- 1). Remove and discard the old strings. Unscrew and remove the pickguard. and the bass bridge. Wipe away any dust or debris. If you purchased a Leo Quan BadAss 2 or 3 bass bridge, the drill holes should line up with the bridge's screw holes. If so, simply screw on the bridge, screwing until firm. If not, mark the new holes and drill accordingly with the appropriate bit.
- 2). Unscrew and remove the strap buttons. Replace the new strap lock pins and screw until firm. Finish replacing the locks according to the package's directions.
- 3). Unscrew and remove the pickups by cutting the wires and pulling the pickups gently from their cavities. Make sure you have purchased the appropriate pickups, either active or passive, according to the old pickups (replacing passive with actives requires additional work outside the scope of this article). Install and solder the pickups according to the diagram supplied with the new pickups.
- 4). Using the old pickguard as a template, trace around the perimeter of the pickguard, then cut out with scissors. Decorate the paper pickguard to taste, position it onto the bass and cover it with the clear pickguard, and screw down until firm. If desired, simply decorate the new or old pickguard with acrylic paint or stickers and reattach.
- 5). Re-string according to the directions on the string package. It is common for basses to need setup following a string change. After tuning your bass, check each string for buzzing or rattling. If necessary, take your bass to a qualified instrument retailer.
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