fleabag

Velcro also do their own dual lock, called Alfa-Lok https://www.screwfix.com/p/velcro-brand-alfa-lok-black-hook-to-hook-fastener-75mm-x-25mm-4-pack/287FP?kpid=287FP&cm_mmc=Google-_-TOKEN1-_-TOKEN2&gad_source=1 https://www.amazon.co.uk/VELCRO-Brand-Self-Engaging-Multidirectional-VEL-30700-WEU/dp/B08Y5X67CX/ref=asc_df_B08Y5X67CX/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=500777303233&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9805295675166595921&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1007245&hvtargid=pla-1297875902302&psc=1&mcid=3bb4649c9a0d391eb9bbf03789e421f0&th=1&psc=1

Problem solved

I can get a good deal off John

Thanks Marco. Yes his preamps are spectacular I've been a personal friend of John since the early 1990's, jammed with him, been to his house on several occasions, and owned a few different East preamps, so i'm quite famiiar with him and his electronics. If i decide on the UNI-PRE 5, i will go to John's home, and take my bass, just to be sure. I dont speak your language mate, so the YouTube video is not possible to watch

👍 Thanks Marco - if i cant find an original MK 2B, i think the EAST uni-pre 5 is what i'll go for

Thanks Paul, but yeah the pickups are ok. Its definately the preamp. Jusy touching it makes crackle like and old witch

I gave up selling on that thieves den years ago.

Difficult to find here

After all that faffing around, it seems the preamp has changed it's mind and now no volume at all from either pickup. Just massive crackles and static noise when touching the preamp in certain areas. By the time i've paid someone to sort this out, i may as well replace it. The Mk2B preamp on it's own ( no pots etc ) is too hard to find, so it looks like i have to replace the whole lot with a 3 band 5 knob preamp. No mini toggle. Apart from East UK units, is there anything else i could look for ?

We're gonna need a bigger decimal point

Finally - found the bluddy culprit !! The middle white block of the 3 in the preamp , below , was the perpetrator, and nothing to do with faulty blend pot or faulty pickups. I had the bass on the floor, vol up, and dialling the blend between pickups, whilst probing the various terminations. Found that middle white block had some dodgy crackles, and tapping it cut the volume and tapping again brought volume back. Pulled control cover off, fired up the solder station, ripped off the sticky back insulator, and heated all the solder joints up till i see the solder flow. Job done - everything is as it should be. @tauzero Think you called it. Dodgy preamp, but only a slightly failing solder joint rather than failing preamp. Which is what @Marco.EB advised. So you were both on the money. Which joint, dont know, cos i heated them all up, but carpet bombing all joints has sorted it

Yeah no offence and yes i do like the pickups. Tone is very subjective as we know. Im pretty sure its not the pickup. As you say, probably a solder joint, but havent found it yet. I'll keep at it

Very odd, but the volume came back, disappeared for a bit then came back again. How i love intermittant faults

Unfortunately, my talent for lectronics ends at soldering up a V V T , J type , almost as simple as a P bass. I dont know what a buffer looks like or where it is in that mess of spaghetti

Its possible that the blend pot is going AWOL, or maybe i need to pull the Neck Pup and check that pickup wiring, as the next thing to do. By the way, the preamp is a Bart MK-2B 18v according to the stamp on the pcb

Its a BTB770PB 5 pot, 3 band Pre. VOL BLEND BASS MID TREB .. its wiring chaos in there 😀

This is weird. When i switch on my amp, and use blend knob to select neck pup or bridge, the bridge pup is fine, but when moving to neck pup, i get about 1 second of full volume, then it disappears, to the point where its barely audible in comparison to the bridge pup. This is not a pickup height problem, as its far too dramatic a change. Nor is it an 18v battery problem. I've fitted 2 different sets of fully charged 9v's x2 First thoughts were a dodgy wire on the blend pot, but this has proved not to be the case. Could this be a preamp problem ? If it is, i cant fix this. Too complicated

Johnathan bought a wah off me, and all was smooth as silk Cheers

I got rid of Farcebook a month ago. Almost forgotten i had an account now. Dont miss it one iota

Ordered 28th Dec, posted 30th Dec, arrived 5th Jan

Works a treat and small !

Welcome to the club