Pickups that really cut through

Wademeister63 · #1 03-20-2007, 06:51 PM

Since I got my custom bass put together I've played it with the band at practice twice. First time with the Peavey T-40 pickups, then with EMG J's. The T-40 pups were just too fat sounding and lacking in cutting highs. By the time I turned up loud enough to hear myself in the mix it was just obnoxious undefined low frequency noise. The EMG's helped a lot, but still seemed on the thick side. They are full range as advertised, but there is a thickness I can't dial out with the tone knob. They are kind of funny being an active pickup with a passive volume and tone circuit, so I'm not sure if it's possible to add a mid control or not. I was able to turn up and hear without things getting too bad but still was lacking in detail compared to my MIM active jazz deluxe. There's something magical about that all stock bass I guess because it always seems to fit perfectly in our band and I've tried at least 6 other basses that can't do it.

I'd like to get a similar cutting ability with a passive setup if possible but there's room for a battery and preamp as long as it's not much larger than a regular 9v battery. Pickup shape is no problem, I can make a pickguard to mount them (modified my EMG J's to load into the PG with springs). There is plenty of room for most pickups, but not much height. I think the T-40 pups would have been a lot better but they were all the way down in the body and still probably way too close to the strings. I have been thinking of transplanting the complete electronics from my L-2000, and the MFD's aren't too deep at all but I'm afraid they'll still sound too darn thick. Besides, I'd rather not take that bass apart if I can find something that does the trick.

Sup with my band...we have two guitars, two singers, one very big sounding keyboard and by the way a drummer and bass too. We also have a practice space that is fully equipped with the thuddy sounding bass amp and cab semi-permanently installed so bringing my own rig and dialing up the highs would be sort of a problem or at least pretty inconvenient.

So obviously I'm thinking a pickup swap could help things out, but what suggestions has anyone got? I'm using DR Highbeam strings btw, love those and they are on my mim jazz too.

my babes

luknfur · #2 03-22-2007, 12:24 AM

FWIW:

Interesting I would think you'd be complaining about no bass coming through instead of it being thick, apparently mids/highs not showing as much. My guess is other instruments are drowing you out.

EMG active J's and T-40 should cut fine in general. EQ is typically the crux of cutting. You can get a presonus EQ3B for a roughly $100: 3 band parametric, small, and light. I would try that before swapping pups.

As for the EMG's there's a preamp amp built into them - that's what makes them active pickups. My first transplant was a pair of them with an EMG BTC and I found that combo to work quite well.

Wademeister63 · #3 03-22-2007, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luknfur

FWIW:

Interesting I would think you'd be complaining about no bass coming through instead of it being thick, apparently mids/highs not showing as much. My guess is other instruments are drowing you out.

EMG active J's and T-40 should cut fine in general. EQ is typically the crux of cutting. You can get a presonus EQ3B for a roughly $100: 3 band parametric, small, and light. I would try that before swapping pups.

As for the EMG's there's a preamp amp built into them - that's what makes them active pickups. My first transplant was a pair of them with an EMG BTC and I found that combo to work quite well.

Thanks Luknfur,
I'm partly being drowned out and partly dealing with EQ I guess. The cab at our practice place looks like a home made 4X12 jobbie and we have lots of guys playing so there's not much sonic space. I'd probably have considered it a hopeless case except for the fact that my Fender is handling the job pretty well. Now if I could get the one I built to do the same I'd be a happy camper.

The preamp you mentioned looks interesting, but I hate having more junk to set up and trip over. Still I may try that if I run out of onboard options. Another thing I've been thinking about is the Audere 4 band preamp. Sort of along the same lines as the presonus, at least as far as they are both preamps. I have a few different sets of J p'ups I could use with the Audere if I decide to try that. Do you think the Audere would be nearly as helpful as the Presonus for what I want to do?

My EMG pups came with the complete passive VVT setup soldered and ready to go. I didn't know the active EMG pickups could be used with a preamp, is that what you did with the BTC setup?

luknfur · #4 03-23-2007, 11:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wademeister63

...?

The preamp you mentioned looks interesting, but I hate having more junk to set up and trip over. Still I may try that if I run out of onboard options.

The EQ3B is about the size of Sans DI but it doesn't color sound at all. So light you have to velcro it to keep from jerking it off whatever you put it on. Has an input and phone plug/xlr ins outs and that's it. You pretty much need at least a 3 band parametric (boost/cut, frequency, curve) to get a fix on whether it's an EQ thing you're dealing with. Mostly for adjusting to room acoustics. You can use it with any bass and you don't have to touch the bass to use it. Set it and leave it. For $100, nice thing to have just sitting around in case you do need it. You can get 'em used for $60 or less. Not saying buy the thing cause it may or may not meet your needs, just something to consider.

Another thing I've been thinking about is the Audere 4 band preamp. Sort of along the same lines as the presonus, at least as far as they are both preamps.

Not up on the Audere but to my knowledge it's not parametric and you'd have to alter the bass. Dave Meadows would be the one to ask about that. The EQ3B is in effect a preamp but it's function/value is as a 3 parametric EQ not so much a pre.

My EMG pups came with the complete passive VVT setup soldered and ready to go. I didn't know the active EMG pickups could be used with a preamp, is that what you did with the BTC setup?

The BTC is basically just a dual concentric pot with a 1 inch square PCB. Pic and diagrams are on their site. Again it's a pre, not parametric, and not designed to adjust a bass to room/band acoustics.

SundanceChile · #5 03-23-2007, 11:36 PM

Buy a Sadowsky Outboard Preamp.

Dragonlord · #6 03-23-2007, 11:45 PM

The first thing that came to my mind was that you're just used to the sound of the jazz, which has the pickups much closer to the bridge. You were going to get a fatter sound with the pickups up there, you knew it (I guess)... Anyway, I've been a believer ever since I played a bass with the bartolini pickups replaced by villex, so this is my #1 choice when it comes to pickup replacement, and will most probably be what goes in my next bass.

Wademeister63 · #7 03-24-2007, 04:43 AM

Dragonlord, Very good point about pickup location, and I never even noticed that fact until after I had built the bass and started thinking about changing it. The pickups are actually in the same location as on a Ric 4003. I built it with the same dimensions and wood as a Ric (33-1/4" scale, hard maple, neckthrough, 1.25" thick body etc) going after a Ric-ish tone, but now I'm just working on getting a good working tone.

Lukenfur, I see what you're getting at with the parametric EQ adjusting for the room. I'm going to get that Presonus unit. Like you said not a bad thing to have hanging around in any case. I'll see if I can get it set up at the amp head with a short cord and stick or tie it down somehow.

billbass1 · #8 03-24-2007, 07:54 AM

I know you love your DR strings.
But try to experiment with some others.
Also, a real nice low cost way of finding sonic space.......
a DanElectro Fish and Chips EQ pedal for $ 30.00
They are really quite amazeing.......

I got two. One is for my bass rig and the other for my guitars.