3 Band 4 Pot Pre Amp Advice

[Rumple]

I'm on the look out for a pre amp for a bass I'm having built and I've been looking at lots of options including not bothering and just having it passive, if I do go down the pre amp route I'd really like a 4 pot system with separate Bass, Mid & Treble pots and a stacked Vol/Bal or Vol/Vol but most of the pre's I've looked at don't come in that configuration, anyone know why that would be?

Feel free to point me in the right direction if I've missed something that fits the bill.


Cheers

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1365766077' post='2044094']
I'm on the look out for a pre amp for a bass I'm having built and I've been looking at lots of options including not bothering and just having it passive, if I do go down the pre amp route I'd really like a 4 pot system with separate Bass, Mid & Treble pots and a stacked Vol/Bal or Vol/Vol but most of the pre's I've looked at don't come in that configuration, anyone know why that would be?

Feel free to point me in the right direction if I've missed something that fits the bill.


Cheers
[/quote]

You do realise that you can combine pots onto a stacked pot if it doesn't fit your wanted configuration (assuming the values on the stock pots are the same as the stacked)?

Edited April 12, 2013 by EBS_freak

[Rumple]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1365766412' post='2044102']
You do realise that you can combine pots onto a stacked pot if it doesn't fit your wanted configuration (assuming the values on the stock pots are the same as the stacked)?
[/quote]

No I didn't

So I could get a 5 knob pre that I like and replace the Volume and Balance pot with one stacked pot?

[xilddx]

Get a John East U-Retro Deluxe 4-knob. They are amazing and John will advise you over the phone about your specific requirements and specs, as he did with me for my home build. They are dead easy to fit too.

[url="http://www.east-uk.com/"]http://www.east-uk.com/[/url]

[Paul S]

I believe thats the one I now have - great bit of kit, fitted into my Precision Lyte.

[Rumple]

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1365768251' post='2044163']
Get a John East U-Retro Deluxe 4-knob. They are amazing and John will advise you over the phone about your specific requirements and specs, as he did with me for my home build. They are dead easy to fit too.

[url="http://www.east-uk.com/"]http://www.east-uk.com/[/url]
[/quote]

Thanks for the info, although it's not the layout I want it's going on the 'possibles' list as it has the passive option which I like a lot.

[EBS_freak]

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1365767458' post='2044148']
No I didn't

So I could get a 5 knob pre that I like and replace the Volume and Balance pot with one stacked pot?
[/quote]

Correct.

[Rumple]

[quote name='Paul S' timestamp='1365770626' post='2044221']
I believe thats the one I now have - great bit of kit, fitted into my Precision Lyte.
[/quote]

Out of interest do you get a volume change going from passive to active?

[Rumple]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1365771377' post='2044246']
Correct.
[/quote]

Cheers, that opens the field up a bit.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1365771401' post='2044247']
Out of interest do you get a volume change going from passive to active?
[/quote]

No, the East has a micro adjuster inside so you can set the A/P levels how you want.

[Rumple]

The East U Retro sounds like a top piece of kit, but I've just looked at the price and it's nearly £220, that's quite a bit more then say a Bart or Aguilar unit, is it worth the extra? especially as I'm mainly a 'set it and leave it' kinda player.

[ZenBasses]

I thinks definitely worth the outlay

Have a look at auderes pre amps as well. They are quite a bit less than the east units but of comparable quality.

Auderes are also less 'coloured' than the east's. Their website is crammed full of information... Albeit in a slightly non user friendly way.

It's all dependant on your needs.

Edited April 12, 2013 by ZenBasses

[Rumple]

[quote name='ZenBasses' timestamp='1365781964' post='2044519']


It's all dependant on your needs.
[/quote]

Very good point, I don't think I need anything too high end, I'd be happy with a simple SR5 style set-up with the addition of a stacked volume/blend.

[apa]

While John Easts costs might seem initially high if you talk to him he is very reasonable with bespoke work. Give him a bell. There could be the option of a second hand U-Retro and sending it off to John for the set up you want? All the other options involve buying something thats not what you want! Although I will vouch for the Audere Preamps.

Quality costs but it pays for itself in the long run. And Buy cheap buy twice.

A

[Rumple]

That's a good idea, I'll drop him an e-maill initially and see what he can do for me.

I have 3 John East made pre amps, the one in my Overwater, one ACG 02 in my fretless and a second 02 in a draw waiting to be used/sold I only mentioned the cost as it's twice that of say a Bart pre, I had one of those in a Roscoe and it sounded good to me just not configured how I'd like.

Thanks all.

[Rumple]

Been doing a little research today and on paper the Audere Classic is looking like a good option, anyone using the Classic?

[tauzero]

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1365766077' post='2044094']
I'm on the look out for a pre amp for a bass I'm having built and I've been looking at lots of options including not bothering and just having it passive, if I do go down the pre amp route I'd really like a 4 pot system with separate Bass, Mid & Treble pots and a stacked Vol/Bal or Vol/Vol but most of the pre's I've looked at don't come in that configuration, anyone know why that would be?
[/quote]

I would hazard assorted guesses:

Vol/blend would mean a three-pot stack with detentes on one or two so we can discount that. Vol/vol is available but you lose overall volume control and preamps are normally designed with the pickups being mixed via the blend control to the input and a master volume on the output so there might be implications with the output section having an impedance mismatch if it didn't have a volume control (although that could be sorted out by putting a resistor in the appropriate place at the preamp output).

If you want switchable active/passive without a separate switch, that would be by pull/push on the volume control and I haven't ever seen a stacked push-pull pot (that's not to say they don't exist but they would be expensive).


Have you any particular reason for avoiding the more conventional stacked bass/treble and push-pull active switching on the volume control?

[Rumple]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1365860155' post='2045298']
Have you any particular reason for avoiding the more conventional stacked bass/treble and push-pull active switching on the volume control?
[/quote]

Partly because of familiarity, I have a single H SR5 that I use most of the time that has V-M-T-B as the new bass will have two pick-ups I thought the addition of a staked V/V of V/Blend would work best for me, it's not a deal breaker, there's no point in me limiting my options because of my weird ideas

[ZenBasses]

[quote name='Rumple' timestamp='1365855065' post='2045236']
Been doing a little research today and on paper the Audere Classic is looking like a good option, anyone using the Classic?
[/quote]

I've played a jazz with this fitted and the was sublime.. Doesn't have tone shaping like the z switch but the frequencies are well chosen.

And I'd agree with the above statements. The East is quite expensive but the quality is outstanding and it does come with some very nicely made knobs to boot.

For what your after I'd say the Audere is better suited but as mentioned John cam make you a circuit to your requirements and the price doesn't go sky high either. Especially if you want to omit certain features

[Rumple]

I'm quite tempted to give an Audere a try, the good thing is at the end of the day they are easily swapped out for something else if I don't get on with it.