Aguilar preamp with Lindy Fralin PUPs?

[lucas vigor]

I already own a flatwound strung american P. Now I want to try modernizing my mexican J.

My plan is to get an Aguilar OBP added, but since this bass has old-school type Lindy Fralin PUPS already added, is there a conflict in sound if I do this?

1. If I do this, should I get equally modern sounding PUPS (like EMG's, or some sort of noiseless PUPs?
2. I also plan on getting a badass bridge (a modern, heavy one)
3. Hip shot tuners, to replace the cheap mexican ones
4. A bone nut.

Any advice or opinions on all 4 questions would be welcome!

[Human Bass]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

I already own a flatwound strung american P. Now I want to try modernizing my mexican J.

My plan is to get an Aguilar OBP added, but since this bass has old-school type Lindy Fralin PUPS already added, is there a conflict in sound if I do this?

1. If I do this, should I get equally modern sounding PUPS (like EMG's, or some sort of noiseless PUPs?
2. I also plan on getting a badass bridge (a modern, heavy one)
3. Hip shot tuners, to replace the cheap mexican ones
4. A bone nut.

Any advice or opinions on all 4 questions would be welcome!

im not a big fan of the badass, is not sick low-action friendly...

[pyrohr]

Originally Posted by Human Bass

im not a big fan of the badass, is not sick low-action friendly...

+1, I don't understand why people feel the need to install a badassII bridge on every bass they want to mod, or modernize. MIM tuners are fine, heck they are even better than the Geddy tuners. I can understand wanting new electronics for that is the MIM basses weak point. The Aggie pre will sound fine with the Fralin pups! I have two Fralin pup basses and I sometimes use an Aggie DB924 which is the outbourd version of the OBP-1 and it sounds fine!.

[Bassberry]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

I already own a flatwound strung american P. Now I want to try modernizing my mexican J.

My plan is to get an Aguilar OBP added, but since this bass has old-school type Lindy Fralin PUPS already added, is there a conflict in sound if I do this?

1. If I do this, should I get equally modern sounding PUPS (like EMG's, or some sort of noiseless PUPs?
2. I also plan on getting a badass bridge (a modern, heavy one)
3. Hip shot tuners, to replace the cheap mexican ones
4. A bone nut.

Any advice or opinions on all 4 questions would be welcome!

You should call or visit Mike Lull, or a repairman listed on his site. Second, the reason to change a set of pickups is not a hypothetical evaluation, its because they are somehow faulty, or you sense that change, variety, and hollywood dazzling tone is in your future? Changing the pickups is a taste change, (yellow or brown mustard? )you'll lose something to gain another something which could be weird...roll the dice? Are you lucky? Do you like risk? How deep is the pocket?

Modern Bridges miss the boat. (Imagine Sobbing like Jim Carrey in the background). Light weight steel bridges will have the best Tone. Badass will change the Tone to some funny midrangey thang that some like and some don't. I don't. Is it worth the trouble? This depends on how many basses you have.

Hipshot Tuners? The reason to change tuners is because they are so poor that they aren't worth words. Some highly sought guitars "First Act" and such, come with low end parts, some dudes have made a good living making guitars with parts nobody wants, because they sound good. This is another taste thang...which might not pay. This is a book worthy topic...but alas,"sigh" many dudes travel the retro parts road, I have, and many others too, yet when the hair turns grey, the old stuff looks better.

A bone nut? A nicely cut nut is better than the material its made from. The nut slots and their seats are whats important, now...that said, yes I prefer a bone nut as I believe it helps the open note tones, for example; pulling off lightly and using quick open passing tones. Rots a Ruck...did I mention that a good sought after repairman would give the best objective advice?

So sorry, preamp? I don't know...don't like them as a hole (no pun intended) but...from what I do know, circuit boards sound better, and you should possibly look at the Audere given that its made for the Jazz Bass. I squashed my OPB??? with a hammer...(While I invisioned the final scene from the 3 Stooges "Men in Black". No further comment, sorry...no comment.

[lucas vigor]

Thank you for your ideas and suggestions.

Some things I would like to say:

1. Flat plate bridges: I own 6 basses (two uprights), and 3 have flat plate bridges except the Carvin, which has a heavy mass bridge, and has the most even and hi-fi tone of all my basses. I notice that with the exception of Lakland and other Fender style high end type clones, many modern active basses like Pedullas have heavy mass bridges. There must be a compelling reason for that.
2. Tuners: The tuners on this mexi J are very insubstantial. The tuners on my Carvin are hipshot, and they feel 100% more effective to my fingers.
3. Nothing wrong with the Lindy Fralin's. In fact, there is everything right with them, but I was concerned that because they are so tradional sounding, how would they sound with a high end active onboard preamp?

MY Carvin is a beautiful thing. But it is a 6 string with narrow string spacing. I would kind of like a real modern sounding 4 string, which is why I am considering playing around with my J. I already have the old-school thing on two other basses. Both my fender p-basses have had the same dirty flatwounds on them for 8-9 years, with no other mods on the basses except a bridge cover with felt underneath the strings. I think the thing I am going for is a Marcus type sound with this bass idea.

[xyllion]

Originally Posted by lucas vigor

1. Flat plate bridges: I own 6 basses (two uprights), and 3 have flat plate bridges except the Carvin, which has a heavy mass bridge, and has the most even and hi-fi tone of all my basses.

Of all the heavy mass bridges, I would pick the BadAss bridge as my last choice. The fact that the saddles need grooves filed into them makes them harder to use properly. My favorite bridge is the Hipshot bridge.