

And I do know how to solder as well. Would I be able to get all those sounds out of my Yamaha (so I don't have to buy a new guitar) through modifications?

Yeah, definitely. You'd need new pickups a couple of cheap switches. If you're content with the look of your guitar, and the feel of the neck, then you can make an enormous difference in the sound by switching out pickups and some other simple mods. If you can give me some specific examples of what tones you want from your guitar, I can help you figure out what to get.

For example, on my guitar, I can get a sound really close to a gibson humbucker (only better IMO) in the bridge, and when I use the coiltap it sounds exactly like a telecaster. And then the pickup I have in the neck can be set to sound like a Gibson Humbucker, P90, Fender Single Coil, or anywhere in between.

[Tristan Needler]

Yeah, definitely. You'd need new pickups a couple of cheap switches. If you're content with the look of your guitar, and the feel of the neck, then you can make an enormous difference in the sound by switching out pickups and some other simple mods. If you can give me some specific examples of what tones you want from your guitar, I can help you figure out what to get.

For example, on my guitar, I can get a sound really close to a gibson humbucker (only better IMO) in the bridge, and when I use the coiltap it sounds exactly like a telecaster. And then the pickup I have in the neck can be set to sound like a Gibson Humbucker, P90, Fender Single Coil, or anywhere in between.
At this point I can't afford to care about looks. If I did, I'd want a Rickenbacker 330 or a Jaguar or something. But as for now, I don't care appearance-wise. I'll be the only one to see it anyway. The neck feels fine; it's pretty much all I know. I've liked the feel of tele necks more than Les Pauls and Strats, but that's about all I know on that.

My major problem is that I'm not a guitarist. I don't really know what specific tones I would want. My main issue right now is having a guitar that consistently functions, and that I don't need to fight with the cable in the jack for fifteen minutes before I get the actual sound out of it. From there I'd definitely like to have something that sounds good, but I don't know how to go about that. To be honest, I don't even know what sounds good and bad about the guitar I have, since I know half the bad sound comes from my lack of mixing expertise and general lack of knowledge on guitar tone (thus that other thread I made).

[Tristan Needler]

I assume the problem is the jack, but I took it out and tried to bend the thing so it definitely does make contact, but it still doesn't work, so I don't really know what's up.

For a semi-decent guitar (I don't need anything spectacular) do you think it would be cheaper and/or better to mod my existing one or to just buy a stock standard tele or something (and not upgrade it)?

[OveriseFan]

Yeah, definitely. You'd need new pickups a couple of cheap switches. If you're content with the look of your guitar, and the feel of the neck, then you can make an enormous difference in the sound by switching out pickups and some other simple mods. If you can give me some specific examples of what tones you want from your guitar, I can help you figure out what to get.

For example, on my guitar, I can get a sound really close to a gibson humbucker (only better IMO) in the bridge, and when I use the coiltap it sounds exactly like a telecaster. And then the pickup I have in the neck can be set to sound like a Gibson Humbucker, P90, Fender Single Coil, or anywhere in between.

Well, I disagree that a coil-tapped humbucker in the bridge can sound exactly like a tele in that position, but it'll get you close enough, I suppose.

However, I'm very interested in your neck pickup - explain how you get that variety of sounds? I assume you have a coil tapped humbucker, but what exactly is it? Is there more to it than the pup and the coil tap?

Please go in-depth, if you don't mind.

[patrickhowell]

I assume the problem is the jack, but I took it out and tried to bend the thing so it definitely does make contact, but it still doesn't work, so I don't really know what's up.

For a semi-decent guitar (I don't need anything spectacular) do you think it would be cheaper and/or better to mod my existing one or to just buy a stock standard tele or something (and not upgrade it)?

The wood is a small part of your tone on an electric guitar. If you're short on cash, investing in pickups/electronics will get you the most bang for your buck.

[patrickhowell]

Well, I disagree that a coil-tapped humbucker in the bridge can sound exactly like a tele in that position, but it'll get you close enough, I suppose.

