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Boosting my passive bass - preamps etcc


attackbass
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Hi,

I'm trying to find a way to boost my fender jazz 75 reissue bass so that it matches my active stingray in live situations.

My current rig EBS Multicomp>redonionsolutions loop and tuner mute with EHX BASS SYNTH> Sansamp Pbddi> Ampeg SVT 3 Pro > 4X10 and 1X15 Ampeg Cabs

I have looked at the Sadowsky and Aguilar box preamps which have volume treble and bass controls- which seem to make the passive bass more 'active'.

Would just a boost pedal do the Job? Or does it a matter of eq as well?

Would it sound ok running a preamp for a passive bass infron of the sansamp pre amp and ampeg head? I know the Aguilar is basically an outboard version of the preamps they put in basses..

I would prob run the preamp in a loop so then i could switch the loop off when going to the stringray..

Anyone got any suggestions. The more cost affective achieving the best tone possible would be appreciated!!

Cheers

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[quote name='attackbass' post='124301' date='Jan 21 2008, 01:00 AM']Would just a boost pedal do the Job? Or does it a matter of eq as well?[/quote]

i guess that depends if you want the passive to sound more active or just louder...

i use an mxr mc401 as a line booster and i'm more than pleased with it...clean, noise-free volume boost.

Edited by ahpook
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[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='124326' date='Jan 21 2008, 03:32 AM']EBS MultiBass II preamp DI box. Two seperate channels that can be run separately or together. Each channel has it's own gain setting.

[url="http://www.ebs.bass.se/2007/microbass.htm"]http://www.ebs.bass.se/2007/microbass.htm[/url][/quote]


Job done, by the sound of it.

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[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='124326' date='Jan 21 2008, 03:32 AM']EBS MultiBass II preamp DI box. Two seperate channels that can be run separately or together. Each channel has it's own gain setting.

[url="http://www.ebs.bass.se/2007/microbass.htm"]http://www.ebs.bass.se/2007/microbass.htm[/url][/quote]
+1. Has been described as the swiss army knife of bass.

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I have heard many good things about the sadowsky. does putting that many different eqs affect the tone in a bad way.

eg it would be going through a ebs compressor, sadowsky pre then a sansamp then my ampeg svt 3 pro. Would that make the tone diluted or weak?

I've heard they tighten up the tone of your bass and make it cut through more.

I actually this evening compared both basses recording through my ebs, sansamp into pro tools. There wasn't a great differance in level but musicmans wave were more blocky and fuller to look at on the screen and the fender passive bass waves seemed to tapper off.

Someone has also suggested an ART PM tube preamp. Any good?

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[quote name='acidbass' post='125575' date='Jan 22 2008, 05:30 PM']:)[/quote]

The volume between the two isn't that different cos i have quarter pounders in the jazz.. its just the stingray has the active eq on it which makes it louder when u boost the bass or treble. I think i might just plug in and let the sound guy worry... :huh:

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A Sadowsky preamp is adequate only if you like its sound.
I love them but I think they create an "instant Marcus Miller" sound at least if you use them with a Jazz Bass...

An MXR Bass DI+ would be better fitting if you only look for a booster but want to have something more: a preamp and a distortion.
I don't think you should use a sansamp with any other preamp but haven't tried yet...

If you look for a cheap solution then just get a booster.

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[quote name='attackbass' post='126018' date='Jan 23 2008, 12:11 PM']The volume between the two isn't that different cos i have quarter pounders in the jazz.. its just the stingray has the active eq on it which makes it louder when u boost the bass or treble. I think i might just plug in and let the sound guy worry... :)[/quote]

If it's making that much of a difference to loudness then you're probably EQing too heavily. If that's definitely the sound you want, then simply pluck less hard when you have the EQ boosted.

Alex

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[quote name='Muppet' post='127595' date='Jan 25 2008, 10:16 AM']Actually, seeing your signal chain, why don't you set one of your Sansamp programs to compensate? You can use it as a clean boost, if you have all the settings at 12 o cclock.[/quote]


I can't set the sansamp at 12 on all the controls because it's the sansamp which is getting part of my tone by driving the ampeg head. playing softly aint an option really... for this band it's rock and it's all about digging in.. if it was one of my other more pop/singersongwer session thing then I'd prob take you up on your advice

Im tempted to just stick with a 4 string for a tour coming up for the entire set.. my singer spoke to me and basically said I was good enough a player to make the songs work on a four string. I do love my musicman 5 tho.

I'll try easing off the active eq on the musicman next week in rehearsals and see what differance it makes.. I've tried recording into pro tools through all my gear and compared waveforms and the musicman is only sligtly louder. So maybe it's fine and im just paranoid.

i might get hold of a booster off a mate and test it out.

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