(Hope I'm not stepping on anyone's boundaries...)
A bit of Invalid Link Removed at ACG, involving a guy named Stanley Clarke...
A bit of Invalid Link Removed at ACG, involving a guy named Stanley Clarke...
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ACG onboard preamp (ACG/John East design)
- Thread starter emjazz
- Start date
it had to go in a little funny, but it's in, and it works:
the fact that it works is only significant because I felt I did it sloppily.
If it looks upsidedown/backwards/completely odd, well it is, as it is in a lefty.
I'll review it's sound later, when I'm more used to it. But It sounds great and full so far.
the fact that it works is only significant because I felt I did it sloppily.
If it looks upsidedown/backwards/completely odd, well it is, as it is in a lefty.
I'll review it's sound later, when I'm more used to it. But It sounds great and full so far.
Erm, Skelf, might I ask what the in put impedance of the 4 knob 2 pickups version of the pre-amp is? Thanks.
I think I may now have the greatest number of AGC pre-amps? That must make me a fan
I have an 01 in my harlot and have now fitted 02's in my Lane Poor Flea, Allparts 70's Jazz and my Warmoth P except.....
As of today it's a Warmoth D!
Alan has in fact had more to do with this latest mod than 'just' providing the ultimate pre-amp. He also routed the 51 P Korina body and made a pickup surround out of macasser ebony.
When I rebuilt the bass I had the volume wide open and all the other 4 knobs fully anti-clockwise. I was surprised to get such a useable response through the low pass filter with this setting. The Wizard Thumper would have been too muddy without some threshold gain applied.
The Darkstar/ACG02 combination is a delight. An improvement on the P? Most definately.
So that's The Warmoth, my refinished sunburst Flea with Lane Poor and my Jazz with 5% overwound Lindy fralin's and a 70's bridge pup position all retrofitted with ACG02s and I'm one very happy bunny.
Way to go!!
Oh and I have another Harlot (a 4) on the way too
Peter
I have an 01 in my harlot and have now fitted 02's in my Lane Poor Flea, Allparts 70's Jazz and my Warmoth P except.....
As of today it's a Warmoth D!
Alan has in fact had more to do with this latest mod than 'just' providing the ultimate pre-amp. He also routed the 51 P Korina body and made a pickup surround out of macasser ebony.
When I rebuilt the bass I had the volume wide open and all the other 4 knobs fully anti-clockwise. I was surprised to get such a useable response through the low pass filter with this setting. The Wizard Thumper would have been too muddy without some threshold gain applied.
The Darkstar/ACG02 combination is a delight. An improvement on the P? Most definately.
So that's The Warmoth, my refinished sunburst Flea with Lane Poor and my Jazz with 5% overwound Lindy fralin's and a 70's bridge pup position all retrofitted with ACG02s and I'm one very happy bunny.
Way to go!!
Oh and I have another Harlot (a 4) on the way too
Peter
Ok. took about 1 hour for the installation, but thats cos i had to unsolder the output jack cos its not in the control cavity. (side output jack)
First thought: im not gonna miss the audere much.
Can only try it on my small 15 watt practice amp now, so i'll have to wait till i get to my proper bass amp in hostel. It took quite some time to familarise myself with the controls, takes a lot of getting used to. Its a very radical concept for me, but so far, its been great! It's like opening a whole new palette of tones.
BTW, any idea is this pre can take 18V?
got a spare battery compartment on my nordy that might just end up as a spare battery holder it if cant take 18V 
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
Nice looking basses! I agree that the Darkstars go well with the ACG pres. I have an ACG01 (weird that the 01 has two hp filters and the 02 has one. ) in a '67 Starfire with Darkstars and the combination is perfect.
Edwin
Oh yes. One more thing, anyone else thinks that it would be a good idea to have an active/passive switch built in that bypasses the two filter stacks when engaged? so that you are left with vol/bal/tone.
cos i find it hard to work out the settings without the familiar flat settings to start from. (easier for friends who borrow ur bass to try out also.)
cos i find it hard to work out the settings without the familiar flat settings to start from. (easier for friends who borrow ur bass to try out also.)
