Concentric bass/treble pre

[carl h.]

I've only managed to come up with 2 inexpensive options:

the EMG BTC control and
the Basslines STC-2C-BO

Is one any better than the other or are they basically the same unit?

The only visible difference I can see from on line is the EMG contains enough knobs to hit both volume controls too, and the Basslines only has knobs for the unit itself.

 

[carl h.]

Nobody has tried these?

 

[mmbongo]

Any pre can have concentric controls, you just use concentric pots instead of singles. Look into Aguilar, Audere, Bartolini, Nordstrand, Delano, and Glockenklang. I personally prefer Audere then Aguilar.

 

[testing1two]

I think the OP is making this decision strictly on price (EMG BT is only $79 and the Duncan is $59). Between the two I would go with the EMG preamp because they at least publish Invalid Link Removed whereas Duncan seems to publish technical terms like "the lows are deep, clear, and tight."

 

[ctmullins]

Both reputable companies, both compact "circuitry-on-the-pot" preamps. I was in this same boat recently, and chose the EMG. Part of the reason for my choice was the high frequency configurability - the EMG has two dip-switches offering four different settings; the Duncan has one switch and two settings. Another factor was the guarantee of 18v operation with the EMG - Duncan doesn't state whether or not theirs is 18v capable. But the main reason was that I found a used one in the Classifieds for a great price!

 

[Lewy_369]

I'll soon be buying the EMG BTC Control for my bass, simply because I already have an EMG pickup so I can get the solderless installation done myself. I have very little wiring experience and don't want to risk anything or pay someone else to do it for me.

 

[carl h.]

CT, how have you been liking the BTC so far?

 

[NelsonNelson]

Soldering is really easy, just make sure you have the type of solder that has the flux in it and lay down a towel around your bass so you don't destroy the finish. I suggest the EMG just because I have the same stacked pot built into my Bartolini system and it's great.

 

[ctmullins]

CT, how have you been liking the BTC so far?

I'm liking it. It's pretty neutral, meaning that it doesn't really have a "sound", but since I like the sound of the bass itself, that's a good thing.

I'm using the lowest high-frequency setting - 2.1kHz - because I play pop-rock, and I wanted to be able to add punch, and not just shimmer. Rolling off the treble mimics a passive tone control, and, since my instrument is naturally fairly bright, lets me achieve a more old-school sound. The bass control is lower than some, and boosting it produces results that are more felt than heard - good for adding a solid pseudo-sub-bass nature to the tone. I cannot imagine a scenario in which I would want to cut the bass, so that's a superfluous ability in my book.

I'm in the middle of a completely custom 5-string build in which I will install a BTS, which is the same circuitry, along with a pair of TV Jones Thunder'blades; as soon as it's finished, I'll try to remember to follow up about it here!