Pope Flexcore preamp - Page 10

maurilio · #**181** 01-16-2013, 11:48 PM

I have the original sad pre back on the 5-24. To be honest the pope pre sounded great, but in the end Roger has done a great job with his pre and it is pretty much perfect for the 5-24…
I'm pretty sure the Nords pups and Pope pre can be a great match, again, I wish it didn't need so much depth….

M

aban · #**182** 01-17-2013, 06:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aban

You guys seem to have a lot of experience with the Flexcore ....
I want to install one in my MTD Artist (import) .....my question is.... will it fit ? does any one know if the Artist MM (music man style) Pickup design is active or passive. I'm hoping to use the MTD MM w the flexcore. Just need a little guidance before I lay down my $300.

BTW Does BestBassGear give a Discount to Talkbass members
Aban

Quote:

You may want to email Mike from Michael Pope Design. He might be able to help you with the fit. I can tell you the preamp is mostly modular, as all of the pots are connected to some type of PCB, which are in turn connected by cables. I put one in my Brice bass, which was a pretty tight fight. If your Artist is like THIS ONE though, I'm sure it will fit. IMO it doesn't take up any more space than a Bartonlini NTMB...

Hey thanks Stix ...That is my bass (The MTD Artist )

And I did contact Mike and he recommend the 3t.2
my only hope is that it will work with the Pickup already installed (don't know if its passive or active ) MM type
I love the feel of this bass (the neck etc ...) but the tone needs some work .... I'm hoping the Pope will do it for me.

aban · #**183** 01-17-2013, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shwashwa

thanks, emailed mike a few times already, still waiting. probably just busy

Hey just bump him one time and He'll hit you back, worked for me. Yeah I suspect he's a busy guy.

Aban

maurilio · #**184** 01-17-2013, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aban

Hey thanks Stix ...That is my bass (The MTD Artist )

And I did contact Mike and he recommend the 3t.2
my only hope is that it will work with the Pickup already installed (don't know if its passive or active ) MM type
I love the feel of this bass (the neck etc ...) but the tone needs some work .... I'm hoping the Pope will do it for me.

Those pups are passive, I'm pretty sure of that!

Enjoy the Pope

M

aban · #**185** 01-18-2013, 03:58 PM

Thanks that answers the big Question
Ernest

engedi1 · #**186** 02-05-2013, 09:03 PM

Do you guys think the Pope Flexcore could be installed in my 2012 usa Fender Jazz deluxe? I am debating between the sadowsky Pre (which I 100% know will fit, as it is designed to slap into a jazz with minimal install) and the Pope. I love the Sadowsky sound and missing having a Sadowsky, but the dual midrange of the Pope speaks to me. I think it would work, as the bass has 4 knobs, 3 of which are stacked now, a switch, and is 18 volts.
I love this bass, and have been so surprised at how well it records, but I find a bit of noise in active mode that is not acceptable in the studio. I need it dead quiet, which I know the Sad pre would be dead quiet. I also don't like the mid control in the Fender Pre, which I find kinda useless. Has anyone put a Pope into a new Fender jazz deluxe to see how it integrates with these pickups?

MichaelSmalley · #**187** 02-05-2013, 09:18 PM

I installed a pope pre in my 2008 deluxe jazz. A pair of nordy jazz pups too. I'm in heaven.

engedi1 · #**188** 02-06-2013, 10:52 AM

Which Nordy's Michael? True singles or split singles or fat stacks.

MichaelSmalley · #**189** 02-06-2013, 11:11 AM

True singles.

engedi1 · #**190** 02-06-2013, 02:02 PM

I bet that rocks. I still want my bass to sound like a Fender. Do you find you get Fendery tones with the Pope or does it make your bass sound like a Fodera?

MichaelSmalley · #**191** 02-06-2013, 02:08 PM

I think it sounds like a fender, just better.

Just Thumpin' · #**192** 02-09-2013, 02:50 AM

The Flexcore is meant to be a neutral sounding preamp. This is why we use a version of it for our Standard line of instruments. We want the underlying design of the instruments and the woods that they are made of to come through and not be overwhelmed by a preamp.

A Fodera is not a Fodera because of the preamp and a Flexcore will not make any bass a Fodera.