However, I'm very interested in your neck pickup - explain how you get that variety of sounds? I assume you have a coil tapped humbucker, but what exactly is it? Is there more to it than the pup and the coil tap?

Please go in-depth, if you don't mind.

My guitar began its journey as the Fender MIM Tom Delonge Strat. The bridge pickup is a Seymour Duncan Invader. It has three ceramic bar magnets, instead of just one like most humbuckers. I took the center bar magnet out and replaced it with a smaller AlNiCo magnet. This really warms up the tone, but the two ceramic magnets keep it nice and punchy.

Also, the Invader is a super hot pickup, the resistance is like 16.8k... so I took the second coil and replaced it with a much weaker coil that tested like 4.8k. So it took the overall pickup down to about 13.2k, which is a lot more useable. As I said before, it sounds a lot like a hot Gibson humbucker... a blend between classic AlNiCo P.A.F. styles and modern high-output ceramics.

The biggest things that define the tone of the Telecaster bridge pickup is the metal plate that sits under it, and the metal bridge that it mounts in. The metal base plate under the pickup directs more of the magnetic field toward the strings, and the metal bridge plate shapes the magnetic pull. The way that the Invader is designed (three magnets, oversized pole pieces) has a very similar effect on the magnetic field and, in single-coil mode, results in a stunning replication of classic Tele tone.

In the neck, I have a Lace Alumitone. These pickups work completely differently. Instead of thousands of winds of copper wire, their coils are made up of a small amount of Aluminum. With this radical design, they are current-driven, rather than voltage-driven like all other pickups. Because of this, as you turn down the volume knob, it actually changes the voicing of the pickup. At full volume, it sounds like a humbucker, at mid volume it sounds like a P90, and at lower volumes it sounds like a single coil. Also, because there isn't much wire in the pickup, it is incredibly noiseless.

Also, I have a blend knob instead of a pickup switch so I can blend the pickups any way that I want, and I added a tone control based on Fender's new "Greasebucket" circuit. The way that the classic tone circuit works actually acts as a passive bass boost instead of just a treble roll-off like it was meant to be. This circuit adds another resistor and capacitor so as you turn down the Tone knob it pulls out some of the high-end without adding bass into your signal. In my opinion, this control is so much more useful than the tone circuit on most guitars.

[Tristan Needler]

My guitar began its journey as the Fender MIM Tom Delonge Strat. The bridge pickup is a Seymour Duncan Invader. It has three ceramic bar magnets, instead of just one like most humbuckers. I took the center bar magnet out and replaced it with a smaller AlNiCo magnet. This really warms up the tone, but the two ceramic magnets keep it nice and punchy.

Also, the Invader is a super hot pickup, the resistance is like 16.8k... so I took the second coil and replaced it with a much weaker coil that tested like 4.8k. So it took the overall pickup down to about 13.2k, which is a lot more useable. As I said before, it sounds a lot like a hot Gibson humbucker... a blend between classic AlNiCo P.A.F. styles and modern high-output ceramics.

The biggest things that define the tone of the Telecaster bridge pickup is the metal plate that sits under it, and the metal bridge that it mounts in. The metal base plate under the pickup directs more of the magnetic field toward the strings, and the metal bridge plate shapes the magnetic pull. The way that the Invader is designed (three magnets, oversized pole pieces) has a very similar effect on the magnetic field and, in single-coil mode, results in a stunning replication of classic Tele tone.

In the neck, I have a Lace Alumitone. These pickups work completely differently. Instead of thousands of winds of copper wire, their coils are made up of a small amount of Aluminum. With this radical design, they are current-driven, rather than voltage-driven like all other pickups. Because of this, as you turn down the volume knob, it actually changes the voicing of the pickup. At full volume, it sounds like a humbucker, at mid volume it sounds like a P90, and at lower volumes it sounds like a single coil. Also, because there isn't much wire in the pickup, it is incredibly noiseless.

