Is it easy enough to swoop the current Jackson pickups in the JS3 for some EMG 35Hz passives?
Is there anything you would recommend also doing to improve the sound (i'm new to this)

Cheers

what don't you like about the sound now that you want a radical change?

I prefer the sound of the EMG's but can't afford the Jackson CMG concert bass

yes you can BUT I wouldn't spend another 150 bucks to EMG it UNLESS you buy the ACTIVE EMG's ( 35P4-35J ) and use their 3band preamp which costs another 100 something more. but that is MY opinion and not telling you how to spend your money.

just changing the pickups with the existing tone controls won't do what you think it will as I have been down this road before. Naturally, my idea of tonal change could be way different than yours.

I was actually wondering that myself, only with the js3v. I want to install Lace Alumitone bass bar passives in it, but i'm not sure if that would have any negative after effects. I need a 5 string and I like jackson, but i really dont like active electronics(and Fender 5-string precisions are way out of my price capability)

I can only say that the Lace pickups should be an experiment, for 100 bucks you can always take them back out right?

Although these are p+j, here's a pic of my 91 Eliminator-V and the factory JBE's they put in it back them ( they put JBE's in the fusion 5's as well )

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what do they sound like? noiseless, and with the preamp behind them WAY too distorted, much better in passive mode.

where do you get those p style pick ups from? I want to get some on a fender blacktop jazz bass.

the ones in a Fusion are from the old JBE ( Joe Barden ), and are no longer made, same with the OBL ( Bill Lawrence ) dual rails, only company now a days is Dimarzio for a dual rail - p. Finding a dualrail J drop in is zero unless you buy it custom made from someone like SGD. http://www.sgd-lutherie.com/pages/ND3-J4.html

about 75 bucks at musiciansfriend for the dualrail p.
http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/bass/st ... ss/split-p