Pickups or Preamp? Somethings gotta give..

[Liten]

Hi all!

Im new to TalkBass, guess you could say that the need for answers drove me here!

Been playing with a set of T-Bear pickups in my old 78 Jazzbass.. through a Mec (i think) onbord preamp..
Been mucho happy with the sound for a long time..
Now, the "hum" is starting to haunt my dear pu's and the clarity seems to have dropped a bit. Usually a fresh/boilt set of strings put the crisp back to the hights.. but not any more.. Its more Ptonk then Ptink.. (great if your doin that Interstate76 type of gig but I like haveing the option of a Active/passiv pull knob for those gigs..)

Ive realized after reading the "J comparison" sticky thread that I aready have a great pair of J Singlecoils.. Wonderful deapth and growl.. Just lacking the headroom nowadays..

I wonder if I should swich to a Aguilar Preamp instead of the Mec installed now? OBP1's got alot of great reviews..

Maby I just should focus on buying new Splitcoils to cancel the hum and leave the tone for laters?
Or turn in my old Singles for a "bikini" wax and try to get that extra headroom tone froma OBP1?

Greatful for any thaughts on this.. Im pretty lost..

Oh yea.. I can't afford to do both!
The T-bears (wich I LOVE) Splitcoil J's are about $190/each custom order...

Anyone got a lotto ticket?

[Shindig]

I was in the same boat a couple weeks ago. I decided to replace my pickups instead of the pre, but may also replace the preamp down the road.
I've got a Demeter pre and am replacing EMG's with Sadowsky hum-canceling. I hope it gives me better tone (at least more of what I hear in my head ). I'm looking for a more modern type of tone with a good slap sound.
My advice would be to replace whichever part you think will have the biggest difference in your tone. I did countless searches on TB for different pre & pickup combinations. There's a ton of discussion here.
Good luck!

[luknfur]

Originally Posted by Liten

Hi all!

Im new to TalkBass, guess you could say that the need for answers drove me here!

Been playing with a set of T-Bear pickups in my old 78 Jazzbass.. through a Mec (i think) onbord preamp..
Been mucho happy with the sound for a long time..
Now, the "hum" is starting to haunt my dear pu's and the clarity seems to have dropped a bit. Usually a fresh/boilt set of strings put the crisp back to the hights.. but not any more.. Its more Ptonk then Ptink.. (great if your doin that Interstate76 type of gig but I like haveing the option of a Active/passiv pull knob for those gigs..)

Ive realized after reading the "J comparison" sticky thread that I aready have a great pair of J Singlecoils.. Wonderful deapth and growl.. Just lacking the headroom nowadays..

I wonder if I should swich to a Aguilar Preamp instead of the Mec installed now? OBP1's got alot of great reviews..

Maby I just should focus on buying new Splitcoils to cancel the hum and leave the tone for laters?
Or turn in my old Singles for a "bikini" wax and try to get that extra headroom tone froma OBP1?

Greatful for any thaughts on this.. Im pretty lost..

Oh yea.. I can't afford to do both!
The T-bears (wich I LOVE) Splitcoil J's are about $190/each custom order...

Anyone got a lotto ticket?

FWIW:

first I'd run the pups straight to the jack to see if they're quieter - as well as check out passive tone.

Seems wierd an old Fender would even have a preamp let alone an MEC - which there have been a number of complaints about on this board.

My experience with the OBP-1 was the bass sounded the same with or without it. Which is a plus if you want the pre but you don't want the tone-sucking from passive mode that tends to accompany many of them.

[Liten]

Thanks for the answers!

-Shindig, Ive seen people here saying that Rogers Pu's are some sort of "altered" DiMarzio Ultra Jazz.. Ive been tempted to check them out anyways.. Please post back once youve tried them out for a while...

Originally Posted by luknfur

Seems wierd an old Fender would even have a preamp let alone an MEC - which there have been a number of complaints about on this board.

I know.. But as I was born in 1977, Im not to blame cus I didn't buy it new!
I know people have hade complaints about the preamp.. thats why im getting closer to replacing it..

[Off topic] My 5-string warmoth fretless sounds WONDERFUL with the Mec system (incl Mec's active J's).. No buzz, no Hum.. thats why I havent ripped the Fenders preamp out sofar.. Thing is.. that fretboard is Ebony.. = (IMO) a perfect bass in any situation.. Studio, live.. sounds great always..

Originally Posted by luknfur

My experience with the OBP-1 was the bass sounded the same with or without it. Which is a plus if you want the pre but you don't want the tone-sucking from passive mode that tends to accompany many of them.

Well.. I guess I need to figure out exactly what im looking for.. On one hand the T-bears sound realy true to the old Fender sound, just more of everything.. On the other hand I whant to be able to get a cleaner sound with more clarity.. For recordings etc.. maby the 2 arent feasible..

Another worry of mine... The OBP1 runs on 18v.. were the HECK am I gonna fit the 2nd 9v battery???

[Liten]

After plowing throug this forum and some others the answer stands out, glowing in the dark like Weird Al's "Thats your horoscope for today" song!

The DiMarzio Ultra Jazz set..
As my Fender's got a Rosewood Fredboard and Ive been loocking to boost clarity this Pu-set seems like the best way to go.. Gigue's soundclips @ his site helped alot..
He prefered the "J 123's".. but he's got a maple fretboard..

Let's hope they do the trick..

[Shindig]

Originally Posted by Liten

-Shindig, Ive seen people here saying that Rogers Pu's are some sort of "altered" DiMarzio Ultra Jazz.. Ive been tempted to check them out anyways.. Please post back once youve tried them out for a while...

Another worry of mine... The OBP1 runs on 18v.. were the HECK am I gonna fit the 2nd 9v battery???

