PUPS or Pre-Amp

[jimmothy.green]

I've got a tone issue and a monetary limitation. I'm currently in the process of finally getting my shnit together and focusing heavily on my tone as opposed to wildly manhandling my 5 strings into submission. Here's my current rig.

2000-01 Fender Jazz V deluxe MIM > bass balls > Bass Big Muff > 105Q > OC-2 > CEB-3 > GK 700RB(I) > Yamaha 410 with 4ohms of impedance.

The fender's got a BadAssV on it with heavy gauge strings, factory pups, and fairly high action(got it set up the same time I was focussing on my upright work).

The yamaha was kind of gem find. I was in a samash frantically searching for a usable 4x10 when, after not being happy with GK cabs high end response, I saw it, tried it, and bought it. Apparently it was a discontinued line. My only problem with the cab is that there's only a 1/4 input with no output for daisy chain goodness BUT that just means it would have to be the 2nd cab.

Anyway...

My problem is that, aside from possibly running an effects loop to get my tone sucking boss pedals out of the mix, I'm not sure if either upgrading my pups to something like the basslines 1/4lb or throwing a sansamp/sadowsky/tonbone pre-amp on my board would be tonally and financially sound. I'm way open to other suggestions but those are the first two that come to mind.

Thanks, guys and gals!

[JackANSI]

I'm a huge fan of the Aguilar OBP-3..

But I would start with a preamp since you have all that stuff after the bass and before the amp.

[Nick Kay]

I'd start with trying to figure out what you don't like about your tone, first. Then figure out what's producing what you don't like, and take it out of the chain or replace it.

[Jehos]

Originally Posted by Nick Kay

I'd start with trying to figure out what you don't like about your tone, first. Then figure out what's producing what you don't like, and take it out of the chain or replace it.

Agreed. That's a *lot* of stuff in your chain.

Go bass -> amp -> cab. Flatten the EQ. Start tweaking until you find something you like. Add components one by one. If they don't improve your tone noticeably, leave them out of the chain.

You'd be surprised what you can do with bass -> amp -> cab with distortion on the effects loop, especially if there's a blend knob for the effects loop from the amp.