Al Krow

Ok I'm already learning something...what's the difference between a T and either the J or MM in terms of how they are wired up?

Dang! I think it could actually be a P / MM for me rather than a P / J, but it's going to be a close run thing. Does that mean I'm going to have to get a Sandberg? Noooooo.....😂🤣😁

Actually adding a bit of dirt is definitely on point for that one, Mark! But if you're having to "put up with" 😀 a BB P34 (or was it a P35?) then I'm guessing then there's likely to be a little less inherent grit in the all passive circuitry in comparison to the 735A in active mode? Be interesting to A/B them at some point, but best if you do that without me as I'll just have a bad case of bass envy if I get to hear your BB P34 in the flesh 😂

Bit of (hopefully!) interesting fun for this weekend: So you're allowed just one bass to keep. What pup set up would it have? I guess we're going to be agreed that there are three main 'flavours': P, J and MM But let's not limit ourselves to just these and chuck in the most common alternatives (neck) / (bridge): P/J, P/MM, P/P, J/J, J/MM, MM/MM I know there will be a few other variations and if you're desperate for one of these we can include an 'other please specify' category - but you should be obliged to post a pic of your set up if you're choosing this. And I hope we're also all agreed there is no right answer (even if most pros do apparently use Ps ) only a right answer for us... Weird thing is, I'm just realising that my favourite config is actually one that I don't currently have (lol!). Oh dear, why does starting a thread always lead to GAS? PS I guess I should strictly have included reverse P as a commonly liked alternative, but then that adds a lot of additional variants i.e. reverse P / J etc. so to keep things simple let's include reverse P as a subset of P.

Seems to be a lot of love for the Aguilar OBP-3 and the John East Uni-pre on here already. Jon Shuker also seems to be a fan of John East kit for his basses: "The John East unipre is very good, lots of adjustment on the bass and indeed inside to set upper and lower bass freq, treble freq, reshapes, etc. But also pretty neutral if you want it set flat. The addition of the active passive switch is a good ‘get out of jail’ option if the battery goes down, this can either be as just a mini toggle switch or a push/pull switch on a passive tone control, just depends how flexible you want the circuit to be. The active passive switch version of John Easts circuit is a toggle switch - in passive mode you have master volume and pickup balance, the eq is switched out, works without a battery. In Active mode, the full EQ is working.The active passive push/pull knob version, is a passive tone control (that works in either active or passive mode), active is on when the knob is pushed down, passive when its pulled up. In passive mode you have master volume, pickup balance and a passive tone control (cuts the treble like a normal passive tone), works without battery. In active mode the full EQ is working. So if you want maximum flexibility then the active passive push/pull control knob is what you want." Sounds like I'd be in for a treat if I went for either of these - I do like the amount of flexibility that Uni-pre with an active passive push/pull knob seems to deliver. And as I'm finding with my Yammy BB 735A if you've got a decent set of options on your onboard EQ in terms of tonal flexibility, that's very welcome.

£50 for a pic guard or a set of knobs, cos you fancy it cosmetically is not a huge sum to add, and if the bass costs £725 new, only gets you to £775 or £825 all in. (Aside: I do LOVE John's tort PG he had made for his BBs btw. If you've not seen, worth a peek it's somewhere earlier on this thread). Adding £300 for pups + £200 for an EQ to a £1,750 Sandberg cos you're not happy with the sound is a different matter.

OMG! We've just added this to our covers set (Shut up and dance) - the 735A the active setting John mentioned earlier (i.e 3/4 J with boosted mids) totally nails that throaty tone! Right I'll shut up about this great bass now...

You need to check the definition of electronics. I think you'll find plastic is not generally regarded as an electronic device... you'll be saying that changing PGs counts as changing electronics next, at which point we will all start choking on your Berg sandwich 😂

Speaking of snacks, you a Sandwich-berg lover by any chance?

Aguilar OBP-3? John East? Sadowsky? Something else? If you've replaced your 'standard' onboard bass EQ - what did you go for and what 'more' are you finding from having shelled out another £150 to £300? I'm guessing most of you who have swapped out are playing your basses actively rather than passively, or is this not the case?

Wow!!! Can't wait to see what the finished bass looks like. Are you doing this build work just as a hobby or are you taking 'commissions'?

