Pope Flexcore preamp

[JOME77]

I finally gave into temptation and drilled a hole for the active/passive switch. I was primarily hesitating because I knew that I'd probably have to route away a little thickness in able to get the washer and nut on the switch.

Everything worked out great though. I only had to route away a small section around the switch.

I did learn something though that might prove valuable for Pope owners down the road. When I removed the EQ pot/module (in order to install the switch) and put everything back together, the bass only worked in the passive mode. After trouble shooting a while I finally noticed that the jumper was missing from the 3-4 band pins. Apparently if wasn't installed securely and it fell off during the install. The active section WILL NOT WORK with it not installed (on a 3-4 band preamp).

Just make sure that your jumpers are securely installed.

[thepontif]

Interesting! Thanks for posting that. I'll pay more attention to that here too. The 3/4 band and 2 band jumpers actually carry the output of the preamp to the output filter. So a breach there interrupts the active signal path.

I'm surprised about that jumper. Did there appear to be anything wrong with it, or was it just not on very well?

[mb94952]

I believe mine is hooked up correctly, and in passive mode I only get volume, and blend. No tone controls, but if that's the way it's supposed to work, I'm fine with that because the passive "pre-set EQ" for a lack of better terms sounds perfect.

So, to me the passive has no EQ and just amplifies the wood and my technique. In active, everything is in technicolor.

[thepontif]

If you don't have a dedicated passive tone control, this is correct.

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by thepontif

Interesting! Thanks for posting that. I'll pay more attention to that here too. The 3/4 band and 2 band jumpers actually carry the output of the preamp to the output filter. So a breach there interrupts the active signal path.

I'm surprised about that jumper. Did there appear to be anything wrong with it, or was it just not on very well?

My guess is that it wasn't on very well. It didn't appear to be defective in any way (at least as far as my eye's could detect).
I did install another jumper from the additional supply just in case.

[thepontif]

Cool. Thanks!

[Freddels]

I'm thinking of putting one of these in my Pedulla 6 string. I'm assuming the Barts that are in there would be a good match for this preamp.

[mb94952]

Originally Posted by Freddels

I'm thinking of putting one of these in my Pedulla 6 string. I'm assuming the Barts that are in there would be a good match for this preamp.

I have Bartolini Classics in my bass with this pre. Sounds great.

[Freddels]

What did you have prior? How did it change the tone of your bass? Right now, I have the stock 2 band with the mid boost switch. I'm looking for something a little more versatile and maybe a little more aggressive.

[Modulus1906]

Originally Posted by Freddels

I'm thinking of putting one of these in my Pedulla 6 string. I'm assuming the Barts that are in there would be a good match for this preamp.

No regrets. I put one of these in an ET5 Thunderbass with Classic Barts BC5CB pickups and it's wonderful.

[mb94952]

Originally Posted by Freddels

What did you have prior? How did it change the tone of your bass? Right now, I have the stock 2 band with the mid boost switch. I'm looking for something a little more versatile and maybe a little more aggressive.

I didn't have anything in it before. I had a GARZ custom built for me to my specs. I chose the Pope pre. I love the flexibility of it, and that's when I realized why it's called the Flexcore (duh..)

By the way, the toggle is for my LED's.

[dasto]

Originally Posted by Freddels

I'm thinking of putting one of these in my Pedulla 6 string. I'm assuming the Barts that are in there would be a good match for this preamp.

Be sure to measure first the cavity depth. The one of my Pedulla MVP wasn't deep enough for the flexcore modules. I decided not to start any wood work on it, that's why I put mine in my Stuart Spector, it just fit right in there.

[cjazjef]

so i really want to put this preamp into my Carvin LB76 anniversary bass but I really am an amateur when it comes to the electronics. Having seen what Mike's stuff sounds like on my Fodera, everything else pales in comparison. Should I a)bite the bullet, order it, and attempt to install myself and ask my tb'ers tons of questions along the way b)try to find a luthier locally who will do it c) leave the Carvin in its case and assume I never made this post?

[wyliee]

Hello all,

I'm helping a friend install one of Mike's preamps in a MM style bass and have a couple questions. They tried installing it and had some problems, so I'm picking up the pieces. The bass has a single SD MusicMan pickup and was previously wired with an OBP-1 and SD three way pickup switch. (http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...=musicman_3way)

I'm not sure of the exact model, but it appears to have the following components:
Balancer board: NO pot attached.
Stacked Vol/tone
Active/passive switch
Stacked Bass/Treble
Stacked High Mid/Low Mid

Can someone clarify a few things?
- Are there any known issues with the SD 3 way switch wiring mod? The pickup itself is also a SD pickup.
- The balancer board does not have a pot attached. I am presuming this is OK as this is a single pickup model.
- Additionally, I see three jumpers. Are these Active PU1, Active PU2, and Single Pickup?
- Lastly, should I be using the neck pickup screw terminals? Hot and ground only?

Thanks. I am impressed with the build quality of this preamp. If the audio quality matches, this will be an incredible preamp!

