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Music Man sound and pickups

#661
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#663
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#666
I have an OLP MM3 5 string. I had a Wilkinson MM pickup installed in it. My problem is that there are almost no highs coming through. I've changed strings and even with the treble dimed, it's still muddy.

Any suggestions of tips would be welcome. TIA
 
#667
ERIC31 said:
I have an OLP MM3 5 string. I had a Wilkinson MM pickup installed in it. My problem is that there are almost no highs coming through. I've changed strings and even with the treble dimed, it's still muddy.

Any suggestions of tips would be welcome. TIA
Click to expand...

You could have it wired wrong. So I would start there first and make sure everything looks correct. If that pickup has the option for parallel wiring, try that if it is not wired that way already. When wired that way you get less output but more bass and treble.

It may not be the pickup if you have active electronics. try changing the battery first and see what that does. If that does not help work, wire the pickup straight to a guitar cable and plug it in and play it to see what it sounds like. That will let you know if it is the pickup or the electronics.

If the pickup is bad try the GFS Alnico MM pup as these things are killer sounding and cost next to nothing.

Hope it works out for you.
 
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#669
Here's a couple pics of what I'm working with. I'm not well versed in electronics to say the least. Another guy did the work.

BASS%20PICKUP%20WIRING%201.png


BASS%20PICKUP%20WIRING.png
 
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#670
Everything looks like the connections are done right as far as I can tell from the pic. I think the best way to make sure it is not the pickup is to hard wire it to a guitar cable and then plug it in and see if the tone if what you think it should be.

Also I like the Rate Bones sticker you have.
 
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#671
I have a SBMM Ray35ca that has a very strong output. It distorts — kind of nice distortion — but I can't get a clean signal through my GK 700RBII even with the pad engaged. No issues with any other bass — EBMM Sting Ray, Jazz Bass, Ibanez SR, Ibanez GW. I've tried lowering the volume, lowering the p'up. No luck. Any ideas how to fix this to get a clean tone?Replace the preamp?
 
#672
Stevorebob said:
I have a SBMM Ray35ca that has a very strong output. It distorts — kind of nice distortion — but I can't get a clean signal through my GK 700RBII even with the pad engaged. No issues with any other bass — EBMM Sting Ray, Jazz Bass, Ibanez SR, Ibanez GW. I've tried lowering the volume, lowering the p'up. No luck. Any ideas how to fix this to get a clean tone?Replace the preamp?
Click to expand...

If turning the volume knob down on the bass did not work then try changing the battery to see if that helps. I almost want to say there was a discussion about this being a problem with these basses and I think you have to change a pot out. Not real sure anymore but I think it is here some where. Do a search on this type of bass and look through them. It may be in the owners club, that I saw this but not sure. Good luck.
 
#673
If it's anything like what I've read about amp overloads from the SUB Ray4, the preamp would be the issue. (Although on my Ray4, while the output is hot, it's clean, even with an unpadded input.) Are you boosting the bass/treble a lot? If so, lowering the volume to compensate for the boost might help.

Which raises a question I have about my SUB Ray4. I'm considering putting on some new (lighter) tuners and maybe upgrading the pickup and/or preamp (to move the sound more in the vintage SR direction). By the time I've done that, the investment will be about the same as a (used) Sterling Ray34ca.

Does it make more sense to upgrade the inexpensive Ray4 (which is a well-made instrument) or save the money for the next model up, the Ray34ca?
 
#674
thebassbuilder said:
If turning the volume knob down on the bass did not work then try changing the battery to see if that helps. I almost want to say there was a discussion about this being a problem with these basses and I think you have to change a pot out. Not real sure anymore but I think it is here some where. Do a search on this type of bass and look through them. It may be in the owners club, that I saw this but not sure. Good luck.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Yes, the volume pot seems not to make a difference with the distortion. I'll switch the battery. If that fails, I'll search this issue.
 
#675
fermata said:
If it's anything like what I've read about amp overloads from the SUB Ray4, the preamp would be the issue. (Although on my Ray4, while the output is hot, it's clean, even with an unpadded input.) Are you boosting the bass/treble a lot? If so, lowering the volume to compensate for the boost might help.
Click to expand...
No, not boosting the bass or treble excessively. I dialed these back as well as the volume, with no effect on the he distortion issue. I'm thinking battery. I didn't notice an issue practicing with headphones, just in rehearsal with the full rig. Battery may have crossed a critical path between those times.
 
#679
Stevorebob said:
I have a SBMM Ray35ca that has a very strong output. It distorts — kind of nice distortion — but I can't get a clean signal through my GK 700RBII even with the pad engaged. No issues with any other bass — EBMM Sting Ray, Jazz Bass, Ibanez SR, Ibanez GW. I've tried lowering the volume, lowering the p'up. No luck. Any ideas how to fix this to get a clean tone?Replace the preamp?
Click to expand...
Battery!

Shoulda been the first thing I checked. Thanks for the help. I just haven't played the Ray with my rig in a while, so I jumped to conclusions.
 
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#680
ERIC31 said:
View attachment 768263
This is my pickup and I think I'll just try wiring it straight to the jack and see if that brightens up the tone. I always run tone and volume full up anyway.

Sure can't hurt to try.
Click to expand...
When doing it this way the pickup will be way more lively sounding. This is because it is not going through the rest of the circuit/pots. If you like that tone you can always add a switch that will bypass the electronics but you will have no additional tone or volume control. Good luck!
 
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