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Help me choose pickup/pre fretless with single MM

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by AndyPanda, Feb 21, 2018.


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  1. Feb 21, 2018 #1
    AndyPanda

    AndyPanda

    May 11, 2014
    Alameda, California
    I just slapped this together from odds and ends I had lying about and a body I picked up in the classifieds (thanks!). It really plays well and weighs only 7 lbs without a pickup. Should be right around or under 8 lbs when it's done. I'll probably go plastic speed knobs instead of the heavy brass knobs too - and I'd be just as happy with a bent plate bridge as the BA but I had it in my spare parts drawer.

    Anyway ... on to business at hand. I was thinking the Seymour Duncan MM pickup and not sure whether to go passive or a 2 band pre - and wonder how the SD 2 band pre pairs with the SD MM pickup. And since I'll probably have TI flats on this (or will I?) I'm not really sure how much I'd use the 2 band and would probably be just as happy with a passive tone. But the body already has the battery compartment so seems like I might as well put a 2 band in there.

    Any suggestions on pickup/pre or anyone using the SD MM pickup paired with the SD 2 eq on a fretless?

    Fretless_MM.
     
    Zoobiedood likes this.
  5. Feb 24, 2018 #2
    eastcoasteddie

    eastcoasteddie

    Mar 24, 2006
    NoVA
    I have a bass that I occasionally switch the necks on between fretted and fretless.
    ECCC1542-8771-4111-9D42-3D05280B79B4.

    The pickup is a Carvin AlNiCo, probably similar in tone to the SD AlNiCo.
    I have it wired in series with coil tap options (neck and bridge coils, no Parallel) and Series has huge mid-range.
    It also has a Duncan 2-band Blackout preamp, which is a simple preamp (the stack knobs). I almost never use it much, just slight tweaks passed detent either way to taste. I got this preamp because of its super-micro size that fits in a Jazz cavity, and that it costs about $60...
    As far as using a Duncan STC 2-band preamp, I would get the Steve Bailey passive voiced model (STC-2PSB) as opposed to their Standard STC-2P model:
    Steve Bailey Active Preamp

    The Steve Bailey preamp has a mid-boost contour switch where the standard STC 2P has a mid-cut contour switch....
     
    AndyPanda and Zoobiedood like this.
  10. Feb 24, 2018 #3
    AndyPanda

    AndyPanda

    May 11, 2014
    Alameda, California
    Thanks for that. I wasn't aware of the Steve Bailey voiced pre - been reading up on it now.

    Since I only have the single MM pickup in the sweet spot, wouldn't I already have oodles of mids? I'm just thinking the Steve Bailey voiced preamp is really meant for a bass with two pickups. Trying to find any reviews of that preamp.
     
  14. Feb 24, 2018 #4
    AndyPanda

    AndyPanda

    May 11, 2014
    Alameda, California
    Quick update:
    My pickup was delivered today and I installed it. There was a toggle switch already in the bass body so I went ahead and wired the pickup to the toggle for series/parallel. And then direct to the output jack. Holy Cow, it sounds great and the series setting is a monster. In parallel it sounds very much like my Stingray with the 3 band EQ set flat. I may just leave it passive.
     
    ctmullins likes this.
  18. Feb 24, 2018 #5
    eastcoasteddie

    eastcoasteddie

    Mar 24, 2006
    NoVA
    Which pickup did you get? I’m not sure you specified which one...AlNiCo or Ceramic?

    I always like having options. I have installed passive tone controls into all of my basses, along with the preamps.
    The photo I posted above is from before I installed the passive tone by way of a stacked 250k pot for the bridge pickup volume; volume control on top, tone control on bottom.
    It’s in this photo...
    152EB34E-1680-489E-8E49-F83F3D8CBBCF.
     
  22. Feb 24, 2018 #6
    AndyPanda

    AndyPanda

    May 11, 2014
    Alameda, California
    I went Alnico and that is also what I have in my fretted SR 4H with the 3 band eq. It's hard to do a direct comparison as this one is fretless but passive and parallel sounds very much the same volume and tonality as the SR with the 3 band eq set flat .... and then when I kick it to series it's just got loads of drive.

    I've been playing it for a few hours and I really like the tone of it passive so far.
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2018