Matching a preamp with Lakland JH pickups

[glassmoon]

G'day all

So, NBD (yesterday) for me, a Cort GB-75JH. I've got a set of Lakland JH pickups to bung in.

My question, and this really is and all opinions welcome thing... without breaking the bank, which preamp is a good match?

* I would love an East 4-band, but it's a lot of money sadly

* I would prefer a preamp with a lot of bottom end oomph. Mids I can manage from my pedalboard preamp

* 9v only as I don't fancy routing this bass

* I've had a lot of experience with Seymour Duncan preamp, and they are undoubtedly wonderful, but will they be a match for the Lakland set?

 

Anyway, my thanks in advance. No suggestion will be ignored 😊

Julian

Edited April 10, 2022 by glassmoon

[LukeFRC]

what kinda sound you want and how many holes you have to use on the bass? John East stuff is very clean and clear sounding....an Aguilar for example will have way more colour to it.  

[glassmoon]

Ah, sorry, I didn't mention that.

The bass has 4 holes. Most preamp manufacturers have 4 knob options thankfully.

Sound is such a fluctuating issue for me. Inasmuch as I've always loved that dry-as-a-bone tone, a la Janek Gwizdala and Matt Garrison, I now only play in function bands, so it's more of the deep bottom, well rounded sound. Mike Porcaro with Toto, Pino with John Mayer, Lee Sklar with, well, just about everyone.

 

I'm not a fan of the top end, I prefer the tone of a P to a J bass, but I do need the flexibility to favour the bridge vibe too.

 

I'm perhaps asking for a bit much here 😂

[glassmoon]

2 hours ago, LukeFRC said:

@LukeFRC

 

John East stuff is very clean and clear sounding....an Aguilar for example will have way more colour to it.  

I've owned an Aguilar Tone Hammer preamp pedal before and it was terrific. What worries me is trying, with my criticality limited knowledge of such things, is how to connect the dinky black box with the wires to the pots, and moreover, I'll need to get new pots to cater for the mid and stacked bass/treble config.

 

Any takers for Bartolini?

[glassmoon]

Anyone? 

Lakland pickups about to go in. 

4 knobs. 

No switches/toggles, so no tapping or mid selector available other than a knob push/pull

 

I would definitely prefer a 3-band to a 2-band, buuuuuuut open to the idea of the 2-band.

1st prize is a 4-band East.... But the idea of a sweepable mid is a huge draw (my old Ibanez BTBs basses spring to mibd) 

No rush to buy, just need something to aim for. 

Thank you in advance 

 

[spyder]

In my experience I would put the choices down to Glockenklang for a transparent sound or a Bartolini for a musically coloured sound.

Lots of choice unfortunately.

These are my two favourite on board preamps.

[glassmoon]

@spyder, thanks mate. Those are in my top 3 actually, along with a Seymour Duncan. The Glock is highly rated as a neutral pre, the Bart, I'm fairly familiar with, and I've had a few Duncan, and have always liked them.

For a Jack-of-all-trades bass, the Glock may not be the best choice. A little colour, especially in the bottom end, is a bit more appealing to me. 

Hell's Teeth, this is not easy. I need to sit with these Laklands for a while and see if they "need" something.... 

[Sibob]

Bartolini, end of!

Then change the pickup to Barts too haha

 

Si

[glassmoon]

29 minutes ago, Sibob said:

Bartolini, end of!

Then change the pickup to Barts too haha

 

Si

Who knows... The Lakland are an unknown and pretty much there for me to see what they're like. The Bart eq is probably where I'll go though