PS-4 guitar project

[EPB]

Ok,
Picked up a PS-4 which has seen beter days for £40.
I'm keen to make a 2 stage project out of this guitar.
Stage 1 - New electronics, pickups etc. possibly new trem and lock nut.
Stage 2 - Refinish body (Probably in a year or 2 when kids are a bit bigger!).

I'm aware of UK suppliers of parts etc. but I'm keen to hear anyone elses experience on project guitars. What worked and what to avoid. Any info welcome!
I'll take some photos along the way so Hopefully I'll have something to show for it at the end!

[EPB]

Ok,
Can anyone give some information on the stock H-S-H pickups in this guitar? eg high or medium output? ceramic or alnic magnets? etc.
Any info would be very helpful.

[EPB]

Ok,
So I think the pickups are
bridge J70
middle J135
neck J70 or J170 depending on what you read.

Does anyone know if these are ceramic or alnico etc?

[rjohnstone]

They're crappy regardless of what they are made of. Noisy and muddy.
I've replaced the pickups in my PS4.

Not even parts bin worthy. Tossed them straight into the garbage.

[EPB]

Thanks Rick.
Out of curiosity what did you replace them with?

[rjohnstone]

JB at the bridge, no name single coil from an Ibanez in the middle and a 59 at the neck.
I rarely use the middle pickup, so the unbranded Ibanez pickup worked fine. Sounded a hell of a lot better than the stock one too.