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John East Preamp

#44
logdrum said:
But they do pan in passive mode. On the J-Tone and Uni for sure
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I don’t think so…had one of these in my main gigging bass for years.

“However, a switch is included to allow a passive equal mix of both pickups. A second switch – basic “get-you-out-of-trouble” passive mode is included in case the battery dies in crucial circumstances, and this mode allows some useful settings too.”
 
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#45
Luke the Fluke said:
They do
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They don’t. Gigged one for years 5 nights a week.

“However, a switch is included to allow a passive equal mix of both pickups. A second switch – basic “get-you-out-of-trouble” passive mode is included in case the battery dies in crucial circumstances, and this mode allows some useful settings too.”
 
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#46
faulknersj said:
They don’t. Gigged one for years 5 nights a week.

“However, a switch is included to allow a passive equal mix of both pickups. A second switch – basic “get-you-out-of-trouble” passive mode is included in case the battery dies in crucial circumstances, and this mode allows some useful settings too.”
Click to expand...
They do now I have 2 and just confirmed
 
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#47
faulknersj said:
I don’t think so…had one of these in my main gigging bass for years.

“However, a switch is included to allow a passive equal mix of both pickups. A second switch – basic “get-you-out-of-trouble” passive mode is included in case the battery dies in crucial circumstances, and this mode allows some useful settings too.”
Click to expand...
They are Uni and J tone in particular. Something is wrong with your unit or possibly even wired wrong. Me and others in this thread have tested again before we posted.
 
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#48
logdrum said:
They are Uni and J tone in particular. Something is wrong with your unit or possibly even wired wrong. Me and others in this thread have tested again before we posted.
Click to expand...


Glad to hear that they have new options with this feature.

I’m looking at the J-Tone and noticed no passive/active switch..

This sound more like Audere (RIP)perhaps where is is a passive path…more passive sounding but with EQ controls ?

J-TONE | East UK

The J-TONE consists of a Full Passive Path with Active Bass & Treble switchable in or bypass. This unit is designed to fit Standard J-Style Basses - 4 & ...
www.east-uk.com www.east-uk.com
 
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#49
faulknersj said:
Glad to hear that they have new options with this feature.

I’m looking at the J-Tone and noticed no passive/active switch..

This sound more like Audere perhaps where is is a passive path…more passive sounding but with EQ controls ?
Click to expand...
The J-tone is a pull push - pull push on the passive tone control to go active/passive, Same with the Uni, I got the uni in 2021 and the J-Tone I am the second owner but it is a 2024 build- this is a VV version, but I just got a VB version 2025 build but sold it to my buddy. but did use it for 3 weeks- the balance work and more useable than most passive balance in passive but yeah, in active mode it is much better, maybe that is what you are hearing because passive balance works only in a very small region, that is why I prefer VV. Also if you have a PJ, then it may even behave differently.

Ask John why it does not work as expected in passive. There are many jumpers and dip switches. It may be a matter of just adjusting those. Good lick.

In the manual, John did say that even in passive there is still a current draw,
 
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#50
logdrum said:
The J-tone is a pull push - pull push on the passive tone control to go active/passive, Same with the Uni, I got the uni in 2021 and the J-Tone I am the second owner but it is a 2024 build- this is a VV version, but I just got a VB version 2025 build but sold it to my buddy. but did use it for 3 weeks- the balance work and more useable than most passive balance in passive but yeah, in active mode it is much better, maybe that is what you are hearing because passive balance works only in a very small region, that is why I prefer VV. Also if you have a PJ, then it may even behave differently.

Ask John why it does not work as expected in passive. There are many jumpers and dip switches. It may be a matter of just adjusting those. Good lick.

In the manual, John did say that even in passive there is still a current draw,
Click to expand...


Thanks for the info! My JE pre was from 2010 or so…that’s back when I was a full time gigging musician and I always wished that pre had the pickup pan option in passive mode. Glad to hear they do now!

I am a big Audere guy and those don’t even have a passive/active switch so go figure lol…
 
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#52
logdrum said:
Audere philosophy of no passive is understandable -- as well as early Bartoloini and EMG and there are others. Why add more complications. John East passive mode is awesome. With the gain trim pot at 0 , at center detent on the EQ there is no difference with the passive tone
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So why even use it? (Except in the case of battery failure)
 
#55
ctmullins said:
So why even use it? (Except in the case of battery failure)
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I have i the overall boosted a that's why I use an active preamp in the first place. Also even when I had it at "unity" gain, I have the bass boosted anyway. On the J-tone, I set the EQ to boost only, no cut, just like a Sadowsky although the East only the bass EQ has this feature,
 
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#56
I’m using EMG pickups into a Uni-Pre so my experience will be different to people with passive pickups, but on initial testing it seemed that active and passive mode sounded identical with the preamp set flat (I have the pre-shape turned off).

It has custom pots so in passive mode (if you have passive pickups) you have full passive control - vol, pan and tone. And then in active mode you have vol, active not passive pan, treble, bass, (mid and mid freq too normally but I left them out of mine), passive tone, bright switch.

The tone knob doesn’t sweep as smoothly with active pickups as with passives and obviously it doesn’t interact with the resonant peak so much, it becomes a simpler filter, but I still like it acting lower than the treble EQ.

The bass control with adjustable windowing is great on this BEAD tuned Warwick.
 
#59
Well, join the club then:
datsaxguy

Thread 'The John East preamp club'

Well, you might think this is silly but I think these preamps are so good they deserve to have a club.

I think there should be a J Retro in every jazz bass and a U retro in everything else. (I'm kidding,.........well, maybe not)

If you love your John East pre chime in. No numbers. Just put a pic of your bass w/ the pre and tell us about your John East preamp pup set up.
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