Here's a closeup shot that should explain it best. And the pickups themselves aren't actually that compressed compared to most of the rest of what I have. They're only wound to 8.2k for the neck and 8.6k for the bridge.
Just compression and boost into a tube amp.
Picovalve with a KT-77 and 12DW7-12AX7 pre. Into a open back 1x12 cab with a C-Rex.
Have a listen.
Especially you Steve.
Wow, that's like half the amps that I have.
How about this, a Behringer 212XV or something like that. Or a Randall RH200. Maybe you could even find a Jet City Picovalve for less than $300.
I have nothing against Squire. I was gifted on a few years back. It was a found sound, an orphan out for the trash pickup. Cleaned it up. Played the stock pickups for a while, and they didn't sound bad. I did eventually swap them for some vintage wounds with A3 poles. Went with a RWRP A5...
Vintage 2010. Line 6 and Bogner. Oh and Carvin for the cab. 4 12M-70's.
The thing sounds fantastic clean or dirty. Way more presets than I could use in a lifetime.
Line 6 models going through a Bogner designed power section. 1 12AX7 preamp tube into 4 5881's.