Recommend an onboard preamp

[velvetkevorkian]

I have a Spector Legend 6 which was rewired to passive by a previous owner. I'm considering making it active again, can anyone suggest a 9v preamp with vol, blend, a mid control and treble cut that comes as a 4 pot version? I'd also consider a filter pre.

 

Sound-wise I'm looking more for growl than hi-fi, but I'm not sure how much difference there really is between preamps in that respect.

 

Edit: bonus points if it's easy to fit for someone with no aptitude for soldering

Edited March 23, 2024 by velvetkevorkian

[Hellzero]

https://lhzpreamps.com/

 

The mythical HazLabs tone of the original Spector basses.

[Hellzero]

Lonnie, the guy behind LHZ said to me that Bass Direct will be selling the LHZ preamp and their pedal in April, just ask them. 😉

 

Lonnie has finished their first batch.

[velvetkevorkian]

Nice, not having to import one is definitely a plus point. Thanks for the heads up!

[Cosmicrain]

On 23/03/2024 at 21:50, velvetkevorkian said:

I have a Spector Legend 6 which was rewired to passive by a previous owner. I'm considering making it active again, can anyone suggest a 9v preamp with vol, blend, a mid control and treble cut that comes as a 4 pot version? I'd also consider a filter pre.

 

Sound-wise I'm looking more for growl than hi-fi, but I'm not sure how much difference there really is between preamps in that respect.

 

Edit: bonus points if it's easy to fit for someone with no aptitude for soldering

I use a lot of Klaus Noll preamps in my builds, he has a wide selection to choose from. https://www.noll-electronic.de/

[NancyJohnson]

I wish someone would actually give a tonal definition of what they feel constitutes growl or for that matter hi-fi.  Don't get me started on clank or ponk.

 

Point us to a recording of what you're expecting, then the good people of BassChat will guide you on your tonal journey.

 

A pre-amp is just one of another small step that makes up the sound that hits your ears.  Christ, I've used East units, Spector, Dark glass preamps and they all do pretty much the same thing.

[velvetkevorkian]

Growl = lots of mids

Hifi = too much treble

😬

On 29/03/2024 at 07:28, NancyJohnson said:

I've used East units, Spector, Dark glass preamps and they all do pretty much the same thing.

On a note serious note I'm happy to listen to recommendations for any 2 pickup, 4 knob config, ideally with a mid control.

[NancyJohnson]

50 minutes ago, velvetkevorkian said:

Growl = lots of mids

Hifi = too much treble

😬

On a note serious note I'm happy to listen to recommendations for any 2 pickup, 4 knob config, ideally with a mid control.

 

With the John East Uni-Pre range you have flexible units (they'll install into anything).  They're all stack-knob (pickup blend/volume, mid frequency seep/mid and bass/treble/pull for brighter), the UNi Pre 4 also includes a passive tone control.  Bear in mind too that there also a microswitch that turn the unit from active to passive - you'd need to add an extra hole to the bass, which is no real biggie - I've done it to both my Lulls with the Uni-Pre 3.

 

As you have an existing 4-knob set-up (VT/VT), you could go the Uni-Pre 3 and utilise the extra hole with the power switch.  (Incidentally, John is happy to do custom work - he altered a Uni-Pre 3 for me so it was always on, obviating the necessity for a on/off switch).  I'd like to see John try something different with the Uni-Pre 4 passive tone knob, maybe a push/pull to turn the actives on/off and maybe double as the passive tone with the knob is in the off position.  Shoot him an email; he loves to experiment.

 

The range is here:

https://www.east-uk.com/product-category/universal-cavity-mount/?v=79cba1185463

 

As is the case, you have to weigh up whether you mind doing the work and (maybe) drilling a hole.  For me I didn't mind in the slightest, despite the Lulls being £5K/£6K respectively.

[Baloney Balderdash]

On 23/03/2024 at 23:40, Hellzero said:

https://lhzpreamps.com/

 

The mythical HazLabs tone of the original Spector basses.

Apparently not for me, I much preferred the tone of the EMG preamp samples in the comparison demo.

 

-

 

Who is it that makes the WAL like HPF/LPF, with resonant peaks, filter preamp, can't recall the name of the company or the preamp model?

 

But that would what I personally would chose, if I was to upgrade one of my passive basses with an onboard preamp.

 

Edited March 31, 2024 by Baloney Balderdash

[spyder]

1 hour ago, Baloney Balderdash said:

Apparently not for me, I much preferred the tone of the EMG preamp samples in the comparison demo.

 

 

Who is it that makes the WAL like HPF/LPF, with resonant peaks, filter preamp, can't recall the name of the company or the preamp model?

 

But that would what I personally would chose, if I was to upgrade one of my passive basses with an onboard preamp.

 

https://lusithanddevices.com/product/double-nfp/

[pete.young]

22 hours ago, velvetkevorkian said:

Growl = lots of mids

Hifi = too much treble

😬

On a note serious note I'm happy to listen to recommendations for any 2 pickup, 4 knob config, ideally with a mid control.

I have a 4-pot Nordstrand in one of my Bass Collections which works very well and wasn't expensive. Not sure how I'd describe sound colouring but I think the pickups have a much bigger effect on this aspect than the pre-amp does.

 

Nordstrand has a blend pot; a volume pot with a pull-switch for active-passive; a stacked treble/bass pot; and a stacked midrange cut/boost and frequency selector. I think Bass Direct have them new, I pickup up mine second-hand on here.

[Baloney Balderdash]

22 hours ago, velvetkevorkian said:

Growl = lots of mids

Hifi = too much treble

😬

On a note serious note I'm happy to listen to recommendations for any 2 pickup, 4 knob config, ideally with a mid control.

I would say growl rather than just being a mids heavy tone contributes to a fairly specific combination of low and high mids.

 

My best guess would be something like a bump at around 200Hz or so, and then a bump as well around 1kHz to 2kHz or so.

 

Like a combination of low mids punch and high mids grind.

 

Edited March 31, 2024 by Baloney Balderdash