Hidden EQ

[Jackcrow]

This is something that I have thought about, but I don’t remember ever seeing it anywhere. My thought is to have an instrument that appears to be a standard, passive bass, but has a 2 or 3 band eq. This way you could keep the “classic” or “vintage” look but still have the additional tone shaping of an on board eq. I suppose you could get close with 2 or 3 concenctric pots maybe. Anyone else have ideas or seen something like this before?

 

[Mushroo]

John East J-Retro, perhaps?

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[sikamikanico]

Not that I care too much about it, but stacked knobs like East retro imo look modern (not vintage). Except on the stacked knob jazz bass. I guess one could get away with two stacked knobs - one with vol/vol (or pan/vol), and the other with two band EQ.

Of course, four knobs can be just as vintage looking, like Les Paul etc...

It would be interesting to have the EQ on the back of the bass. Or off the bass, my preferred option

 

[Axstar]

Some Alembic basses have trim pots that are only adjustable through small holes in a plate covering the electronics. If you aren't planning to make adjustments on the fly, and dial in your bass once a gig/session and leave it 'set', then you could maybe implement something cunning using trim pots accessible from the rear of the instrument. your bass would look like a passive P or J bass, but have an EQ system stealthily inserted.

 

[Jackcrow]

Interesting options. I agree the stacked knobs look more “modern” to me although I know they were used on early jazz basses. The trim pot idea is cool, but doesn’t leave a lot of adjustability on the fly, maybe not a bad option though.

Another idea I had was maybe using roller knobs. Obviously you would see these but it doesn’t scream “modern active bass”. They could even be located on the back of the bass, although you would risk them getting moved.

Maybe even switches? I don’t know if that’s even possible to have switch to boost bass/mid/treble at a preset value.

 

[Passinwind]

Interesting options. I agree the stacked knobs look more “modern” to me although I know they were used on early jazz basses. The trim pot idea is cool, but doesn’t leave a lot of adjustability on the fly, maybe not a bad option though.

Another idea I had was maybe using roller knobs. Obviously you would see these but it doesn’t scream “modern active bass”. They could even be located on the back of the bass, although you would risk them getting moved.

Maybe even switches? I don’t know if that’s even possible to have switch to boost bass/mid/treble at a preset value.

Switches will work OK, and you can potentially have them do more than one of those things at the same time. Many trimpots only have projected lifecyles in the low hundreds of turns area, so shop wisely if continuous use is in the cards. But neither one really looks all that "vintage" IMO.

 

[Snaxster]

This is something that I have thought about, but I don’t remember ever seeing it anywhere. My thought is to have an instrument that appears to be a standard, passive bass, but has a 2 or 3 band eq. This way you could keep the “classic” or “vintage” look but still have the additional tone shaping of an on board eq. I suppose you could get close with 2 or 3 concenctric pots maybe. Anyone else have ideas or seen something like this before?

Hello. Fodera does this, using internal micro-pots, for custom or signature basses when the player wants (that I ever saw) between zero and two external pots.