bigjimmyc Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Hi all. I'm looking for a little advice from the category of "I'm sure I'm not the only one...." I play three basses across our current setlist: -5 string Peavey Millennium (passive) tuned to standard -5 string Peavey Millennium (passive) tuned to Bb -4 string Tobias (active) tuned to D I bought the Peaveys thinking there would be mileage in having identical instruments - boy was that a big assumption - but it turns out that the output an tone differs substantially between the two. The Toby actually puts out significantly lower signal that the Peaveys (yes, I have changed the battery!). So this is the problem: how best to compensate for different levels when changing basses? I've tried a few things: - obviously fiddling the input gain on my head is the first one, but not ideal during a gig. - changing pickup height - kicking in a compressor I don't tend to use the volume and tone on the bass. Set to full and leave alone! Anyone come up with a better idea? There are no dumb answers to this question, so please give me both barrels! Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stylon Pilson Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Another option would be to have an ABC switch on your pedalboard so that each instrument is permanently connected up, and you can select one at a time. You could then buy a couple of volume pedals and put them before the switch on two of the channels. This would allow you to normalise the volumes. S.P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimmyc Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 Yeah - I think you've got a point there S.P. I looked at fx or channel switching to solve it. Small fly for the ointment though - I just changed my amp to a TC BH800. Much simpler than my ABM 500, but with tone print stuff to figure out. Part of the justification is to scrap my pedalboard altogether! Perhaps this will save me (when it arrives). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 When I use my electric upright as well I use a Bellcat A/ B pedal. It has a volume control for each input so I balance them with that. Also need an eq pedal for the EUB but the A/B is ideal for getting the levels the same. Les Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Could you not reduce the volume of the high-level basses with their own volume control..? Either touch it no more, put a discreet mark as a guide, or have a compensating resistor fitted, once and for all..? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4stringslow Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Yes, I'd be inclined to balance the basses during soundchecks and marking the knob positions. Alternatively, balance them using the amp gain/vol controls and mark the position of each bass for quick setting when changing basses during a gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timhiggins Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 I have had a lot of active and passive basses and never had an active one quieter than the passive ones ...is this unusual ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dood Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 [quote name='timhiggins' timestamp='1464803354' post='3062762'] I have had a lot of active and passive basses and never had an active one quieter than the passive ones ...is this unusual ? [/quote] Actually no! - The Tobias electronics are a bit on the quiet side on the Toby versions. I also recall having some active pickups in a bass that were certainly quieter than Dimarzio passive pickups too. The way I remedied this and may be helpful for the OP was to install an EMG PA-2 in the quiet bass. It's actually a gain booster switch, but all I did was install it inside the cavity permanently engaged - then by A/B'ing between my two basses I set the PA-2 so that both matched levels. The other bass had a full EMG system in, so it naturally had the higher output. Job done. On that note, the level problem switching between basses is also the reason that my main pairs of instruments have the same pickups in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 (edited) - Edited February 22, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 (edited) - Edited February 22, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TrevorR Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 You should also look at the Lehle 3@1 pedal. It has three channels that switch into one output (several outs but one signal from all of them). The second and third channels have internal trim pots that allow you to balance the volumes of the three channels. I used one of t here pedals for exactly the purpose you describe, balancing my two Wal basses, when I was gigging in the covers band. It is not cheap but is a quality bit of kit, totally transparent but providing a buffered output, totally silent switching and build like a brick outhouse. Oh, and probably irrelevant for us but all channels run in either mono or stereo! http://lehle.com/EN/ABC-Switcher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnythenotes Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Check out Seymour Duncan pick up booster pedal...great piece of kit... Use it on the guitars with the weakest signal. I got one a few weeks ago as an alternative to upgrading pick ups on a Jazz......best move I ever made, and unlike swapping pick ups on one bass, it can be used on all your basses. It's easier for you to google it than me try and explain how it works, but deffo worth a quick squint.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonky2 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Im looking for somthing similar to a/b my elec bass and upright so i can quickly switch between tbe two.... Ive seen the morley aby pedal with has 2 input chanels with independant level controls and 2 out put channels ( i only need one) Only trouble is, it has foot switch to select output cgannels but no footswith to select input channels or mute one ? I may have it wrong? Understand op need 3 inputs.... Sorry to jump in on your thread ! answer may help though.... Any suggestions ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Urban Bassman Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 The TC Electronics RH 450/750 has three preset channels. I have a 450 and use one channel set up for each of bass; one passive, one active and keep the third free for anything else I might need to do - extra overdrive, compression or perhaps eq'd for a specific effect, etc. But in your case one for each bass would work perfectly and with the foot controller, it's easily switchable and you get a nice tuner as well. Simplez. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) - Edited February 22, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Conventional logic on this forum would be to throw more money at it & buy a load of pedals, which is one of of doing it. But really if you're not changing pick-up volume between songs to change your tone then just lower the volume of the loudest basses to match the quietist, then leave them alone. You shouldn't need to be messing with amp gain or volume because of instrument changes (unless you're changing the EQ too for different tones). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 If I have basses that are significantly different outputs I just set vol on quietest to max then back off the vol on the others to match it. I've even put a tiny marker pen mark on the scratchplate so I can immediately get the correct vol and then don't move it. It's only a minor correction and doesn't seem to affect tone at all, these are passive basses though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 On the active bass is there any kind of trim pot in the circuitry that you can use to set the output level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimmyc Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 Cheers for all the input. I suppose I was hoping for a "practical" solution rather than go buy another pedal (or new pickups which would be even more expensive!). Just wondering though, how best to calibrate the solution? I'm guessing it's by ear for most of us, but is there a better way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 You could plug into a desk or recording gizmo and do it by matching the levels on the meters. That should get you close enough, especially if they have peak hold. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I'd make some very short patch leads 1/4" plug to 1/4" socket with an inline resistor in each to drop the volume of each bass to the lowest one. Use a variable resistor and a multimeter to determine the value of each resistor. Then you can just leave the patch lead in each bass and plug in and out of that as you need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musashimonkey Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 There's a Lehle 3switch pedal with level control in the 'effects' classifieds here. Would solve the problem, and their gear is excellent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EMG456 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Another vote for the Boss LS-2. It will do exactly what you want and lots of other applications too. A very useful little box. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigjimmyc Posted June 23, 2016 Author Share Posted June 23, 2016 [quote name='dood' timestamp='1464805414' post='3062790'] Actually no! - The Tobias electronics are a bit on the quiet side on the Toby versions. ..... [/quote] Taking on board this feedback (because it matched my own thinking) I did a little more research, both on google and in the back of my Toby. Basically the on-board preamp is a really cheap POS. However, trawling the internet I found suggestions that the pickups themselves are not too shabby. So, soldering iron in ham fist, I bypassed the EQ circuit and made my Toby passive. No more batteries! I kept everything in place in case I need to reverse the procedure which actually only needed three touches. Hey presto, the passive sound is great! I still have use of the pickup select pot and volume too. Hard to be certain, but I feel like I'm getting a bigger more toneful sound which is much nearer the levels of my Peaveys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Starr Posted June 23, 2016 Share Posted June 23, 2016 [quote name='bigjimmyc' timestamp='1464881805' post='3063491'] Cheers for all the input. I suppose I was hoping for a "practical" solution rather than go buy another pedal (or new pickups which would be even more expensive!). Just wondering though, how best to calibrate the solution? I'm guessing it's by ear for most of us, but is there a better way? [/quote] No, our ears are sensitive to some frequencies more than others so meters will give a false picture of how loud things sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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