Hi
The pre-amp will work with a 18 volt supply. There is a learning curve with the pre-amp simply because it does not work the same way as a cut/boost EQ but stick with it it is worth the effort.
With regard to a bypass.
As the original concept for the pre-amp was for my own basses (I only sold the pre-amp to recoup some of the development costs) and I do not really like passive basses the pre-amp was done with out a bypass as I wanted to produce a fully active bass. With the introduction of the 02 unit which is for sale a bypass would probably be a good idea. The 02 unit is derived directly from the 01 pre-amp and uses the same basic circuit which helped to reduce the initial development cost. A bypass would require a complete re design of the main board which at this point time I simply cannot afford to do. I am taking note of all the comments about the pre-amp and at some point in the future, as yet undecided, we will bring out a Mark 2 version which will address any issues/features people tell/ask about.
Alan
The pre-amp will work with a 18 volt supply. There is a learning curve with the pre-amp simply because it does not work the same way as a cut/boost EQ but stick with it it is worth the effort.
With regard to a bypass.
As the original concept for the pre-amp was for my own basses (I only sold the pre-amp to recoup some of the development costs) and I do not really like passive basses the pre-amp was done with out a bypass as I wanted to produce a fully active bass. With the introduction of the 02 unit which is for sale a bypass would probably be a good idea. The 02 unit is derived directly from the 01 pre-amp and uses the same basic circuit which helped to reduce the initial development cost. A bypass would require a complete re design of the main board which at this point time I simply cannot afford to do. I am taking note of all the comments about the pre-amp and at some point in the future, as yet undecided, we will bring out a Mark 2 version which will address any issues/features people tell/ask about.
Alan
it had to go in a little funny, but it's in, and it works:
the fact that it works is only significant because I felt I did it sloppily.
If it looks upsidedown/backwards/completely odd, well it is, as it is in a lefty.
I'll review it's sound later, when I'm more used to it. But It sounds great and full so far.
are those burns from the soldering iron by the jack???
the trick is to do your soldering / assembly OUTSIDE your bass. you can use a thick piece of cardboard to hold the knobs in the proper configuration...then remove the assembly and place it in your bass...Nino Valenti does it this way, that's where I got the idea...he's a clever dude, that nino...
are those burns from the soldering iron by the jack???
the trick is to do your soldering / assembly OUTSIDE your bass. you can use a thick piece of cardboard to hold the knobs in the proper configuration...then remove the assembly and place it in your bass...Nino Valenti does it this way, that's where I got the idea...he's a clever dude, that nino...
I made a silly mistake but it wasn't with putting the ACG in, that took all of 10 seconds worth of soldering, hardest part was sanding the knob holes to be slightly larger.
Anyways my review: I like it considerably more than any cut/boost pre-amp. My pickups have punch to them, and even with the filter pulled back to the lowest frequemcy and boosted full, even though its a really deep low sound, it's still a fairly punchy deep low sound that suits the pickups.
I can change the entire characteristic of my bass to fit whatever style. Where a rock tone involves some treble filter and a nearly open low filter, just roll them back a little ways to get a jazzy tone. You can find a setting you like and keep it there, but such little tweeks can turn your sound intosomething else. The frequency the treble filter stops at doesn't make as big of a difference until you start boosting it, but having that filter is very important to me, it ups the versatility considerably.
I have to go to work right now, maybe I'll say more when I get back...
Thanks!
oh, when running 18V, will it be like the audere, which has a signifiantly longer battery life running in 18V compared to 9V? Or will I just have more headroom?
Its really a great pre.. i must say, just got back from practice with my band, and i never had an easier time cutting through. =)
oh, when running 18V, will it be like the audere, which has a signifiantly longer battery life running in 18V compared to 9V? Or will I just have more headroom?
Its really a great pre.. i must say, just got back from practice with my band, and i never had an easier time cutting through. =)
Running at 18 volts will increase the headroom but I don't think it will extend the battery life. If you run the two batteries in parallel you will get extended life but that would be 9 volt not 18 volt.
Alan
Alan
I used mine at a noisy bar gig tonight. It allowed my bass to be heard and also sound great. Thanks Skelf for building such a bass-friendly preamp. 
Fun indeed!
Fun indeed!
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