Yes. The experiment I was conducting was to see if an MFD would overdrive the front end of that preamp. So one fateful afternoon, I pulled the alnico out of the LB-100 and swapped the MFD from my SB-2 into it. I wired it to the preamp, and it was a winner. The preamp is just an EQ--active treble and bass on concentric pots--and it works well with the MFD. I never moved the MFD back into the SB-2. I just bought a new one from G&L and dropped it into there. I tell everybody that I have a G&L Tribute LB-100Ma for "MFD active." I think it's the best sounding LB-100 in the world (but that's just me).
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That's killer. I bet it sounds better, I prefer the MFD over alnicos also. Your bass looks great also
Pretty cool experiment, there.
Supposedly there was talk of an active L-1000 back in 1980, but probably none were ever built. Not that an L-1000 needs any help, but it might have been just the thing to keep the L-1000 from being eclipsed into virtual extinction by the monster L2K e-series.
So few production active P basses have been offered over the years. Maybe it's time to take matters into one's own hands, like you did! With that crazy idea I traded for a Maru P bass a while ago. It was built with a factory installed Delano Sonus 3-band, and a Maru P pickup. It's pretty killer as-is, but I'm going to install a Delano P pickup that I have laying around to match up with the pre, just for kicks.
Back on topic....an active SB-1. Too much horsepower? Nah, no such thing. Magic 8 Ball says...."I see a MFD pickup in the Maru's future".
Rumor has it that when Paul Gagon designed the M-2x00, the MFD humbucker overdrove the front end of his M-series preamp. So he designed the underwound MFDs that are in the M2000. While not all MFDs are created equal, I wanted to see what that split coil and that 2-band active EQ would do together. It was magic. Not overpowering at all. Beautiful tone. The battery is an issue. There's just not much space in that control cavity. I recommend putting a battery box in the back or using an outboard power supply like I do. Be warned, though. An outboard power supply will void the warranty on a preamp, so never, ever mention you're using one....an active SB-1. Too much horsepower? Nah, no such thing. Magic 8 Ball says...."I see a MFD pickup in the Maru's future".
I once bought a MIM P bass with an added EMG X pickup. The EMG kit comes with a battery setup that "fits into the existing control cavity, no routing needed". Well, it does. Or at least it did, until I changed out the battery one day. Took me 15 minutes to squeeze it all back in. It was like....origami. After that stoopidness I had my tech buddy add a rear battery box!
Not a problem on the Maru, though....
The proper solution is one of each LOL. I love how both basses sound and play and won't sell either of them. I'd actually love another L-2000 in a different color, maybe wood tone and I want to own a USA made, Lakland 44-94 with matching headstock, eventually
I have a Lakland. It's nice, but my G&L M2500 is more nicerest.
Some things just need to be reiterated.
it was redundant, but it wasn't repetitively redundant
This makes me wonder just how underwound those pickups are.
Sometimes, I think I want a JB with the M-series humbuckers in it.
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The report I heard said that they were 20% under wound. In other words, they're 80% of what a full blown MFD humbucker is. I don't remember where I heard that, so I'm not saying it's the truth. Memo at G&L will probably know for sure. His email is [email protected] or [email protected]. His phone extension is 156. I owned an M2000 about 5 years ago, and even with the 3-band active EQ, I didn't care that much for it. It was much closer to a regular Jazz Bass sound than to an L2000, IMO. On the other hand, I am just plain inept at getting a 3-band EQ set where I like it, so that probably had something to do with it.
Assuming this to be true, that leads me to believe that you could run those pickups passive.
I'm sure you can, but I'm not sure how strong their output would be. Why not just use a couple of the L-series MFD humbuckers?
I'll agree, plus my L2K in an option order, exactly what I wanted. Empress body, 7.4lbs of "oh heck ya!"
I like both my M series quite a lot. They scratch my black bass itch. I'd love another L2K, possibly natural swamp ash with maple neck, totally different look. But still killer. What Lakland do you own, 55-02?
I'm very curious about this bass.
I don't think these are M-series but man would I love to see how it sounds.
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The Laklands and the G&Ls are subtle variations on the same theme: a more perfect evolution of the Fender bass. Both build exceptional instruments, tailored to the slightly-divergent wants/needs of the builders. Leo obviously never stopped tweaking his design, and I consider the L2xxx to be the culmination of his vision. The Lakland basses branch off of the family tree somewhere not too far distant from the MusicMan instruments, and like the G&L have incorporated quite of bit of more-recent technologies into current designs. They're more alike than different, imho, and I don't think any of either user group would be terribly upset if they found themselves having to drive the other group's flagship instrument at a gig or session.
Having said all of that, I am particularly fond of the passive tone setup of the G&L basses. It's brilliant, even if slightly less-flexible than the Lakland LH3 preamp.
Up until I picked up my CLF L2500/750, my fretless Lakland 5502 had been the bass I always grabbed, now I'm genuinely conflicted about which one(s) to take to gigs. First-world problem, I know. Life in bass world is pretty good these days.
Full disclosure, I gig with these instruments, and they each have their strengths and weaknesses:
Alembic Series I 4-string (best sounding of them all, but it's heavy and requires an external power supply and special cable)
Lakland 5502 fretless 5-string (perfection in a fretless bass, imho)
G&L (CLF Research) L2500/750 5-string with wide spacing (just plug it in and go, any genre)
G&L Tribute L2000 4-string (just plug it in and go, any genre, and it didn't cost very much - might install flatwounds on it)
Ibanez EHB1506MS 6-string (I use it for jazz gigs where a 6-string can be handy, works without a battery)
LTD B208 8-string (great for power trio stuff, classic and progressive rock, huge sound)
Any of these except the 8-string could easily function as an only bass for me, but it's nice to have options.
John
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