Re: Upgrading active electronics...
I am building my first bass, but have built electric guitars and currently have about 4 different guitars in various states of completion. I liked that someone asked you if the purpose if just to make a change. I think making a change for appearance reasons very valid and making a change to learn or to do something different also valid. Do not expect that what you do will be an upgrade, that is very subjective. Tone primarily comes from you no matter what the pickups. That is why people like Robben Ford or Rosco Beck sound very similar no matter the guitar. Your technique and your ability is the number factor for tone. If you want to upgrade, learn something new. Your bass rig even down to the speakers in your bass rig have a huge factor. If you depend on alot of pedal effects, they can be BIG TONE SUCKERS. The pickups affect the sound, but are not in the same league as your bass rig or your technique.
So anytime you make changes, think about it being in terms of your tone delivery system. That is everything between your fingers and the speakers. People will say a given pickup is dull, but if you take out the tone control and run direct that same pu might take your head off with treble. So often people spend $100 when a 30 cent capacitor would do the same job likely better. So if you are looking for the Holy Grail of sound for your technique, just changing a pickup has a good chance of being unsatisfactory. If you look at everything and start with the cheaper things to change like changing a capacitor, changing a guitar cable, changing a speaker all make a difference. One of the biggest differences is to have your bass properly set up. If it is not set up to your playing, you will never be satisfied and a well set up bass is basic (pun) to any changes, because everytime you make a change, you have to ask, did I get closer or farther away to my goal? I am not saying that you should or should not change a pickup or add active elect, just to consider all the other factors that affect tone esp the ones that are more effective than pick up changing. If you want upgrade, then technique really is the only option, like the musician who stopped a guy on the street to ask directions to Carnegie Hall. The man replied if you want to go to Carnegie Hall, its practice man, practice.