Also, I have a blend knob instead of a pickup switch so I can blend the pickups any way that I want, and I added a tone control based on Fender's new "Greasebucket" circuit. The way that the classic tone circuit works actually acts as a passive bass boost instead of just a treble roll-off like it was meant to be. This circuit adds another resistor and capacitor so as you turn down the Tone knob it pulls out some of the high-end without adding bass into your signal. In my opinion, this control is so much more useful than the tone circuit on most guitars.
About how much did that cost you in total?


That sounds very technical and difficult to do.

[patrickhowell]

About how much did that cost you in total?


That sounds very technical and difficult to do.

I spent about $130 beyond the cost of the guitar, but I already had the bridge pickup, I got the neck pickup at wholesale, and the coil/magnet I used to modify it were just laying around my friend's shop. Nothing about it was really that hard to do... Taking apart and rebuilding the pickup was actually the easiest thing, it only took 2 solder points to disconnect the old coil and attach the new one. If you can solder at all, you should be able to do everything that I did in my guitar easily.

[Tristan Needler]

I spent about $130 beyond the cost of the guitar, but I already had the bridge pickup, I got the neck pickup at wholesale, and the coil/magnet I used to modify it were just laying around my friend's shop. Nothing about it was really that hard to do... Taking apart and rebuilding the pickup was actually the easiest thing, it only took 2 solder points to disconnect the old coil and attach the new one. If you can solder at all, you should be able to do everything that I did in my guitar easily.
Did you have to do anything to the wood? I thought the Delonge strat had just the one pickup?

[patrickhowell]

Did you have to do anything to the wood? I thought the Delonge strat had just the one pickup?

Yeah, it came with just the one pickup... The body was routed like a Fat Strat, so the Humbucker-sized pickup didn't fit in the bridge. I had to rout the body a little and the pickguard a lot to get it to fit. Something like this would add a ton of versatility to your guitar:

fZhJXcSVnfs
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/Seymour-Duncan-SHPR1-PRails-Bridge-Humbucker?sku=300341

[Tristan Needler]

That sounds very cool.

Would you suggest one bridge and one neck like he said? I'm not so confident about my ability to make it fit where the single coil neck pickup on my guitar is. Would I need to add extra switches and stuff? How difficult is that for someone who has no idea how to do it?

Thanks for the help, sorry to be a pain in the ass haha.

[bassdrummer2333]

I didn't know you could do stuff with so many pickups like that, amazing. When I upgrade what am I looking for? My bandmate has the Peavey Grind and it plays amazing and is probably the nicest bass I have ever seen under 400.

[patrickhowell]

That sounds very cool.

Would you suggest one bridge and one neck like he said? I'm not so confident about my ability to make it fit where the single coil neck pickup on my guitar is. Would I need to add extra switches and stuff? How difficult is that for someone who has no idea how to do it?

Thanks for the help, sorry to be a pain in the ass haha.

Ha, don't worry about it... Yeah, those two pickups would work really well together, but I'm just trying to think of a way to wire it that isn't really complicated...

If you want something a lot similar, you could check out the Lace Alumitone like what I have in the neck spot on my guitar:

ZI8sMJVjHrY

I've seen these pre-wired in pickguards for strats (that should fit your guitar) for about $200 or so...

[shes.a.ghost]

My bass player just got a Gibson Grabber. It's sweet.

[Tristan Needler]

Ha, don't worry about it... Yeah, those two pickups would work really well together, but I'm just trying to think of a way to wire it that isn't really complicated...

If you want something a lot similar, you could check out the Lace Alumitone like what I have in the neck spot on my guitar:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZI8sMJVjHrY

I've seen these pre-wired in pickguards for strats (that should fit your guitar) for about $200 or so...
Do you think it would be best for me to get a professional to do it? They'll probably charge me out the ass, right? All my guitar has is a tone and volume knob, and a 5-way switch. Would it be easier wiring-wise to get just one for the bridge?

