dub_junkie Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Just picked up this trans white Valenti which was for sale local to me. I owned the Basschat candy apple red #42 for around a year more than a decade ago now, so I know just how good Nino’s basses are. The seller was a guitarist and couldn’t tell me what preamp it has. A check on the Valenti archive doesn’t list the circuit either. Wondering if anyone can shed light on what it is before I have a look inside? Front to back it has volume/mids/passive tone (pull up for passive)/concentric bass and treble. Pickups are Aguilars according to the archive. Both pickup covers have hairline cracks running across the middle so guessing someone maybe over tightened them in the past. Otherwise the bass has no issues at all. Truss rod has the MM wheel and works fine. Very light on the shoulder too. Wondering too if any basschatters owned this bass previously? Anyway here are the pics 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 I would guess it's a Sadowsly pre, but you'll only know by popping the lid. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Agree, look like Sadowsky knobs. The Sadowsky pre is boost only for the bass and treble, so with them all the way down, it should sound very similar passive and active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
therealting Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Also I’m guessing the second know isn’t mids, it’s pickup blend. The Sadowsky setup is usually roll down for neck pickup, roll up for bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Very nice - I owned 42 for a while too - should have given it more time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 5 minutes ago, therealting said: Agree, look like Sadowsky knobs. The Sadowsky pre is boost only for the bass and treble, so with them all the way down, it should sound very similar passive and active. Nino used Sadowsky knobs on most of his basses, IIRC, but that it has push/pull to engage the passive circuit is what leads me to think there's a Sadowsky pre in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 I would guess angular preamp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 Love the trans white body - this would look monster if the neck was too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub_junkie Posted December 30, 2020 Author Share Posted December 30, 2020 Sorry yes blend not mids. there’s no centre detentes on the bass and treble controls and set at zero they sound similar to the tone and output when the passive circuit is engaged. Can’t see any branding etc on pre amp and there’s not much play moving the plate around but I got some pics if it helps any Incidentally does anyone know the whereabouts of #11, a teal green Vintage P5 with Norstrand pickups and black hardware? It used to pop up from time to time on here but haven‘t seen any mention of it in years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 2 hours ago, dub_junkie said: Sorry yes blend not mids. there’s no centre detentes on the bass and treble controls and set at zero they sound similar to the tone and output when the passive circuit is engaged. Can’t see any branding etc on pre amp and there’s not much play moving the plate around but I got some pics if it helps any Incidentally does anyone know the whereabouts of #11, a teal green Vintage P5 with Norstrand pickups and black hardware? It used to pop up from time to time on here but haven‘t seen any mention of it in years. I can’t see the preamp! Take the back panel off and give us a look! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub_junkie Posted December 30, 2020 Author Share Posted December 30, 2020 Might need to try again in better light. These are the best I can get. iirc the Aguilar OBP pre amp on #42 was encased in a small metal box? also somehow the blend pot is on the wrong way round. Turning it up I get a load of mids which I am guessing will be the bridge pickup. Doh! been a really long day🥱 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted December 30, 2020 Share Posted December 30, 2020 7 minutes ago, dub_junkie said: Might need to try again in better light. These are the best I can get. iirc the Aguilar OBP pre amp on #42 was encased in a small metal box? also somehow the blend pot is on the wrong way round. Turning it up I get a load of mids which I am guessing will be the bridge pickup. Doh! been a really long day🥱 That’s a Sadowsky preamp - and the blend is backwards - that’s how Sadowsky does it... idea is that it acts as a mid control (ie you turn it up) 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dub_junkie Posted December 30, 2020 Author Share Posted December 30, 2020 Thanks for that! Bass sounds great. More bottom end on tap than any of my other basses. Passive sounds really nice too. Keir Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.