New pickups for my Dean b?

I have a Dean Zone XM b guitar. It's my first b and I payed $100 for it brand new. I love the guitar itself. It fits my little hands, it's comfy, and the neck is amazingly smooth and fast. With the addition of some flatwounds and a lowering of the action, it plays like er. The problem is that the electronics are crap. It's got an "unnamed" single pive soapbar and the tone is muddy and dull. It was fine to start learning on, but now that I'm getting much better, I want a better sound. I don't want to replace the b, just the pickup. Trouble is, I know nothing about pickups. My hubby plays guitar, so his knowledge on bes is limited. I want a nice, clear, articulate sound. Any distortion can come from my pedal. The cash flow is low, so I can't go too high end, either. Any suggestions or info would be GREATLY appreciated.