Well that's a good thing and @Sibob will no doubt want to welcome you as a hair shirt member of his bass-monk abstinence brigade.

Doh! That's not my preferred EQ (see earlier post for what is on both active and passive). The only reason you're rocking only passive basses is that you're worried about your batteries running out. Never been an issue ever for me - active bass batteries last ages if you remember to unplug your bass over night. So, more accurately, this bass isn't for YOU 😋 But I'm sure your BB P34/5 will be just fine with their limited EQ options which you can 'feel'.

Loved it. Great energy, excellent lead vocals (I'm a big fan of really good vocals!) and tight. And you're doing bass BVs too! If you guys are playing a pub / non function public gig on a Friday night give me a shout, love to come along to see you play live (and there are a fair few London bass players who might be up for a night out). Maybe good to get a London BC curry night out organised at some point soon anyway - if we can combine with some live music even better!

Oh between songs for sure. Doesn't look too bad actually in real life (exaggerated by being a close up) and not that anyone else will notice - bear in mind my band-mates didn't spot me playing a 5er for the first time 9 months back! 😂 It is just a few seconds but nice to get it pretty accurate once you know what works well for you. As you know there are no markings on the bass or knobs other than the click when you hit centre point. I've got the EQs centred in the pic and as you can see from the pic and, as you'll know already from having a 734A, centre is not "vertical" or actually in the precisely same position for any of the EQ knobs - the bass EQ being slightly different to the mid and treble on mine. I'm guessing if you opened the bass up it should be possible to get a vertical centre for the EQ knobs if you wanted to. Or not?

Nice thought. What do yours look like on your bass (pic please!)?

Having a twiddle with your knobs in the bedroom is fine, dB! The need for quick accuracy live is another matter if you are swapping from passive and active - having an additional visual cue certainly doesn't hurt. Are you just playing a 1025X or do you now have a 735A also? They are very different beasts, knob wise.

Keeley Electronics Synth 1 About to be released - £179 from Andertons Not sure about this one (definitely not making me think about replacing my FI!) but will leave this on here in case it's of interest.

Keep up(!) we have already established he's not fat and he's also definitely alive (unless he's actually a computer generated algorithm 😂)

Favourite tone settings on the BB 735A Been experimenting with and loving your two alternative settings, John. My strings are (I presume) the ones they came loaded with so likely to be brighter than your Dunlop flats. For anyone whose interested, I seem to settling on: 1) Passive Pups - full P EQ bass & mid by-passed; treble rolled off to 2/10 for general and possibly lower for a vintage sound 2) Active Pups - 3/4 J EQ: bass - flat, mids - boosted, treble flat Unlike the BB 1025 having the P + J at 50:50 on the 735A gives the most mid-scooped tone , whereas with the selector switch you seem to be getting literally half of each on the BB 1025 3) Switching between active and passive: Really easy to swap between the two: bass EQ and mids EQ are left permanently on preferred setting for active (as they are by-passed in passive mode) and then it's just two quick turns of the pup selector dial from P <--> 3/4 J and rolling the treble from 2/10 <--> 5/10 To avoid needing to switch the amp from active <--> passive, I just give a little volume knob on passive and cut a touch on active => can do that very easily all from the bass itself which keeps the convenience-junky / avoiding dead-air time part of me happy! The passive tone is great for much of our covers material (vintage & general) and then switch to active where I need to cut through / more rocky material.

Head of Inlay-Design at Yamaha bass fancied a 'creative change' following an instruction from Head of Marketing, Maketingu-san, who was under a bit of pressure regarding his bonus that year.

Ok 'fess up, who else besides me finds twiddling their gun metal knobs on a black body bass and a poorly lit stage mid gig, tricky? I've had to resort to taking drastic action ahead of tomorrow night's gig...

Bloody hell - losing and keeping 3 stones off!! Wish I could manage to do that. Respect Although you're clearly no longer the heavyweight bass player you once were 😀

Ignore me, I'm just jealous that at 35 a) you've tried more basses than I will in my lifetime b) you've already been playing bass for 22 years!

Yup and with passives too, in your case, it would seem 🤣 ... or after 1000's of basses are you getting somewhere close to finding 'the one' or at least nearing the 'one Trav'? 😁