'hotting' up my Fodera's signal...

[jazzcrime]

hey guys,
recently acquired a Fodera AJ 6 string. the problem i'm having is the signal out seems to be really quiet, and I'm having to really drive the gain on my LMII to get the sound I like. just wondering if there's anything i can do to rectify this? the bass feels and has a great tone, it's just very quiet. i included a picture to show you what i'm dealing with.
thanks!

[johhn smith]

have you considered getting in touch with fodera directly. they would probably be the best ones to suggest what it may be/what you should do.

http://www.fodera.com/contact.html

[KJung]

That looks like a 'pre Pope' model, but I'm pretty sure there is an output gain control in the cavity (it will look like a little screw in a plastic box). Call the Fodera boys and they will tell you where it is. All you need to do is crank it up a bit, and you should be good to go.

K

[jazzcrime]

thanks guys, it's really hard to call them since i live in australia... Kjung, i took a photo of the inside of the electronics cavity. any chance you could point out where i gotta tweak?

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3774/11042009038.jpg

[cmewhinney]

This is undoubtedly stupid, but you do generally have a battery in there, right?

Oh- and the white cylinder with the notches for a Philip's head screwdriver looks like the output control on my Roscoe, so that could be it. It's kind of hard to tell from the picture, though, and I'm not familiar with this type of pre-amp, so take it with a BIG grain of salt.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by jazzcrime

thanks guys, it's really hard to call them since i live in australia... Kjung, i took a photo of the inside of the electronics cavity. any chance you could point out where i gotta tweak?

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/3774/11042009038.jpg

I don't see a volume pot in there, but I do see some DIP switches. One of these might be a 'gain boost' but I would have no idea.

Even though this does not look like a Pope pre, Mike Pope, besides being one of my favorite players, is an all around cool cat and electronics guru. I would PM that picture to him, or get on his website and send the picture to him via email. It might take him a few days to respond, but he will take care of you.

Also, there is nothing inherently wrong with cranking the input gain of an amp to compensate for a low output bass. So, even if you can't adjust the output (I'm pretty sure you can though), you aren't sunk. Crank that LMII input gain to 3 o'clock or so and jam

[KJung]

Originally Posted by cmewhinney

This is undoubtedly stupid, but you do generally have a battery in there, right?

Well, that would explain a lot I'm assuming he took it out for a clean picture, but you know what they say about assumptions!

[jazzcrime]

Originally Posted by cmewhinney

This is undoubtedly stupid, but you do generally have a battery in there, right?

haha, of course. for the purpose of the photograph i took it out though.

[cmewhinney]

It was worth a shot! Like when the repairman comes over and the fridge is unplugged.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by jazzcrime

haha, of course. for the purpose of the photograph i took it out though.

Here's Mike Pope's electronics website. Email him from the site, and he will help you out.

http://www.michaelpopedesign.com/

[jazzcrime]

Originally Posted by KJung

I don't see a volume pot in there, but I do see some DIP switches. One of these might be a 'gain boost' but I would have no idea.

Even though this does not look like a Pope pre, Mike Pope, besides being one of my favorite players, is an all around cool cat and electronics guru. I would PM that picture to him, or get on his website and send the picture to him via email. It might take him a few days to respond, but he will take care of you.

Also, there is nothing inherently wrong with cranking the input gain of an amp to compensate for a low output bass. So, even if you can't adjust the output (I'm pretty sure you can though), you aren't sunk. Crank that LMII input gain to 3 o'clock or so and jam

thanks for the help. one more question though, what's mike's username on here? looks like my best option. really just want it to have a bit more bite than what it does. trust me, i spend a lot of time at three o'clock

[jazzcrime]

Originally Posted by KJung

Here's Mike Pope's electronics website. Email him from the site, and he will help you out.

http://www.michaelpopedesign.com/

ahh thanks for that!

[brusinow]

From the pope pre's I've seen, it's specifically a small blue box with a white/grey dial in the middle. For the record, the previous posters seem right-this doesn't look like any pope pre I've encountered.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by jazzcrime

ahh thanks for that!

No problem.

Also, a quick question. I assume the two switches are 'mute' and 'active/passive'.

When you switch to 'passive' from 'active', with the preamp tone controls set flat, is there a volume change? If the volume goes down, something might be funky with the preamp. If it stays the same, then the preamp is just set to unity gain versus passive mode, which many guys like, since you can switch from active to passive without increasing or decreasing volume. If the pickups are relatively low output, this could be the issue. My guess is, one of those DIP switches is some sort of volume boost for the active.

Let us know when Mike gets back to you.

Edit: BEAUTIFUL bass by the way!

[jazzcrime]

Originally Posted by KJung

No problem.

Also, a quick question. I assume the two switches are 'mute' and 'active/passive'.

When you switch to 'passive' from 'active', with the preamp tone controls set flat, is there a volume change? If the volume goes down, something might be funky with the preamp. If it stays the same, then the preamp is just set to unity gain versus passive mode, which many guys like, since you can switch from active to passive without increasing or decreasing volume. If the pickups are relatively low output, this could be the issue. My guess is, one of those DIP switches is some sort of volume boost for the active.

Let us know when Mike gets back to you.

Edit: BEAUTIFUL bass by the way!

you are correct about the switches, and when the EQ is set flat. (it only has bass and treble) there's no change in volume between passive and active. i e-mailed mike so just gotta wait on it now, will post my solution when i get it. thanks for your help!

also, thanks - it feels as amazing as it looks!

[KJung]

Originally Posted by jazzcrime

you are correct about the switches, and when the EQ is set flat. (it only has bass and treble) there's no change in volume between passive and active. i e-mailed mike so just gotta wait on it now, will post my solution when i get it. thanks for your help!

also, thanks - it feels as amazing as it looks!

Cool, you should be fine then. I'm pretty sure there is something in there that can boost the active gain a touch. As long as it's not dropping off from passive, there shouldn't be anything wrong. Good luck!

[spade2you]

I'm loving my Pope Pre. Pretty amazing clarity and versatility. VERY strong signals here.

[KJung]

Originally Posted by spade2you

I'm loving my Pope Pre. Pretty amazing clarity and versatility. VERY strong signals here.

Mike's pre's have an internal gain adjustment, so you can set the output from 'passive unity' to pretty much as hot as you want it. That's a nice feature.

[spade2you]

Originally Posted by KJung

Mike's pre's have an internal gain adjustment, so you can set the output from 'passive unity' to pretty much as hot as you want it. That's a nice feature.

I'll probably adjust it eventually, but I'm not gigging or anything that would require getting it set near my other basses.

[stroy05]

Those pickups have weak output. I have the same ones in a 5 string. I have to gain up the input and output of my system. These pickups benefit from a preamp.