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help deciding with marcus miller bass

Mmiller bass

  • have shielded and rewired

    Votes: 3 23.1%

  • sell bass

    Votes: 2 15.4%

  • upgrade to john east pre amp

    Votes: 4 30.8%

  • upgrade to another pre amp (please specify)

    Votes: 4 30.8%
  • Total voters
    13
Nv_D_SlapnPop

Nv_D_SlapnPop

Mar 1, 2010
116
1
philadelphia
#1
well, i've owned my miller bass for many years but it has a few things that could be better. i'm not sure if i would want to upgrade or just sell off and buy something else, i love the sound acoustic and the feel is great.
first thing is the noise, i have never brought it to the studio because of this and rarely record at home with it, i know it's supposed to be vintage sounding but i pickup radio stations, and if i touch metal it makes a sound. i've read the "silencing the noise on a mm bass" thread but i'm not really mechanically handy and would be too scared of breaking something. my local shop would most likely do the work and would probably cost quite a bit so here's my dilemma:
do i have it rewired and shielded, have a new pre amp installed or just get rid of it? i like the sound of the john east j retro for the miller bass already wired to the pickguard but for $350 i could buy another bass. i've read alot about the sadowsky but $240 may be close enough to $350 that would just put out the extra cash to have the best the first time. or how about the aguilar obp's? thanks everyone!
 
#2
Nv_D_SlapnPop said:
well, i've owned my miller bass for many years but it has a few things that could be better, i love the sound acoustic and the feel is great.

i like the sound of the john east j retro for the miller bass already wired to the pickguard but for $350 i could buy another bass. i've read alot about the sadowsky but $240 may be close enough to $350 that would just put out the extra cash to have the best the first time. or how about the aguilar obp's? thanks everyone!
Click to expand...

If i were you i would get a shielding job and a Sadowsky or Aguilar obp-1 preamp.

The East is just too expensive IMO.
 
#3
I say sell the bass and this is why: Fenders, if they are stock, have irrational appreciation value. Even overseas Fenders, like a Marcus - if you leave it stock, it will gain value over time. You start replacing stuff, and that, as they say, is that.

I'd sell it and find a stock bass you DO like. Heck, you'll probably save money doing that (do the math: Add the cost of new preamp/wiring with how much you could sell the bass for as is... If that total equals a bass you'd be happy with, it's a no brainer)
 
#5
BigOldHarry said:
I say sell the bass and this is why: Fenders, if they are stock, have irrational appreciation value. Even overseas Fenders, like a Marcus - if you leave it stock, it will gain value over time. You start replacing stuff, and that, as they say, is that.

I'd sell it and find a stock bass you DO like. Heck, you'll probably save money doing that (do the math: Add the cost of new preamp/wiring with how much you could sell the bass for as is... If that total equals a bass you'd be happy with, it's a no brainer)
Click to expand...

+1 - I considered all sorts of upgrades for my Marcus Miller, but then I started adding up what it would total, and started thinking about how that would impact eventual resale value (reality: upgrades always cost way more than they're worth in resale).
So instead I sold the MM, stock, for about what I paid for it, and for about that same amount I found a very good deal (eBay) on a much better active 4-stringer.

Exception: If you're really thinking that you're going to keep the Marcus Miller for many years to come, and you really love the way it feels, then, yeah, it probably would make sense to go for the upgrade.
And, of course, if $$ is no object, then for the upgrade even if it's not a keeper.
 
#9
just got back from my local shop and he said $150 to shield and rewire it if i bring in the schematic. this seemed a little high but i was thinking if i bought the preamp like an obp then it would already be rewired. oh btw the current stock pre amp also makes a light popping sound for as long as it's switched to the on position. the bass works without a battery when the pre amp is in passive mode, i think that is a good thing.thansk everyone for your advice so far.
 
#10
Hi guys. Just bought a brand spanking new MM4. That about replacing the pre amp sounds interesting. My tone controls work only in active mode, in by pass mode the tone is flat. With Fatbeams the tone and feel is fantastic I think, and this is a keeper for me. My toggle switch only pops when pulled really slow from pos 1 to pos 2. When pulled quickly, as when playing, there's no pop at all. Why do you feel it is necessecary to swap the pre amp? Or am I just not having the problem?
 

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