MEC Electronics with passive pups?

Aussiephoenix · #1 11-03-2008, 05:52 AM

Hey guys, quick question, (I did search, but didnt find much on it)

I need an active preamp for one of my passive-pup basses, nothing too flash.

A friend of mine has a MEC preamp that he pulled from a Warwick Streamer Stage I (with ACTIVE pups)

My guess is that I can't use that pre with my passive pups, right?

ModulusMK · #2 11-03-2008, 06:15 AM

It doesn't have to mean. You better try and you'll see. there are other very good preamps for passive pups, they fit on active too, like Bartolini, Aguilar, Sadowsky, ACG...

You can find those on bestbassgear.com, also the guys there are very communicative and you can ask them something if you want, they will response to you.

broadblik · #3 11-03-2008, 06:22 AM

No, it won't work, you need one built for passive P/U's

Aussiephoenix · #4 11-03-2008, 06:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by broadblik

No, it won't work, you need one built for passive P/U's

Yeah, I figured...

OK, Thanks guys.

chalie · #5 11-04-2008, 07:30 AM

It does work OK so you should try it.

I tried recently with my new WW (see my thread) Thumb NT 4 strings as I do not like the sound so I installed my stack coil Barts to it and it is working OK. What you will need to is to adjust gain pot (micro) which is on MEC preamp but then you will get extra hissing. You will have the hissing in any case if you play with MEC preamp.

Aussiephoenix · #6 11-04-2008, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chalie

You will have the hissing in any case if you play with MEC preamp.

well that kind of defeats the purpose for me anyway...

badboy1984 · #7 11-04-2008, 07:47 AM

MEC preamp is not good to my ear.

MEC pickups are great and give you a nice tone but not their preamp.

Alot of ppl change the preamp out of their warwick.

chalie · #8 11-04-2008, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by badboy1984

MEC preamp is not good to my ear.

MEC pickups are great and give you a nice tone but not their preamp.

Alot of ppl change the preamp out of their warwick.

My WW has a bypass pulling switch and it has the same charctor as with or without preamp that is the brittle sound or microphonic. Never tried it with different preamp as I have the thought that it's is due to the pups as well.