Good Pickups or Good Preamp

[XrisThaBassman]

Not sure of your locale, but you should be able to find a used Ampeg BA115 around somewhere in the price range you're looking for. That's plenty of amp for what you're doing, and the first place I'd look (besides your technique) to determine what's up with your tone.

 

[Josh Diaz]

Buying pickups is a big waste of time and money unless you know exactly what you don't like about your current ones and which specific pickups can address that. Doesn't sound like you're close to that. In fact, don't buy anything until you can articulate exactly what you feel is missing in your tone. You may just need a different type of strings, like flatwounds, or you may need an effects pedal or two. No one here can help you if you can't tell us exactly what type of tone you want to achieve and how your current tone is different from that.

Yeah.... I've already addressed what I need with someone else.

Maybe I missed it, but what exactly don’t you like about your sound now?

sorry I didn't specify. Now that I'm really thinking of it, my amp should've been my first priority, but anyway. The problem is that the sound im getting is too bland and dull, and that's after adjusting the eq's. All in all what im looking for is an amp that provides that clarity i need.

 

[nilorius]

Absolutely - good pickup/s

 

[Deleted member 271037]

You mean you are using the DI input on the U-Phoria? Not an external DI?

The DI inputs on the U-Phoria are RUBBISH! I know because I've got one. If that's what you are using you would improve your recorded sound CONSIDERABLY by getting a decent external DI. Like a Radial J48.

The U-Phoria is actually a very nice interface for the price EXCEPT for the instrument inputs. The DI inputs work ok for synths and such but they're absolutely HORRIBLE for a passive bass.

Get a decent quality DI, trust me. With that interface it's the best investment you can do. Changing the pickup will be a VERY marginal improvement by comparison.

 

[sikamikanico]

Bland and dull, that could be the amp... You can easily test that idea by going to a store with your bass, and try a bunch of different amps...

But is the tone also similarly bland/dull in recording? That could be addressed with string change and setup (chiefly, pickup height). Maybe higher gauge of the same strings you’re using, or some other brand or material (maybe stainless steel, or alloy 52). But first, get a screwdriver out and try different pickup heights and see what happens.

Also, how do you have your controls set on the bass? On the amp? Other equipment?

 

[MattZilla]

PF50-T, 112, rat clone with clean blend pedal, pics, fresh strings.

Or an entirely different sounding bass- EBMM stingray or sterling, Thumb, eb3

 

[Deleted member 271037]

I should also add to my previous post that if improving the RECORDED sound on a budget is the main priority here you could do far worse than getting the Decapitator plugin by SoundToys. It sounds absolutely amazing on DI'd bass. It usually gives me a lot cooler results than any amp sim plugins I've tried. Anything from a slight fattening of the sound to crazy overdriven mayhem is possible. It makes the bass cut through in the mix so easy that it almost feels like cheating. It also has a dry/wet blend function and a really nice high pass filter with a switchable resonant peak that can make the bottom very fat and punchy. This plugin isn't specifically made for bass but it certainly sounds like it!

 

[4StringTheorist]

Now that I'm really thinking of it, my amp should've been my first priority, but anyway. The problem is that the sound im getting is too bland and dull, and that's after adjusting the eq's. All in all what im looking for is an amp that provides that clarity i need.

Try playing with the volume and tone knobs fully clockwise. That's the way to get the brightest tone on a passive bass. Also, if you want livlier, give some stainless steel strings a try too... D'Addario Prosteels should be in the same music shop that you're getting your Nickel XLs.

 

[Two-Spirit]

I vote for new pickups.

 

[dBChad]

Not trying to add to the confusion, but my vote is for a good pre-amp.

A good pre-amp can be used to record, sent to the board for playing live, and run a set of headphones for quiet practice (many even have aux inputs so you can connect a drum machine or some pre-recorded music to jam along with).

