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Lakland 55-01 Replace pickups or eq first?

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by Eilif, Dec 9, 2005.

  1. Dec 9, 2005 #1
    Eilif

    Eilif Grooving under the MDW runway.

    Oct 1, 2001
    Chicago
    For the record, I like the bass, and am planning on playing this bass stock for a few months to see how I like it, but I almost always have to mod every bass I have so here goes...

    I just got a 55-01, and I was wanting to get a bit more variation in the tone (A few more mellow vintage tones maybe?). It is a 2003 model with bart mk1 pickups and the mk1 preamp.

    I found upgrade bart pickups (in the mk1 shape) and the ntmb preamp on the net. If I can only change pre or p/u's which should it be?

    For the record, I am playing fingerstyle and mostly vintage/rock/pop.

    Also, can anyone ,who has experience with both,describe the difference between the mk1 p/u's and the bart cb series soapbars?
     
  2. Dec 9, 2005 #2
    pickles

    pickles Gold Supporting Member

    Mar 23, 2000
    Ventura, CA
    Why don't you just get a 55-02 instead?
     
  3. Dec 10, 2005 #3
    fretlessrock

    fretlessrock

    Aug 8, 2002
    Connecticut
    I had a 55-01 fretless for a while and thought it was a very nice bass for the buck. Spend some time with the stock setup, as you are planning gto do, and you might not feel the need so much.

    But... :cool: back to your question, the CBs are a fuller sounding pickup. That is based on my experience with the CB jazz bass pickups. I have those in two different basses and think highly of them. And you can put whatever preamp you like in that bass. You could stick with a boost/cut setup like the Bart or go with a boost control rig like the Aguilar. Bart CBs and an OBP-3? :bassist:

    Re: the 55-02, since you think that you would mod the bass anyhow I think that the 55-01 is a better choice because of the initial lower cost. There isn't a difference in the build quality from the examples that I have seen.
     
  4. Dec 12, 2005 #4
    Eilif

    Eilif Grooving under the MDW runway.

    Oct 1, 2001
    Chicago
    I went with the 55-01 because I found a pristine used example for 500 bucks w/OHSC and my wife immidiately offered to buy it for me as a birthday/christmas/anniversary present. Also, the it was in a wood and color combo (natural ash w.cheryburst) that is no longer offered on either instrument. (I am not a fan of the figured maple tops)

    I am pretty set on the bart ntmb because of how it has sounded on other laklands that I have played. Tonight it will fineally get played in a band situation. I really like the sound, but I do notice that the pre is not as sweet as it could be.

    So back to the origonal question

    which to change first? pre or pickups?
     
  5. Dec 12, 2005 #5
    Hollow Man

    Hollow Man Supporting Member

    Apr 28, 2003
    Springfield, VA
    So she's the reason you went for it! Thank her for me, and I sincerely hope that you're giving it the playing time it deserves. Were I in your position, I would change the preamp first... I find that preamps have a larger impact on tone than do pickups, and the fact that preamps are flexible offers a dimension that pickups do not. Best of luck to you!
     
  6. Dec 12, 2005 #6
    Showdown

    Showdown

    Jan 21, 2002
    Honolulu, Hawaii
    I would go with a preamp. I like the pickups on mine, but the bass seems to be weak in the lower mids, and the preamp mid control doesn't affect the right frequency. I have to boost about 250 Hz on my amp to get it to cut through the band. Then it sounds great. I think the NTMB preamps have a switch to set the mid freq, and would work better.
     
  7. Dec 14, 2005 #7
    fretlessrock

    fretlessrock

    Aug 8, 2002
    Connecticut
    I thought about this a bit and I would start with the preamp if you really feel the need to upgrade something. I have owned a few basses with the NTMB, all with the 3-way mid selector switch, and I like it overall. The controls all do what they are supposed to do. Like most preamps you will hear a little hiss when boosting the treble. IMO, live with it.
     
  8. Dec 14, 2005 #8
    McHack

    McHack

    Jul 29, 2003
    Central Ohio!
    Funny, the only thing I want to do to my 55-01 is swap out the mk1 pre for a Bart NTMB. But, if you want a more "polite" tone, you'd be better off going w/ a 55-02 to start with... and it already has the NTMB.

    For me, I wasnt able to find an 02 first, before I purchased, and as it turns out,,, I like the more aggressive nature of the 01's soapbars.