What's the most hi-fi modern combo of pups and preamp

Lincoln · #1 11-07-2007, 05:45 AM

Hi gang!
I've got a reasonable knowledge of available pups and pre's, but I'm looking for the combo that will yield a Richard Bona, Matthew Garrison tone. I know alot of this is in the fingers and the wood....but they have electronics in their axes for a reason.

Thanks!

KJung · #2 11-07-2007, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

Hi gang!
I've got a reasonable knowledge of available pups and pre's, but I'm looking for the combo that will yield a Richard Bona, Matthew Garrison tone. I know alot of this is in the fingers and the wood....but they have electronics in their axes for a reason.

Thanks!

Wow... I would call both of their tones rather vintage, mellow and non hi fi.

Bona's Fodera is passive, with Bartolini pickups. I believe Garrison uses the stock Pope pre with Seymour dual coils.

So, to my ear, you want big, fat, warm mid punch, tight low end, and a rather mellow top end. That sounds like a Pope pre to me, with Bartolini soapbars or Aero dual coils.

If you want a little more grind, and a slightly wider tone, the Nordstrand Fat Stacks or Big Spits with the Audere three band is very popular.

Super duper hi fi.... Nordstrand Dual Coils with an Aguilar OB-3 or the Glock pre.

IMO.

Dave Muscato · #3 11-07-2007, 05:56 AM

Well, the Fodera custom wound pickups used in the Matt Garrison model would be a great place to start. Seeing as Bona also plays a Fodera (although, he recently switched to a signature model from New York Bass Works), that seems like your best bet.

http://www.nordstrandpickups.com/bas...signature.html

Lincoln · #4 11-07-2007, 06:44 AM

intersesting how ears can be subjective...

I've always thought of vintage as 60's- 70's J or P bass --- ala Jamerson, Carol Kaye or Joe Osborn...

The Pope pre's are quite up their in price....I'm not sure what the price of the Aero pups are -- any ideas?

KJung · #5 11-07-2007, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

intersesting how ears can be subjective...

I've always thought of vintage as 60's- 70's J or P bass --- ala Jamerson, Carol Kaye or Joe Osborn...

The Pope pre's are quite up their in price....I'm not sure what the price of the Aero pups are -- any ideas?

Yeah, I probably shouldn't have used 'vintage'. I guess the tone is more 'vintage 80's' for those two guys

... that classic tone we all seemed to get when we swapped our single coil J pickups for those humbucking Hi A/Bartolini models.... fat, full, warm, mid punchy, slightly compressed.

The Pope pre is quite expensive, but the cool thing is you can work directly with Mike to set the number of EQ bands, the center freq's, the Q's, etc.

The Aero pickups are priced in line with Barts, Seymours, etc.... not cheap but not crazy either.

The Audere is pretty cool... pretty transparent, quite reasonably priced... nice to run flat, but have the ability to add a little sizzle or deeper bass when needed. The three band now has a passive tone control option (similar to the Pope), which is also cool.

Lincoln · #6 11-07-2007, 07:00 AM

I have an Audere 2 band in my j-bass and I love it - it's very transparent. But the 3 band with the passive tone option might be the way to go with some Aeros or Barts.

Dual coil, do you think?

KJung · #7 11-07-2007, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

I have an Audere 2 band in my j-bass and I love it - it's very transparent. But the 3 band with the passive tone option might be the way to go with some Aeros or Barts.

Dual coil, do you think?

The Dual coil Aero's are really nice... warm and organic, and you get that single coil option also for a little more grind.

I'm pretty impressed with the Nordstrand pickups also. The variety of the Nordstrand pickups is a little overwhelming. The Nordy Dual coils sound a little brighter and more 'modern' to me than the Aero... really nice.

All good stuff! I know Wilbyman just put some Bart soaps (I think dual coils) in his Fodera and really likes them. I'm not really familiar with the newer Barts, so you might want to PM him. I believe he swapped his Aero Dual coils with the Barts in his Fodera, so he could give you the A/B comparison.

Greg Clinkingbeard · #8 11-07-2007, 07:16 AM

I have a project J with an alder/maple body that is loaded with Bart CB and an Audere.
This combo can go from a quasi vintage tone to modern tones. The bass is versatile.

Wilbyman · #9 11-07-2007, 07:22 AM

Agree with Ken 100%...the Garrison/Gwizdala/Bona type sound is derived from the fat sounding dual coil pickups in a traditional-Fender type position. It is generically more "vintage" than modern in that is warm without alot of added highs or lows.

You would be well served to try a bass with dual coils in traditional pickup positions. None of those guys rely on a preamp for their sound (at least, Bona and Janek...not sure about Garrison) so I wouldn't worry about that at all.

