Greetings and Salutatuions! I know this topic has been covered to some extent, (I've read what I could find) but I'd like to discuss two pre's in particular, and for a particular bass and for a particular reason. I have a 2017 Fender Jazz 5 Elite. The preamp itself is not bad, maybe a tad too hot. The big issue is the blend knob that is essentially a pickup selector; not much "blend". Fender says this is "normal". I can't accept that, so I'm down to two preamps- the John East J-Retro 01 Deluxe and Audere Pro JZ6D. Both of course have their plusses and minuses. Can anyone weigh in please with reasons for going with either? Much thanks in advance!
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Jazz Pre Shootout!
- Thread starter Sumaru
- Start date
You want people to weigh in comparing two preamps you own? What?! My experience with blind A/B comparison of preamps is that they are nearly indistinguishable unless one is broken. Worrying about preamps seems like a waste of time and effort.
The Audere is pretty neutral with the tone knobs in the middle position. I personally prefer the two band with the Z-mode function. The two band controls are easier to manage in a live setting and they are very musical curves. The Z-mode gives instant point or bootie. Also simple to use while you want to focus on the music.
I had a J-retro about 15 or so years ago. It has a baked in low frequency boost. Sounds gorgeous alone, but I found it too dark in a mix. My notes disappeared in a loud mix. I sold it pretty quick.
I had a J-retro about 15 or so years ago. It has a baked in low frequency boost. Sounds gorgeous alone, but I found it too dark in a mix. My notes disappeared in a loud mix. I sold it pretty quick.
Lol, no I dont own either. I'm thinking of purchasing one of these two. Just looking for real experiences from those who do own.
Were you replacing in an already active bass? If not, do you miss having a passive mode, or is the improvement just worth it?
I have both active and passive basses. I believe some pickups sound better with active enhancement. For example, I love noiseless Jazz pickups with split coils. But they tend to be darker than single coil Jazz pickups. An active circuit can take the strengths of a split coil and help it along with a point on top that helps is sit better in the mix. Active low frequency EQ can also make a bass sound bigger and rounder. One size does not fit all.
On the other hand, some passive pickups are best left alone (in my estimation). Single coil Fralins and Aeros are perfect to my ears. The Delano large pole P (I always forget the model number) is also a robust and beautifully equalized pickup that needs no enhancement. I would not mess with it either. I generally am not left wanting with most well designed P pickups and there are many.
I have a Jazz bass with Dimarzio Area J's with alnico 2 magnets. There is a sweetness to these pickups perhaps due the use of Alnico 2. I love it, but there is a lack of punch there also. It is also a split coil. I will be moving these pickups to another bass that has the Audere circuit, to see if I can retain that sweetness, bud add to it the missing punch and top end.
To be honest, I have zero issues with the tonality, per se, of my bass. The issue that i cannot seem to get past is the very limited sweep of the blend (I use that term loosely) pot. It's definitely more of a pickup selector, with no real usable blending taking place. It seems John East has built the blend function on the J-retro with this specifically addressed. Fender's response to my asking this was "it's normal". It may be normal, but to me, unacceptable in a $2k+ instrument. I am about 98% certain I'm going to go with the John East pre, just looking for other factors that I may not yet have stumbled across..
From what I understand, the "Z mode" is essentially preset EQ curves, correct? I think I read somewhere they're programmable as well. Have you done this, and is it easy? or are they spot on where they are with no need to adapt them?
Per Audere, the Z mode changes the resonant frequency of the pickups. Yes it is changeable. So far I like the factory settings. Changing the modes is very straightforward. Though it is not a pre set EQ curve, it does change the EQ, and quite musically. I like it very much. It's more subtle than what you would expect from something like a loudness curve.
Audere gives you the either or option of two pickup volumes or a blend control.
Audere gives you the either or option of two pickup volumes or a blend control.