Those Alumitones look cool, but you've pretty much sold me on the P-rails hahaha. I've been looking around other sites and everyone seems to love them.

On other forums I've read people suggesting buying cheap guitars to put them in, like a Squier Jagmaster for $250. That seems like an interesting idea to me if it makes it easier to wire (and I love the look of those to boot). If I went that route though, I'd probably use the guitar for a year or two before upgrading (due to my financial situation), which would probably be less than optimal.


Basically my budget would be $500 max, but I would really rather it be lower.

[bassdrummer2333]

Does that budget include a new amp? I have that Fender Frontman amp and the distortion on it sucks, it sounds ok with delay and clean for its price but the distortion is terrible.

[porttheman]

My bass player just got a Gibson Grabber. It's sweet.

NICE!!!! ive always wanted one of those..i almost got it,but went with a fender jazz instead

[shes.a.ghost]

NICE!!!! ive always wanted one of those..i almost got it,but went with a fender jazz insteadYeah he has an American Jazz as well as a Mexi Jazz too. The Grabber looks and sounds great live, but we use the Jazz to record.

[Tristan Needler]

Does that budget include a new amp? I have that Fender Frontman amp and the distortion on it sucks, it sounds ok with delay and clean for its price but the distortion is terrible.
No, no amp as of yet.

[bassdrummer2333]

Do you usually play clean with that amp?

[Tristan Needler]

Do you usually play clean with that amp?
I don't play with the amp at all. It's not even in the same country as I am. I just play DI into the computer.

[patrickhowell]

My bass player just got a Gibson Grabber. It's sweet.

Yeah, the Grabber is such a cool bass.

[patrickhowell]

Basically my budget would be $500 max, but I would really rather it be lower.

Well, if you put these pickups in your yamaha, you could easily switch them out into another guitar later... The biggest thing is just trying to figure out the simplest way to use all of the tones available in this pickup:

1. P90 only
2. Rail only ~ Strat single coil
3. Both in series - hot humbucker
4. Both in parallel ~ PAF humbucker

then you could wire the two pickups together in series, parallel, or out of phase

You could do all of this with either a Blend pot or 3-way switch for each pickup, master volume, and master tone and a 5-way switch.

All together, you would probably be spending under $250 and getting 56 distinct pickup combinations.

[Tristan Needler]

Well, if you put these pickups in your yamaha, you could easily switch them out into another guitar later... The biggest thing is just trying to figure out the simplest way to use all of the tones available in this pickup:

1. P90 only
2. Rail only ~ Strat single coil
3. Both in series - hot humbucker
4. Both in parallel ~ PAF humbucker

then you could wire the two pickups together in series, parallel, or out of phase

You could do all of this with either a Blend pot or 3-way switch for each pickup, master volume, and master tone and a 5-way switch.

All together, you would probably be spending under $250 and getting 56 distinct pickup combinations.
Haha that sounds perfect.

So you're basically saying I'd have to add two 3-way switches (or two pots) along with the pickups.

I feel like I could figure it out as far as connecting stuff goes. I'm usually pretty good at that stuff. The only concern is... where on the guitar face would I put the extra controls?

[Tristan Needler]

Also, I'd essentially be eliminating the middle single coil in that setup, right? Just trying to get an overall picture of how this would work.

[patrickhowell]

Also, I'd essentially be eliminating the middle single coil in that setup, right? Just trying to get an overall picture of how this would work.

Yeah, that would be getting rid of the center pickup... you could leave it in for aesthetic purposes or get a new pickguard if you wanted to. If you order a new pickguard, you might be able to find one that you won't have to drill to fit in more stuff.

you could fit switches/knobs in however you want, really:
http://i38.tinypic.com/20jg3go.jpg

[Tristan Needler]

The amp in this kid's picture (from the post your instrument thread) is the exact amp I have. I just don't have it here.

http://www.absolutepunk.net/showthread.php?p=19411671#post19411 671