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ACG Preamp Clips

kesslari

kesslari

Groovin' with Fusion Cuisine
Staff member
Gold Supporting Member
Dec 21, 2007
15,236
45,144
Santa Cruz Mtns, California
Disclosures
Lark in the Morning Instructional Videos; Audix Microphones
#1
Clips posted.
They were recorded with my Ibanez Fretless GWB1, taking the passive output into a box-mounted ACG preamp, recorded flat into the board.
These were recorded quickly, so please be kind, but they do give a nice idea of some of the sounds.

ACG1 - mild boost in the mid-low mids
Funky blues
Blue Monk - really shows the upper register shine

ACG2 - moderate boost in the low mids
Scrapple

ACG3 - moderate boost in the lows
Reggae Groove

For comparison, here's that Funky Blues on the stock Bart NTBT

Mores samples, with sound-by-sound comparisons (e.g., different tones playing the same thing here:
http://www.folkina.com/preamp_clips.html
 
#4
Sounds nice! It's a little hard to compare because the ACG clips are so much louder, but it really seems to make the sound come alive!

I'm getting excited... this weekend my ACG/Warmoth/Warwick/Alembicish bass gets completed. :hyper:

As is (it already sounds good with my prototype body made of 3 layers of 1/2" plywood!)

2796296478_4181d2db32_b.jpg


As it will be:

2796304266_b5ca8ba9ba_b.jpg
 
#5
I agree about the sample's volume. Rush job, didn't take proper time to mix them. :hmm:

I learned that I prefer the passive tone of the GWB1 to the Bart preamp (never really directly compared them before because of the output difference, and because I wanted ot match volume with my other active bass).

I sure like the AGC though.

Nice Jerrybass, Rusty. I recently played with a guitarist who had a similar (non-Alembic, bolt-on neck) guitar version.
You need a wolf inlay, bro. :D
 
#6
Inlays are way past me. :crying: It's closest in shape to Jerry's last guitar, the Bolt. That plus the lighning bolt that's going on the headstock have led me to call it the Bolt Bass, at least for now. :D


I don't know if it's possible, but if I had a preamp in a box like you do, I'd record clips to my Zoom H2, and rerecord them both direct to computer and again through the preamp. That way the playing could be completely consistent with the preamp being the one and only variable. OTOH your playing is really very consistent anyway so you're way ahead of me.:D
 
#8
have to chime in on this one.
let me preface by saying alan is building amazing looking basses, been close to a build on a few occasions still would. alan is a great guy, has loads of talent and has developed a great pre and those wood combos he has!

that said, based on this sample knowing the willis bass well the bart pre is much better to my ears.
mho 1) you have taken much away with this or 2) you need to spend a lot of time musch more with the AC pre.

sound clips are not coming across as something i would ever go near, ever. I know this bass well, it is consistent build-wise, tone and openess now made in japan by a master builder, its an amazing bass. pre as recorded is choking sound in a very *unnatural* way.
all harmonics are lost with weak overtones.

i hope for alan being the great gentleman he is has designed what is an amazing pre.
does not sound good at all with this this bass, in your hands , way its tweaked imho.

sorry to come off harsh, not meant with malice.
I know the YEARS put into the bart pre for willis. was tweaked custom and really suits a fretless. sounds amazing on this bass. imho/ fwiw.
would like to hear you after getting into this pre much deeper and the post more clips.
 
#9
BD - thanks for an articulate and thought-out critique.
We hear things differently. I like these sounds . I'm me, you're you. I was definitely going for more some more "over the top" sounds to see what some of the capabilities are.

Have you played a GWB1? Or are you going by reputation? I don't sound like Gary - even with the stock electronics. Not by a long shot. There's a reason he's Gary Willis, and I'm just a guy who plays bass.

One thing I learned doing this is that I really like the passive sound of the bass.
I don't hear the NTBT doing a good job of reproducing that passive sound. I've been dissatisfied with the sound of the NTBT since getting the bass. That's just me. Now I know that it's the way the NTBT sounds compared to the passive sound. BTW, Gary has said that it's the passive sound he likes, and went with a preamp based on Ibanez' recommedation that the bass needed one to sell in its market niche.