No problem Liten. I'll post my findings when I get the Sad's installed and gigged. They're still in transist from the seller (thanks Fralim01!). I know there's been talk about how the hum-cancelling Sad's are mid-scooped, but I'm looking for a more modern sound and those should work for me.

Re: batteries, IMO the best way is to install the batteries in a battery box. There's usually no room in the cavities so many route a hole in the back of the bass for the battery box. If you pick the right spot, a corner of the route will open into the pickup and preamp cavity (saves drilling). And you can locate the batt box so the weight of the batts will help balance the bass.

Good luck!

[Liten]

Looking forward to your review later...

About the batteries.. I ain't drilling no more holes in the bass.. Id rather use the OBP2 on a 9v setup and hope for the best rather than drilling.

The strangest thing has happened.. The US retailer that has the UJ's in stock for $100.. just told me that DiMazio has a retailer agreement that prohibits US retailers from shipping outside the US??? Thats the strangest thing Ive ever heard... Why does DiMarzio care were their pickups endup??
Logistics?? Naaaaa

The Swedish retailer has the pickups @ $244.88.. could that have something to do with it??

Anyhow.. A German retailer got them @ 105euro.. thats a great price ... Ill post back once their in the bass!

[Shindig]

Originally Posted by Liten

About the batteries.. I ain't drilling no more holes in the bass.. Id rather use the OBP2 on a 9v setup and hope for the best rather than drilling.

I hear you. I put an OBP-2 in my P-bass and dug out just enough wood for a single battery and the pre with a couple wood chisels. Works fine and the pickguard covers everything. Fast and neat. I know that's blasphemy to some, but it's not a "vintage" instrument, and I've found I'm "accustomed" to active basses, so it works for me.
Good luck!

[Liten]

Need serious

Ive tried to locate a NON us retailer for the DiMarzio Ultra Jazz.. But none of the 2 onlinestores Ive contacted have answered..

Anyone got a europeean retailer you know is good?
We came to .. as the old TOP song stated..

[luknfur]

Originally Posted by Liten

Need serious

Ive tried to locate a NON us retailer for the DiMarzio Ultra Jazz.. But none of the 2 onlinestores Ive contacted have answered..

Anyone got a europeean retailer you know is good?
We came to .. as the old TOP song stated..

FWIW:

The not shipping out of the US may have something to do with not competing outside of the country - senseless stuff happens within borders let alone international so who knows but that's not something the retailer would likely make up.

Forget retailers, go to ebay.

[Liten]

Got tired of waiting..
Ordered the UJ's for a Native retailer through my local musicstore..
Retail price was more than the double of the US retail price but the local store notched of a couple of bucks and install the PU's "4 free".. even include shieldning if the Hum doesnt get cancelled out by the splitcoil UJ's.. (their pretty confident in these Pu's..

Just waiting for my black controlplate to turn my old 78 MIA into a "Triple Black" beauty.. Removed the crome pickupcover to get my fingers aligned to the same string for that "down, up, pluck, pluck" motion.. (DAMN YOU WOOTEN!.. )
Then I thaught the thing looked kinda plain.. so I ordered a black control plate.. to make it even more plain.. but in a good way.. will look somthing like this.. (Photoshop 101..)

[CElton]

Looks awsome!!! Love the black!

Let us know how the UJ's sound. I am really interested in those and may give them a try.

[Liten]

Originally Posted by OP1964

Looks awsome!!! Love the black!

Let us know how the UJ's sound. I am really interested in those and may give them a try.

Thanks! I fiddeled around with some chrome stickers and other colored pickguards to make it a little more "bling".. but nothing "sang" to me..

Ill post a sample once Ive put them in and hooked up the Sunn 300T to a Compy.. Should be another week or so..

[jamesblue]

Originally Posted by Liten

Need serious

Ive tried to locate a NON us retailer for the DiMarzio Ultra Jazz.. But none of the 2 onlinestores Ive contacted have answered..

Anyone got a europeean retailer you know is good?
We came to .. as the old TOP song stated..

I've seen some on e-bay, maybe someone could ship it to you.

I had a set in a Hamer cruise bass and sold it for another cruise, now I'm going to replace the d Duncan single coils with either the UJ or Bartolini hum cancelling. The low end is much tighter and less noise with the hum canceling pups.

[Liten]

Got an SMS from my local musicstore today.. my pickups and controlplate hade arrived..

So.. on the luchbreak I hurried home.. kissed my girl on the go, as ran into the livingroom. Threw the basses into the case and ran out the door again..

Well in the store I just couldent bring myself to leave.. I was to:
They told me to grab something to eat and then come back..
- DO I have to??
Ah well..

30min later he still hadent got the thing wired.. all the stuff was in place.. but one of the screws had snapped.. the UJ's are DEAP!.. so he had to take the PU out agian..
I hade to leave for work again.. and pick it up later today.. but before I left.. He plugged it in to a 15w marshall mini-amp they hade on the workbench.. he turned it up.. checked the individual PU's for hum.. (Dead silent).. then he plucked a string... I died and whent to heaven..
In that 15w amp those UJ's still produced all the clarity and
punch Ive been looking for!..
As the guy looked up at me and saw my face.. he smiled and said.. Sure.. this little thing usually sound ok.. but.. never like this.. he scratched his head a bit.. Guess Ill order a couple of UJ's to.. he said with a grin on his face..

I just cant wait to get it pluged in to my Sunn 300T..

Post pics as soon as I can.. HAPPY DAYS!!!

[Shindig]

Congrats Liten!

[Liten]

I had to redo the stores mounting atempt due to some screws snapping of..

Late last night.. I got it all done..
EDIT: here is a UTDATED pic... + one on my 5-string