I’ve replaced a Fender Standard Deluxe pre, an MK1, and converted a passive jazz all with Audere pre amps. Mainly because they we available at reasonable prices pre owned here on TB. And the battery charge light is a comforting feature if your worried about such things. While I haven’t tried other aftermarket pres to compare, I find the Auderes very musical in the adjustments. They have internal trim pots to balance the two pickups, and to balance the different z-mode settings. And you can change the cap easily if you want. It’s a really well thought out package with useful features.
I am no pick up or pre amp genius but I do love my J East and feel that it's the greatest thing I have ever done to a bass (other than the discovery of round wounds).
I appreciate everyone's responses here. Seems both Audere and John East users, from what I've read here and elsewhere, are equally passionate. I wish there were a place to try them out firsthand myself..maybe I'll add a poll to this thread and just go with raw votes?
I’d try both of those preamps and see how they work for you. Preamps, in my limited experience, are fairly easy to sell. And the depreciation is a reasonable price for auditioning the two preamps.
And you are right. The blend pot on the otherwise really nice, really hot OEM Elite preamp is no better than a switch. And Fender still hasn’t addressed that? Figures, and they probably haven’t addressed the crappy shielding job on the Elite, either.
When I replaced the OEM preamp in the Elite I used to have, I went with a Nordstrand preamp and was very pleased with the results. The blend pot actually was...
And you are right. The blend pot on the otherwise really nice, really hot OEM Elite preamp is no better than a switch. And Fender still hasn’t addressed that? Figures, and they probably haven’t addressed the crappy shielding job on the Elite, either.
When I replaced the OEM preamp in the Elite I used to have, I went with a Nordstrand preamp and was very pleased with the results. The blend pot actually was...
I’ve owned a John East Retro J and owned 4 different Audere Pre’s. I still own 2 Audere preamps. The John East is a wonderful preamp. I just don’t like sweepable mids. I prefer a 4 band Audere with a high mid and low mid. I also wasn’t a fan of the z-mode Audere preamps and sold them both for the 4 band with a tone knob.
Don't you mean the non--existent shielding job? Yeah, I had to address that one myself last week. Such a shame that they came up with such a fantastic bass, but stopped 30 yards from the marathon finish line..
May I add, both the Audere and John East have true blends. Unlike Fender's so called "blend".
It's not just Fender. Every bass I've ever owned, aside from my Custom Shop 59, required me shielding with copper tape to be as quiet as possible.
- Apr 18, 2008
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Agreed. Sort of. To be more specific, most blends are implemented using a passive dual-gang blend pot, which is electrically similar (identical? it's debatable) to two passive volume knobs. This passive setup results in the slight drop in volume in the center position, and (depending upon impedance/loading of the pickups and blend pot taper) can also deliver the "switch-like" behavior you're experiencing.
The Audere and the East (and a few others here and there) use a buffered blend. This means that each pickup is given its own buffer before being actually blended, reducing/eliminating the interactions between them. The result is a more "pure" blending of the two tones. The only drawback is the need for a battery.
If you otherwise like the electronics in your bass, you can replace your passive blend with a true buffered blend, such as the Invalid Link Removed That is, unless you're stuck with an "integrated" preamp, where all components are soldered to a single printed circuit board, which apparently Fender did for your bass....
Agreed. Sort of. To be more specific, most blends are implemented using a passive dual-gang blend pot, which is electrically similar (identical? it's debatable) to two passive volume knobs. This passive setup results in the slight drop in volume in the center position, and (depending upon impedance/loading of the pickups and blend pot taper) can also deliver the "switch-like" behavior you're experiencing.
The Audere and the East (and a few others here and there) use a buffered blend. This means that each pickup is given its own buffer before being actually blended, reducing/eliminating the interactions between them. The result is a more "pure" blending of the two tones. The only drawback is the need for a battery.
If you otherwise like the electronics in your bass, you can replace your passive blend with a true buffered blend, such as the Invalid Link Removed That is, unless you're stuck with an "integrated" preamp, where all components are soldered to a single printed circuit board, which apparently Fender did for your bass....
I had wondered if simply replacing the blend was an option...but yes it seems that would be too simple! I do have the "integrated" pre, which is why going with a drop-in plate version seems to be my only option...or live with the poopy job Fender did in implementing theirs.
