new to preamp stuff!!

[[SD]]

ok, i've got a warwick 5 string corvette standard passive with MEC pick ups. I'm happy with my sound, but the MEC are not "HOT" enough sometimes. so after reading posts about it, i'm thinking on getting a pre amp to boost the signal a little bit and maybe boost the treble a little bit more.

So, i want a really transparent preamp, as what i've read aguilar preamps are, but ok here is my question: i've got volume, blend and bass/treble knobs. And i want to know if with the aguilar preamp or any other preamps i can turn the preamp completely off and still have the same singal i get now and when i want can turn the preamp "on" and boost the signal by pulling the volumen knob or something like that, thanks!

Also, rechargable batteries work fine with those preamps right?

thanks! again

[David Wilson]

the aguilar preamps will give you the same volume signal in passive modes and active modes with eq flat.

There are other preamps with adjustable gain that could give you what you describe - bartolini and j/u-retro preamps have an adjustable trim pot for extra gain.

Why not set your amp level so that you have the regular sound with the bass volume backed off a bit. You could then put it up full to get your 'boost' sound.

[[SD]]

well i wouldn't be using the eq flat as i said a would like a lit bit more treble in some ocasions.
So as i understand in passive mode i would have my controls set to the way i like them and then when i want more boost i could just turn the gain as much as i would like right? and i would get extra boost right? or am i mistaken

CORRECTION: i was mistaken i have volumen, blend and treble controls, so i could change the treble control for a treble/bass control and u se the fisrt wiring diagram that appears on the aguilar site?

[David Wilson]

ok, your passive bass doesn't have a treble control. A treble control is present in active eq, where you are able to boost (and usually cut) specific frequency ranges.

In passive bass electronics, you can usually only cut - you have a tone control which rolls off an increasing amount of high frequencies to ground as you turn down the tone control. So, when your tone control is full on and your sound is brightest that's the sound of you applying the least amount of high frequency roll off.

Yes, you could switch to vol,blend,bass/treble if you use a preamp like the obp-1. Obviously the bass/treble will not work when in passive mode. In the obp-1 the controls are boost only for bass/treble, so when the pot is at minimum there is no boost being applied.

If you leave the bass boost at (for example) halfway and switch between passive and active modes,your active mode will sound louder. If you leave bass and treble boost on minimum, you should hear no difference as you switch between passive/active.

[willrwilli]

I would recommend you check out the Sadowsky Pre-amp. They have onboard, and outboard models available. If you go with the outboard model It will allow you to bypass the pre-amp, and keep your current sound. I had the inboard model installed in a Warwick Dolphin, and it was amazing. If you start with the outboard model and love it you can always sell it, and then go with the inboard one.

[[SD]]

thanks davidmwilson that really clreared things up for me.

As for the sadowsky i've cheking it as well as the bartolinis and i'm seing the pros and cons of all of them now that i know what exactly they do.

thanks!