Regards,

J

Quote:

Originally Posted by engedi1

I bet that rocks. I still want my bass to sound like a Fender. Do you find you get Fendery tones with the Pope or does it make your bass sound like a Fodera?

engedi1 · #**193** 02-09-2013, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just Thumpin'

The Flexcore is meant to be a neutral sounding preamp. This is why we use a version of it for our Standard line of instruments. We want the underlying design of the instruments and the woods that they are made of to come through and not be overwhelmed by a preamp.

A Fodera is not a Fodera because of the preamp and a Flexcore will not make any bass a Fodera.

Regards,

J

Very cool. Thanks for chiming in. Not that I don't wish I ALSO had a Fodera, but for what I do, the Jazz bass tone just seems to work very well. I do however like to make it hotter and snappier with a great preamp.

Munjibunga · #**194** 02-09-2013, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by engedi1

I bet that rocks. I still want my bass to sound like a Fender. Do you find you get Fendery tones with the Pope or does it make your bass sound like a Fodera?

I've got Pope Flex Core preamps in my Lakland 55-94 and my Sadowsky UV-70. Neither sounds like a Fodera and neither sounds like the other. And neither sounds like it did before the swap. What they have in common is great tonal versatility and clean sound across the frequency spectrum. If you want your Fender to sound like a Fender, I'd recommend leaving the Fender electronics in it. The Pope preamp's voicing is essentially no inherent voicing, but lots of possible voicings.

tubehead2 · #**195** 02-09-2013, 09:55 PM

Hi I looking for a new preamp for my Warwick.
Flex Core seems very interesting to me.

But my Warwick control cavity only have room for one battery.

Anybody have tried the Flex Core running with 9V vs 18V?
Is there any much difference?

Munjibunga · #**196** 02-10-2013, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tubehead2

Hi I looking for a new preamp for my Warwick.
Flex Core seems very interesting to me.

But my Warwick control cavity only have room for one battery.

Anybody have tried the Flex Core running with 9V vs 18V?
Is there any much difference?

The one in my Sadowsky is 18V, the one in my Lakland is 9V. I don't think it makes a big difference.

engedi1 · #**197** 02-10-2013, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

I've got Pope Flex Core preamps in my Lakland 55-94 and my Sadowsky UV-70. Neither sounds like a Fodera and neither sounds like the other. And neither sounds like it did before the swap. What they have in common is great tonal versatility and clean sound across the frequency spectrum. If you want your Fender to sound like a Fender, I'd recommend leaving the Fender electronics in it. The Pope preamp's voicing is essentially no inherent voicing, but lots of possible voicings.

Thanks for the advice munji. I actually like the sound of this bass quite a bit. My only beef with the existing preamp is that in active mode it is quite noisy. I play sessions and the noise means I have to run it in passive mode. I am pretty sure it is the preamp making the noise because on one session, used the front pickup by itself for many tunes and there was ZERO noise thanks to whatever juju the new Fender deluxes use. When I kicked on the preamp-then the noise started. the flexcore may not be the answer, but what I really want is a dead quiet preamp, with better midrange controls.

tubehead2 · #**198** 02-11-2013, 12:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munjibunga

The one in my Sadowsky is 18V, the one in my Lakland is 9V. I don't think it makes a big difference.

Thanks for the the answer Munji. ^^

Munjibunga · #**199** 06-13-2013, 09:59 PM

Well, I just put one in a BSD customer's Elrick 6-string today. This is one of those in which the cavity is too shallow. Chris at BSD is routing a recess into the wooden cavity cover to make room. The install was fairly straight-forward, but I had to lengthen the pickup wires and extend the battery wires. There was enough room in the cavity for a second battery, so this one is 18 volts. I also had to use the stock output jack, which involved a little more soldering. The satisfaction comes when you plug it in for the first time and everything works. Here's a pic from my phone.

Having installed a fair number of these, I can say that most installations require some additional work beyond just dropping it in. Things like enlarging holes for pots, extending patch wires, soldering a ground wire to the shield and bridge, substituting output jacks and the like. I think the Lakland 55-94 was the most straight-forward install. For those of you with Pedulla basses, you're probably going to want to swap out the pickups at the same time.

Oh yeah. This one has stacked volume/passive tone, blend, bass, stacked high/low mid, treble, active/passive switch and kill switch.

Tunaman · #**200** 06-14-2013, 04:54 AM

Damn, glad I'm having my builder do it!

Great job. Can't wait to hear my Pope