I agree MaxSpirun, I have to check the new preamp with the original pick up first. I had a reason to change the preamp; I don't have any to change the pick up.
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Changing my Stingray's preamp
- Thread starter Sacha 2A
- Start date
I would personally keep it stock but if I were to change preamps, I would go with a Nordstrand or John East all day long.
You're talking about an EBMM Stingray, right?
If that's the case, I'd keep the original pickup. If I were to choose a different pickup, I would not choose Nordstrand or Aguilar because they are not that different from the original. I'd choose a Seymour Duncan SMB4A, which has a slightly different flavour but still very good. I personally didn't like the Delano that I tried.
If you're talking about a Special with the neo pickups, then Nordstrand/Aguilar would be my choice, for a 'classic' Stingray type of sound... but frankly the Special's pickup is great.
Try the preamp first and see.
Maybe I spoke to him, he has been very nice on the phone. He answered clearly to all the questions I had about the preamp.You probably spoke to John
Yes macnach I will use the bass with the new preamp and keep the pickup that is on my bass. After having thought seriously about this, I won't change the pickup. And yes, my bass is an EBMM Stingray, made in 2007.
I have just discovered that the problem on my bass is worse than what I thought : when I slide my fingers on the neck, touching lightly the strings and moving along the neck, there is a noise of electricity, I don't know how to describe it. So it is not only when I don't touch anything metallic that there is something wrong. I really hope that the changing of the preamp will resolve these problems.
The stock pickup is excellent on that bass. It is a big part of what makes a Stingray what it is. Unless there's something wrong with it, you're right to leave it alone.
This is more evidence that your problem involves shielding/grounding and is not a problem with the preamp.
I'm sure you will enjoy the East preamp but be sure to save the original (as there's probably nothing wrong with it). Hopefully your local luthier will solve the grounding issue when he rewires the bass and it won't be a problem anymore.
Yes you are right I will save the original preamp. And even though the problem does not come from the preamp, I don't regret to change it because I will get the sound of the old Stingrays, which I really like. And of course I hope that everything will be alright after having rewired the bass.
It is done ! The preamp John East is installed in my bass... And it sounds awesome ( and without the buzz I had before ). Everything that I had before still remains ( which is normal, I havent changed the pickup ) but I find it is better now. The lows are deeper and I love the color of the sound, which I find more "pronounced" than what it was with the original preamp. The setting of the equalization is also different and it needs a while to find the right way : lows and trebles don't have a stop at the halfway and you have the mids with a double knob. With what I've tested ( I only have it since two hours ), the best is to put the treble less at around 20 %, the lows completely on and the mids at 50 %. With that setting, the sound is really awesome and very well balanced. You get all the frequencies, nothing is missing with a very clear and precise sound. I remind you that I've had this Stingray since only two months. I was finding this bass really good but something was missing, there was not enough personality in the sound. Even though I've changed the preamp for another reason ( a buzz that my luthier could not find how to fix it ), I have taken my decision to change it also because I was hoping to get something better. And I don't regret it at all, it is exactly what I was expecting : no more buzz and a sound that is for me definitely better.
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Since yesterday and the moment my luthier brought me back the bass with my new John East preamp, I've been playing on the bass for hours, testing all the possibilities with the new preamp. And I confirm that for me it is better than what it was before. The sound has more amplitude from the lows to the highs. For finger style, the setting of the equalization is definitely for me lows completely on, Mids at 50 % and high at 20 %. For playing with the pick or on slap and getting a brighter sound I keep the same for lows and mids and push the highs to 50 %. It is defenetely awesome !
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That's great news. Now you have me debating to do the same. My 2003 EBMM Stingray has the same symptoms that you had. Thx for sharing.
Wait ! I have recorded my bass on my home studio and I've heard... the same buzz that I had before changing the preamp !! Changing the preamp has not resolved anything !
I was kind of afraid that would be the case.
(This is not at all "I told you so", I sincerely promise!)
There is a pretty easy fix for the right guitar tech. I wish you the best of luck in finding that person. I wish you were close by, I'd love to check it out for you. I've had good luck in fixing errant noise issues in basses, but I've never had to work on a Stingray.
At least when it's repaired, it will sound so very good!
Was the noise evident at the luthier's workshop, and they couldn't resolve it there?
Or, we're they never able to reproduce the problem you were encountering, and unable to establish a cause - only for the problem to return at your home / studio?
Again, is this problem only exhibited at your home / studio, and not at the luthier's workshop?
There are any number of reasons why your building (lighting, wiring, etc) could be the cause, but furthermore, the devices you're connecting the instrument to could also be the cause (pedals, amp, recording device).
It's quite possible for an otherwise clean signal path, to have high frequency electrical noise introduced depending on how the audio interface is connected to the computer, and how the computer is earthed / grounded.