I can reproduce GWB1's passive sound better with the ACG than with the NTBT. Didn't record that, though.
I can also get some different sounds with it, and eventually I will perhaps get more subtle ones as well.

I'm curious if you listened to the other clips on the linked web page where I play passive and through the NTBT.
If you liked those clips (esp the NTBT) better than the ACG, then we hear things differently.
If you didn't like those clips, then it's just that you don't care for my playing :D
 
#10
kesslari said:
BD - thanks for an articulate and thought-out critique.
We hear things differently. I like these sounds . I'm me, you're you. I was definitely going for more some more "over the top" sounds to see what some of the capabilities are.

Have you played a GWB1? Or are you going by reputation? I don't sound like Gary - even with the stock electronics. Not by a long shot. There's a reason he's Gary Willis, and I'm just a guy who plays bass.

One thing I learned doing this is that I really like the passive sound of the bass.
I don't hear the NTBT doing a good job of reproducing that passive sound. I've been dissatisfied with the sound of the NTBT since getting the bass. That's just me. Now I know that it's the way the NTBT sounds compared to the passive sound. BTW, Gary has said that it's the passive sound he likes, and went with a preamp based on Ibanez' recommedation that the bass needed one to sell in its market niche.

I can reproduce GWB1's passive sound better with the ACG than with the NTBT. Didn't record that, though.
I can also get some different sounds with it, and eventually I will perhaps get more subtle ones as well.

I'm curious if you listened to the other clips on the linked web page where I play passive and through the NTBT.
If you liked those clips (esp the NTBT) better than the ACG, then we hear things differently.
If you didn't like those clips, then it's just that you don't care for my playing :D
Click to expand...



good reply kesslari. have played the gwb1 many times/ hours.
In fact directly and indirectly go back to its r&d before it was a willis bass.

you are correct, we all do hear differently and that is great. Hoshino pushed willis on the pre. that said may become useful live and recording when you are fighting a guitar player that loud ! :) perhaps...?

again if came off strong or rude, no malice intended. DO know this bass very well. also have at the same time have great respect for Alan and is so like able, talented thats why the shock when it cone to Gary Willis and the word Tone in same sentence ( mine). Please (not provoking) do flip some clips of the AC pre?
"can reproduce GWB1's passive sound better with the ACG than with the NTBT"
above is what you have said, would love to hear this. many of us are waiting to hear this pre...

did enjoy your playing! like to hear more!
hope there is a lot more and i am sure there is from the ac pre. alan is a sweet soul, i am sure there is more...

peace
 
#11
"can reproduce GWB1's passive sound better with the ACG than with the NTBT"
above is what you have said, would love to hear this. many of us are waiting to hear this pre...
Click to expand...

I figured that out when I got home and listened to the recordings, and then set the ACG flat. Very pure.
I'll have another chance to record next week, hopefully, and will do a sample of the ACG flat.
 
#12
Bassdesires
I am also interested in the ACG preamp but I look forward to hearing your audio samples so as I can make a comparison between preamps. Maybe your preamp is what I am after.
I really enjoy Talkbass!
Without the sharing attitudes of bass players we would not be so progressive and experimental as what we are today.
 
#13
After reading the comments here in response to the clips I felt the need to compare the sound clips of the two preamps myself.....I do like the Bart sound but I greatly prefer the sound of the ACG. I can't hear anything that I'd consider bad in the tone of the ACG at all....it sounds fabulous to me....much, much more open sounding than the Bart with a sweeter top end. Sounds like a winner. Thanks for the clips. I've got a bass that I'm going to drop some Bart CB's and my ACG preamp into. I'm even more excited about the pairing after these clips.
 
#14
After listening to the clips I decided to install the ACG into my bass.
Got it in place last night.
Gigged it today. It sounded GREAT!
Got a lot of compliments on the sound. I wound up playing 80% fretless on that gig (one where I usually play about 40% fretless).
Really, really impressed with the preamp. I was able to handle everything from roots rock to funky R&B, ballads, country - just awesome.
 

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