A couple reasons why I choose pre-amp over pickups: Aftermarket pickups usually reduce your bass' resale value. Best case, you can sell it to someone else who wants exactly he same pickups you already installed, but if you can wait to find that buyer and still want to break even, the install better be on point. I also originally thought the pickups in my current bass were a bit lacking when I first brought it home and just played around the house. When I started playing with others, I noticed how well my bass fit in the mix and realized that the stock pickups were pretty well thought out. There's a lot of really great pre-amps for a small budget that will add tons of versatility to your tone and work with your current bass, your future bass, your buddies bass, etc.

Good luck!

 

[Jeff Scott]

Good Pickups or Good Preamp

Always start at the source - good pickups. All my basses are passive and they all sounds superb.

 

[phillipkregg]

Get some better pickups. If you don’t like what your current pickups are delivering now, adding a preamp is only going to give you the ability to enhance a tone you’re not happy with.

I second this. I’ve got a bass that has had three sets of high-quality pick ups in it since I got it, and it sounded like three completely different basses each time.

Pickups will make a huge difference in your sound, however it’s a little tricky because you never know what a set of pickups is gonna sound like until it’s already in the bass.

For what it’s worth I’m using Nordstrand fat stacks right now and they sound amazing.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

A preamp amplifies something that's already there & can add as well.
The problem is that when it adds something that's not there it's also raising the noise threshold.

Get good pickups & go passive.

 

[Wulfensteiner]

I go DI into a behringer u-phoria

Look man, you have probably heard it all before, but Behringer just may be your problem. Their amplification side of things? Has gotten better in recent times, but still not great. Shop around and check out some reviews and demos. The DI box actually matters more than people realise.

To answer your question though, (after addressing your signal chain of course) pickups would be the optimal choice. A preamp can only do so much in a given context. It sounds like you don't quite get what you're looking for.

Hope this was helpful!

 

[Wulfensteiner]

Buying pickups is a big waste of time and money unless you know exactly what you don't like about your current ones and which specific pickups can address that. Doesn't sound like you're close to that. In fact, don't buy anything until you can articulate exactly what you feel is missing in your tone. You may just need a different type of strings, like flatwounds, or you may need an effects pedal or two. No one here can help you if you can't tell us exactly what type of tone you want to achieve and how your current tone is different from that.

I disagree on some points, and I agree on others. Effects pedals are more of a bandaid on a bullet hole solution and could also be a bottomless money pit. Getting a quality, suitable amp or the right kind of pickups has caused several boards to dramatically shrink in my time!

 

[JimmyM]

Get some better pickups. If you don’t like what your current pickups are delivering now, adding a preamp is only going to give you the ability to enhance a tone you’re not happy with.

Agreed.

 

[MordBass]

heres a thought... do you play live anywhere with a decent PA? or do you guys jam with a decent PA? if thats the case... a good preamp pedal (sansamp, sadowsky, aguilar, mxr etc) could add quality tone shaping for recordings AND live situation for a pretty reasonable price. You can run a 1/4" out to your amp to use as a monitor, and run the xlr out to the board.
For recording.. just run the xlr to your interface and youre good.

FWIW... I have played the same bass you have at the store and it is VERY capable of producing quality tones. I would only change the pups if you prefer the subtle differences of something else but I assure you that the bass, in stock form.... is capable of pretty much anything.

 

[JW56789]

The best preamp you could consider is worthless with pickups you don't like. You'd just have a better controlled version of something you don't like already.

The pickups are the very first link in the chain of pickups, their controls on the bass, your amp, and your speakers. Start at one end and work down to the other.

 

[Sean Parsons]

I used to mess around with pickups in my guitars and was never really satified with the cost and hassle for a neglidgable change in tone.

I then discovered boosters and thats where my money went. I’ve got Xotic EP, AC/RC Oz and they still add their bit of magic to my bass tone.

Xotic do a bass specific RC Booster. If you can stretch the budget I’m pretty sure you will find it much more satisfying than a pickup swap.

Just an idea!

 

[Aidenn7]

Dude.. You play Rock and Punk.. Quarter pounder pickup or geezer butler pickup.. Ampeg di pedal.. That should do the trick.. Make your combo and di board sound better.. Plus that pedal has a distortion too.. Buy used.. Get pedal first.. Try the eq settings. Also sans amp bass driver v2 is another option