Do pickups matter if using a preamp?

ashtray · #1 06-23-2009, 10:20 PM

I was wondering how much the pickups really matter if I'm using an on board preamp.

One side of me figures there's no difference between an on board pre and my normal amp's pre - so pickups matter. Then again, the preamp is not bypassed will color the sound coming from the pickups anyways, so the other side of me figures the preamp will matter much more in the overall tone than the actual pickups would.

Best case, I'd get the most expensive of each - but let's say I have a decent pre, and trying to buy pickups on a budget. Does it matter if I get MIM Standard pickups, or do I need Barts?

~ignited~wings~ · #2 06-23-2009, 10:22 PM

a preamp can only alter the frequencies that your pickups send to it. Good pickups will sound good, bad pickups with a nice pre "might" sound good, might not.

SpamBot · #3 06-23-2009, 10:31 PM

In the end, you get what you pay for.

ehque · #4 06-23-2009, 10:45 PM

Preamps don't really colour the tone very very drastically, a Jazz with any preamp is still going to sound mostly like a Jazz, and a P with any preamp is still going to sound pretty much like a P.

Zombbg4 · #5 06-23-2009, 10:59 PM

Sounds like bartolini has tried to brainwash you...

walterw · #6 06-23-2009, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashtray

One side of me figures there's no difference between an on board pre and my normal amp's pre - so pickups matter.

that's the smart side

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashtray

Best case, I'd get the most expensive of each - but let's say I have a decent pre, and trying to buy pickups on a budget. Does it matter if I get MIM Standard pickups, or do I need Barts?

you'd be far better off with good pickups and no pre.

ashtray · #7 06-23-2009, 11:04 PM

Well... I just threw Barts out there.

Trying to save a few bucks on a build... but I do want a nice tone.

I guess part 2 of the question is do certain passive pickups react poorly with onboard pre's?
(ie, become noisy, etc)

Jefenator · #8 06-23-2009, 11:05 PM

I'd much rather go passive with quality than spend all my $$ on a pre then lowball the p/u's.

Once it's lost, some 9 or 18 volt circuit isn't going to put it back in.

There's good deals to be had in the classifieds here on TB. No reason to skimp on pickups IMHO.

ashtray · #9 06-23-2009, 11:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

you'd be far better off with good pickups and no pre.

Actually, that's part of the plan. Will be doing a pre-by pass switch so I can go passive when I want to as well.

Zombbg4 · #10 06-24-2009, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashtray

Well... I just threw Barts out there.

Trying to save a few bucks on a build... but I do want a nice tone.

I guess part 2 of the question is do certain passive pickups react poorly with onboard pre's?
(ie, become noisy, etc)

I've had single coil, dual coil, and split coil pups in my bass and hardly noticed any difference when pulling the push/pull pot for passive.

walterw · #11 06-24-2009, 10:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ashtray

I guess part 2 of the question is do certain passive pickups react poorly with onboard pre's?
(ie, become noisy, etc)

i suppose really loud passive pickups might clip the input of a really low-headroom preamp, but other than that, i don't think so.