The Bart CB's are an excellent dual pickup and not expensive. One thing I might note is that, contrary to popular belief, the Fodera duals are wired in parallel and not series...so that's another aspect to consider. I have had less success with the Nordstrand duals BUT I very much like his other pickups.

Lincoln · #10 11-07-2007, 07:32 AM

hmmmmmmm

Dual coils ( Bart CBs, Aeros, Nordies ), wired in parallel with an Audere 3 band with passive option. Is that the collective thoughts that I'm hearing?

Bona uses an ash/maple combo on his Fodera that might account for some of his hi-end zing for his tone. Garrison's got Alder/ebony, right?

KJung · #11 11-07-2007, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

hmmmmmmm

Dual coils ( Bart CBs, Aeros, Nordies ), wired in parallel with an Audere 3 band with passive option. Is that the collective thoughts that I'm hearing?

Bona uses an ash/maple combo on his Fodera that might account for some of his hi-end zing for his tone. Garrison's got Alder/ebony, right?

+1... Bona's Fodera is ash/maple. Those Bart CB's sound like what you are looking for. I think the Nordy Dual coils might be too 'modern'.. in that they have a more extended treble response and deeper bass than the Barts (based on hearing some of Will's clips and my experience with the Groove Shoppe 5 bass, which had the Nordy duals in when I checked one out.

Will is also right in bringing up the J type pickup placement... that is key IMO.

Lincoln · #12 11-07-2007, 08:09 AM

what's the specific name for the Bart CB's? Best bass Gear has a ton with CB in the naming convention...

Also, Will can you post some sound clips, please?

Wilbyman · #13 11-07-2007, 08:21 AM

Lincoln-

The Bart CB duals coils are all the same pickup but they come in lots of different cover shapes.

I am running out the door for a a hearing but I will post some clips when I get back.

Will

Greg Clinkingbeard · #14 11-07-2007, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

what's the specific name for the Bart CB's? Best bass Gear has a ton with CB in the naming convention...

Also, Will can you post some sound clips, please?

9CBJD1 is what I have. They are the darker sounding version although I find them to be pretty balanced. I had a set in an alder body a couple of years ago and they sounded plenty clear.

capnsandwich · #15 11-07-2007, 05:34 PM

I've got a set of Bartolini xxM45c quad coils in my bass and they've got a nice modern sound. I couple them with a Bart NTBT 18v preamp and it took my walnut Toby Pro from a cheap beater to a botique-like low end monster. Nothing but compliments on my tone when I play that bass. It almost has a Tom Kennedy tone when he played on Dave Weckl's cd's. Nice smooth, low end growl and plenty of pop and punch if I start slapping it.

Metropolis_488 · #16 11-07-2007, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

Hi gang!
I've got a reasonable knowledge of available pups and pre's, but I'm looking for the combo that will yield a Richard Bona, Matthew Garrison tone. I know alot of this is in the fingers and the wood....but they have electronics in their axes for a reason.

Thanks!

Just as a side note - I have met Richard Bona and watched him perform with Mike Stern several times in Manhattan. He usually plays an old Jazz bass...(I think it sounds better than the one time I saw him playing a Fodera). After all the compression and EQing that goes on a record, he may be getting the sound you are hearing from a Fender...just a thought.

Le Basseur · #17 11-08-2007, 02:43 AM

Ultra-fi onboard preamp:the one and only Noll (German brand).

About PU's,I'm not sure...anything from the upper class that suits your taste?
Regards,

Lincoln · #18 11-08-2007, 05:08 AM

I had a Warmoth with all Bart electronics and pickups on a 5-string jazz body - I liked it because it was modern sounding - actually very sweet sounding - ebony/wenge neck. But it lacked the "Marcus slap" sound I really craved. This bass, though, was close to the tone I was looking for in terms of modern...

My dad bequeathed his 72' ash/maple Ibanez jazz bass to me that I promptly slapped an Audere preamp and Dimarzio Ultra Jazz pups. This bass has vintage mojo with Marcus steroid tone. Which I love on this bass and it sounds very different from the Bart combo bass - more aggressive.

But I'm thinking of having a more hi-fi sounding instrument again to compliment it.

Anyone know Richard Bona uses when he plays? There are times that his double stops sound just like a Hammond B3 - it slays me everytime!

Lincoln · #19 11-08-2007, 05:10 AM

"Effect" that Richard uses....sorry about that!

Le Basseur · #20 11-08-2007, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lincoln

Anyone know Richard Bona uses when he plays? There are times that his double stops sound just like a Hammond B3 - it slays me everytime!

Not 100% sure,but it might be the Roland V-Bass synth.
Regards,