Dual On-Board Pre-Amp

[LowB_FTW]

I've been researching different types of pickup arrangements/configurations for a build project, and I found mention of a Warwick Pro M series bass that had dual pre-amps and it never really occurred to me that this was even an option until, well, now really.

 

From what I gather, the Warwick Pro M had two single-coil pickups side-by-side in a Music Man style config., but each pickup had it's own pre-amp with bass/treble controls.

 

I'm now thinking, for a dual pickup setup, of different tonal possibilities eg scooping the mids from one pickup whilst simultaneously boosting the bass and treble on the other.

 

Is there any real downside to what I'm proposing here? Am I missing anything important that would be detrimental to this sort of setup?

 

At the moment this is just a thought experiment, but it's one that could very easily become a reality if there's no real downside to it.

I dunno, am I just mad thinking about this? 😅

 

Mark

[itu]

Tobias has had similar system: one double coil pickup, 2 B&T adjustments for coils.

 

Status Paramatrix has even more adjustments.

 

Theoretical:

As each pickup is in different position relative to each other, the responses are different, just like in Jazz bass. Do they cancel something out together, most likely.

 

Of course you can have multi coil pickup (or a piezo bridge) and adjust every coil separately. Do you get significant advantage over a simple system, hardly. The main idea is to support pickups, and it is up to you to use hi-Z ("passive") tone pot, or some lo-Z, battery powered circuitry (treble, B&T, B&M&T, semi parametric, B&T tilt, filter...).

[itu]

What I forgot is the mixing. If you are about to make a fine system, do not use simple pot to mix coils/pickups. Study Noll Mixpot, and understand its performance compared to a blend pot. Otherwise you are having a tone pot (yes!), named as blend or vol in your system.

[Hellzero]

The Richter MX-2(L or S) is way better than the Noll @itu. 😉

[Hellzero]

Tune also had a twin preamp configuration in some of its high end models.

[ahpook]

LowEndLobster had a Spector with an EMG preamp for eachpickup

 

Ah, yes...

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by ahpook

[BassBunny]

Would an East/ACG 01 filter or a Lutishand filter pre amp do the job? 

Separate filter stack for each pickup so you can shape the tone of each one. 

[LowB_FTW]

This is great, I honestly thought I'd be revisiting this thread to a rash of 'don't be ridiculous' or 'stop being a n00b' type posts.

11 hours ago, itu said:

The main idea is to support pickups, and it is up to you to use hi-Z ("passive") tone pot, or some lo-Z, battery powered circuitry (treble, B&T, B&M&T, semi parametric, B&T tilt, filter...).

At the moment this is just a thought experiment, but thanks to the responses here it's taken a half-step closer to my reality.

I honestly only have a rudimentery idea of what I was looking to achieve, but at least I now know I can try to add a bit of meat to the bones of the idea.

 

6 hours ago, BassBunny said:

Would an East/ACG 01 filter or a Lutishand filter pre amp do the job? 

Separate filter stack for each pickup so you can shape the tone of each one. 

Thanks for this.

I've just ben looking at the East/ACG filter and it looks to be what I was looking to do all in one place.

 

Thanks for all replies so far.

 

Mark

[Lfalex v1.1]

 

I thought the Pro M was Warwick's attempt at a Stringray (?)

 

My good old Fortress Masterman 5 sports the MEC Twinjazz (JJ) pickup. 

 

Controls are;

Volume & Pickup pan

Bass & Treble (Neck coil)

Bass & Treble (Bridge coil)

 

Almost too many options and tones.. (see also the Bongo 4- band EQ!)

You're best off centering everything and making small adjustments.  In spite of the close proximity of the coils, you can skew the tonal balance just by tweaking the pan pot. Then,  if it sounds a bit thin or dull, just adjust the tone controls.

Failing that,  leave the pan pot centred,  and it does its own rendition of the Stingray sound. 

 

Edit- There does seem to be a Streamer version of this with 3 stacked pots,  suggesting the same configuration. 

There also seems to be one with 2 single pots and one stack (B/T?)

I think I also recall a Streamer with a MM style HB, complete with 3 ears but no visible polepieces...

Edited August 9, 2023 by Lfalex v1.1