PreAmp For Passive Piezo Bridge PickUp

[StyleOverShow]

Okay - so GAS got me and I bought a passive Dean Pace EUB on eBay for $270. Arrived yesterday and it sounds terrible. A little research and it appears as though a preamp is needed to boost the amplitude (signal strength?) and hopefully add some warmer tones.

Bartolini preamps was mentioned in my TB database research but they appear to be onboard and I'm not a solder guy, and given the current Bush economy, I don't want to spend any more than I have to on this project.

Looking at Musician's Friend, there appear to be several preamps that are under $90 that look like they will do the job and it looks like a pass through box.

Any recommendations?

I was thinking about:
PreSonus TubePre
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...ct?sku=184125X

Dean Markley DME-3
http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/p...amp?sku=180090

Behringer Tube ultra
http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...amp?sku=182491

Have to work out a end pin to replace the drum stand that it came with. And the fretboard needs some oil. The tuners are horrible too. You get what you pay for.....

[jrlynch]

buy fdeck's black box ... the cheapest and best solution.

[bass-me-up]

i use the ebs dual microbass II dual preamp

http://www.ebs.bass.se/2007/microbass.htm

but i think it costs more than the eub you just bought :-)

the ebs preamp has a great sound, two separat inputs, headphone output (great for practice) and a good balanced di-output with ground lift and speaker simulation.

might be worth having a look at.


cheers

[Francois Blais]

Originally Posted by jrlynch

buy fdeck's black box ... the cheapest and best solution.

+1
Agree!
The K&K preamp 97 is also a nice inexpensive unit.

[StyleOverShow]

Thanks, I drop Francis Deck an email. Any suggestions on a telescopic peg replacement? for the tripod stand?

[Shindig]

FWIW
I found a Dean Pace for about the same price awhile back.
It played ok in the store but the built-in preamp blew up after 20 minutes at home.

Long story short I replaced it with a Fishman and it sounded fine (much better than stock). I don't remember the model but it was nothing special. It had bass & treble on the circuit board but I had it installed just to replace the original and did not add the B & T pots & knobs.

I have an Ergo now. Sold the Dean 'cause the piezo picked up too much low end on the louder stages I played and the bass would feed-back to the point where it was unplayable. It worked fine at lower volumes.

If yours has the single volume knob with 2 batterys, definitely replace the on-board pre. It'll sound much better IMO and you wouldn't need another (outboard) preamp in the chain.

From one "old guy" to another
Good luck