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by cjazjef

so i really want to put this preamp into my Carvin LB76 anniversary bass but I really am an amateur when it comes to the electronics. Having seen what Mike's stuff sounds like on my Fodera, everything else pales in comparison. Should I a)bite the bullet, order it, and attempt to install myself and ask my tb'ers tons of questions along the way b)try to find a luthier locally who will do it c) leave the Carvin in its case and assume I never made this post?

I'd say go for it yourself. If you order from Bestbassgear.com ask Max to assemble the harnesses for you. That will simplify thingssome. Other than that, the only soldering nthat you would have to do would if you have a seperate battery compartment and maybe if your bass has a barrel output jack. Most connections are made to the terminal strip.

You'll love the sound of the preamp.
Good luck!

[thepontif]

Originally Posted by wyliee

Hello all,

I'm helping a friend install one of Mike's preamps in a MM style bass and have a couple questions. They tried installing it and had some problems, so I'm picking up the pieces. The bass has a single SD MusicMan pickup and was previously wired with an OBP-1 and SD three way pickup switch. (http://www.seymourduncan.com/support...=musicman_3way)

I'm not sure of the exact model, but it appears to have the following components:
Balancer board: NO pot attached.
Stacked Vol/tone
Active/passive switch
Stacked Bass/Treble
Stacked High Mid/Low Mid

Can someone clarify a few things?
- Are there any known issues with the SD 3 way switch wiring mod? The pickup itself is also a SD pickup.
- The balancer board does not have a pot attached. I am presuming this is OK as this is a single pickup model.
- Additionally, I see three jumpers. Are these Active PU1, Active PU2, and Single Pickup?
- Lastly, should I be using the neck pickup screw terminals? Hot and ground only?

Thanks. I am impressed with the build quality of this preamp. If the audio quality matches, this will be an incredible preamp!

Keep the switch as it is, and wire the hot and ground wires FROM it to the preamp. Only two wires to the preamp in your case
No pot on the balancer. Best thing to do is get some double sided foam tape and, using 2 or 3 thicnkesses, tape the balancer board and volume/tone board back to back. If you have a good clippers, trim off some of the longer leads. (This is something I now do as a matter of course, as well as including foam tape. But yours was before I had thought that through)
The three jumpers on the balancer board are, from the edge inward, Neck Active, Bridge active, single pickup. You need the single pickup one jumped.
You should wire to the bridge pickup input.

I hope that helps.
-Mke

[DeltaPhoenix]

I have a Dingwall Combustion. I am considering doing some upgrades. I have four holes for knobs in the bass and 2 pickups. I want the passive tone control. I also want to install the Dingwall 4 way rotary pickup selector. So Mike, could I wire everything up like this:
Pickups>rotary knob>FlexCore (1 pickup, 3knob, 1 switch)

Since the Rotary selector would handle the pickups I should be okay with this preamp, correct? I know I would have to drill the active/passive switch but I am fine with that, the v2 Combustions have an active/passive switch anyways, no biggie to do that.

[stix_clgi]

Just coming back to say again how much I love this preamp!

I've been experimenting with the 1.8kHzs setting for the hi-mids with my Cirrus for a week now. It sounds great, but I think I like it @ 1kHz better. I also tried the 90Hz setting for bass, But I started to miss that almost sub-bass control I'll be putting it back tonight.

I have a few friends who own Brubaker basses (the company who will be building my custom bass when I save up enough money for it!!), and they've both been looking for different preamps for their basses. After playing my Cirrus for one friend, I believe I've convinced him to purchase the Flexcore. I plugged up and played a little fingerstyle for a while, he didn't really make a remark. But when I turned up the treble and started slapping, his head kinda jerked back and he goes (with nasty bass player face) "hmmmm." The Cirrus is no slouch with the stock pre, but the Pope opens it up, and adds both clarity and aggressiveness!! While I was playing, my other friend walks in the store, so I let him play the bass. He couldn't stop hitting the open Bb (I tune 1/2 step down). This guy is an amazing player, and does all kinds of chords and lines, but he kept going back to the open Bb!

I've been trying to convert everyone I meet to use the Flexcore. I'll be building another bass soon, with Nordstrand Fat Stacks and a, you guessed it, Flexcore 4-band w/Tone control. I'm going to be a little ridiculous this time and have FOUR switches lol! Coil taps for both pups, and switches for hi- and lo-mid freqs. I'm going to have my very own Faux-dera! LOL!!

[cjazjef]

so i think this is the design I'm looking for

http://www.michaelpopedesign.com/scr...re_2stk-2.html


This is what my knobs look like..i would be eliminating the piezo blend knob(i hate that tone anyways) and replacing it with the low or hi-mid control. Does this package seem like I'm going in the right direction? Thoughts?

http://www.carvinguitars.com/images/pseriesap.jpg

[JOME77]

Originally Posted by mb94952

I didn't have anything in it before. I had a GARZ custom built for me to my specs. I chose the Pope pre. I love the flexibility of it, and that's when I realized why it's called the Flexcore (duh..)

By the way, the toggle is for my LED's.

Wow!
Beautiful top & pickup covers!