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Thanks! I didn't see that, but it's very helpful!
I'm probably buying a BTB745 which has BH2 pickups. I'd rather not spend extra money replacing the pickups/preamp if I can just rewire/reconfigure things to do the trick.
So, I bought the BTB745 and have been messing with the sounds and settings. Originally the output was plugged into the VM3 and the input was at 0db. I tried setting it up with VM3/6db and BQ3/6db, but finally have settled on BQ3/0db. My other two basses have USA Barts (one with 2J Squared MM pups, and the other with a 2J Squared MM and a CBC Jazz) and the BH2 is not only bassier but also "darker" in that they have less treble response.
This bass is a keeper, so I'll probably replace the pickups with Big Splits and the preamp with an Audere, but that won't be for a while. I want to get this set up as well as possible.
How do the BH2's sound in parallel as compared to series? I've never soldered on PCB boards and want to make sure the sound difference is worth it before I risk messing things up with my gorilla soldering skills. My soldering station has variable temp and has a blade tip already installed.
Thanks!
This bass is a keeper, so I'll probably replace the pickups with Big Splits and the preamp with an Audere, but that won't be for a while. I want to get this set up as well as possible.
How do the BH2's sound in parallel as compared to series? I've never soldered on PCB boards and want to make sure the sound difference is worth it before I risk messing things up with my gorilla soldering skills. My soldering station has variable temp and has a blade tip already installed.
Thanks!
I tried the BTB745 at church for the first time today and so far these pickups are doing pretty well. Granted, I've got rounds on the bass and have some flats coming in the mail (I can't stand rounds) so that might reduce treble presence a bit, but we'll see.
One thing that stands out, though, is that this bass is not at all well shielded - definite buzz. I also don't like how the eq sounds either in BEQ3 or VM3, so I'll be replacing it with an Audere probably in September. I might install a series/parallel switch, but the Audere blend is stereo, so I could truly adjust the tone just by changing the blend a bit.
One thing that stands out, though, is that this bass is not at all well shielded - definite buzz. I also don't like how the eq sounds either in BEQ3 or VM3, so I'll be replacing it with an Audere probably in September. I might install a series/parallel switch, but the Audere blend is stereo, so I could truly adjust the tone just by changing the blend a bit.
They definitely spund much more bright in parallel-if you perceive "mudiness" then switching to parallel would improve the situation.
I also think that a lot changes with the Varimid settings. Before switching the preamp I would suggest twiddling around with those a bit more.
Preach... I have an SRMS805 with the BH2s and the stock preamp and I HATE the amount of background buzz you get from it. It sounds good otherwise but the buzz grinds my gears.
Weird, my srms625ex, with the same pickups/EQ, is dead silent as far as I can tell. Maybe it has better shielding?
My EHBs 1005SMS and EHB1000S are absolutely quiet. Don't know what's going on.
The preamp isn't noisy at all when I'm playing at home through an amp, but as soon as I start using headphones I can hear the buzz when I take my fingers off the strings. It sounds like the bass is not well grounded. It's super apparent when I'm playing at church since we use in-ear monitors and I've got my level up. Nobody else would notice the buzz, but it's there. My other basses are silent, but then I did the wiring and made sure they're properly shielded and grounded.
Playing it for the first time at church today I think I'm going to leave the pickups as-is. They sound good enough and they're different enough from my other basses that this bass has its own niche. I definitely want to replace the preamp, though.
Playing it for the first time at church today I think I'm going to leave the pickups as-is. They sound good enough and they're different enough from my other basses that this bass has its own niche. I definitely want to replace the preamp, though.
Could be. In my case, the buzz is significantly attenuated (but not gone) if you turn the treble control all the way down.
I'm planning to do the parallel wiring and front/back | inner/outer coils switching mod and replace the preamp, so I'll do a shielding job while I'm at it and hopefully that'll be the end of it.
I've had to do shielding on several basses, my apartment is fairly old with less than awesome wiring, combined with it's small size & all the electronics in it, it causes problems with basses that aren't shielded well.
My 625ex, and my old 885le that's been gutted and rebuilt with all EMG electronics, are the only active basses I have that haven't needed further shielding work - a few of my passives have needed it as well.
Usually solves the problem
Just following up on this question. I rewired the BH2's in parallel and didn't notice an increase in treble response as much as a decrease in boomy bass. I'm not finding them balanced sounding with the EQ flat, but they sound pretty good with a bit of treble boost or backing off on the bass eq.
I'm going to replace the preamp with Audere and we'll see how that sounds.
Have you A/B's the BH2's in parallel with Bartolini CBC's? What I don't want to do is spend a bunch of money on a pickup chase only to get marginal improvements.
Thanks!
I'm going to replace the preamp with Audere and we'll see how that sounds.
Have you A/B's the BH2's in parallel with Bartolini CBC's? What I don't want to do is spend a bunch of money on a pickup chase only to get marginal improvements.
Thanks!
Also, how do these pickups sound with inner coils or outer coils selected?
Again, I'm trying to avoid buying replacement pickups.
Again, I'm trying to avoid buying replacement pickups.
I changed strings to my trusty Sadowsky flats and they're a good match for these pickups in parallel. Here's the bass:
I'm definitely changing the preamp to an Audere because I think it'll clean up the sound even more and give more usable EQ frequencies. They way they sound now I don't think there's a need to replace these pickups. I'm thinking of installing a 4PDT switch for outer singles/parallel/inner singles wiring.
I'm definitely changing the preamp to an Audere because I think it'll clean up the sound even more and give more usable EQ frequencies. They way they sound now I don't think there's a need to replace these pickups. I'm thinking of installing a 4PDT switch for outer singles/parallel/inner singles wiring.
Yeah, I'm not noticing an opening up of highs and high mids. Maybe I did something wrong...
Could also be the boomy bass/ mud pulling back so I hear it better. I string my EHB with cobalt rounds too which have their own pretty distinct voice through the mids. Either way I'm happy with it to the point of not being in a rush to ditch them. I also have multiple preamps that I could swap in to include an audere that I bought specifically for this bass once I route in and install the triple set of pickups I have for it.
Okay, I did notice that they're less boomy, so that could make it appear to bring more highs and mids. When I get the Audere installed I'll wire the pickups to a outer singles/parallel/inner singles switch and see how I like the options before drilling a hole. I might eventually change out the pickups, though - not sure.
