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NBD: OLP MM

NoSlapForYou

NoSlapForYou

Jan 9, 2019
862
1,778
46
Durham, NC
#1
Or it may be an MM-2? I had no intention of buying this. I have "nice" basses, so why would I need a beater? I actually went to the guitar store to buy a speaker cable.

However, I had a little extra money due to selling an acoustic guitar I don't play. And I picked this up and kind of fell in love with it. Are they all this well made? Smooth fret work, setup with low action but no buzzing, nice non-sticky and playable neck, great pickup with a lot of punch.

I know it's not an EBMM StingRay. It's not even active. But there's something about it that feels good to me.

20200210_165223.jpg
 
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#2
Also, if anyone knows anything about these: do they normally come with a Basslines pickup? All the pictures I can find of them elsewhere make it look like they don't, but mine does. Did someone upgrade the pickup in this one?

I also believe you can control each set of coils separately, which is pretty cool. Is that correct?
 
#3
In my experience, not all of the OLP basses were well made, some good ones for sure, some with quality issues - looks like you've got a good one. Congrats, looks like a sweet bass.
My favorite Stingray is actually a passive one, you can always add a preamp if you really want to make it active.
 
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#4
NoSlapForYou said:
Also, if anyone knows anything about these: do they normally come with a Basslines pickup? All the pictures I can find of them elsewhere make it look like they don't, but mine does. Did someone upgrade the pickup in this one?

I also believe you can control each set of coils separately, which is pretty cool. Is that correct?
Click to expand...
Oh man, you lucked out....no. Basslines pickup were not standard. Definitely upgraded to Seymour Duncan Baselines.
 
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#6
NoSlapForYou said:
Also, all of the other ones I can find pictures of have a regular rear knob (the one closest to the output jack). Mine is stacked. I'm still not quite sure what it does. Is it stacked tone knobs? One tone and one volume? Is this a wiring upgrade of some kind?

Compare it to this one, for example, which appears similar otherwise.

OLP MM2 Stingray Bass Flamed Natural
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Er...You may want to open that electronics panel and peek inside to see if there's a battery in there. Wonder if it was modded to be an active bass and a preamp was installed. Some people just put the battery inside the same electronics cavity rather than routing a hole in the back for a battery box. The stacked knob is probably a bass/treble EQ.

EDIT: or it could be a 3band - Volume, bass, treble, mid. Depends on how the thing is wired.
 
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#7
Thanks. I just assumed that because there wasn't a battery compartment on the back it wasn't active. Would be annoying if I had to open the panel every time I needed to change the battery, but otoh, I've always wanted at least one active bass.

I wonder if the last person was a chronic upgrader. That would also explain why it's set up perfectly and why the fret ends are so smooth. I'm feeling better and better about this purchase.
 
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#8
NoSlapForYou said:
Thanks. I just assumed that because there wasn't a battery compartment on the back it wasn't active. Would be annoying if I had to open the panel every time I needed to change the battery, but otoh, I've always wanted at least one active bass.

I wonder if the last person was a chronic upgrader. That would also explain why it's set up perfectly and why the fret ends are so smooth. I'm feeling better and better about this purchase.
Click to expand...
Looks like a project of love, bass looks to be in great condition, perfectly set up and probably modded considerably to get it closer to sounding more like a Musicman. I suspect there is a battery in there, based on the stacked knobs, not 100% sure without looking at the bass and inside, but I highly suspect it's got a preamp in it, it was a common mod with the OLP basses. If this is the case, you wouldn't have to change the battery often as long as you make sure the bass is unplugged when not in use or this will drain the battery, or if you want, you can always route the back to accommodate a battery box. Not really necessary though.
Good score!
 
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#9
Update: it's definitely active.

It seems like the frontmost knob has a push-pull pot? It makes a noticeable difference to the tone (making it bassier when I pull up), but I can't figure out exactly what it's doing.

This bass truly sounds incredible. I'm kind of shocked. Maybe I've just always needed an active and didn't know it. There's so much punch and clarity. I might be selling one of my Aerodynes now.
 
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#13
NICE score, OP! I once owned one that looked exactly like yours, and was planning on doing most of the upgrades that yours has already been graced with. I'm glad I that I traded mine off BEFORE I had sunk all that money into it!;)

You got a deal-and-a-half! Do hang on to it....I wish I had kept mine, now.
 
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#14
NoSlapForYou said:
Update: it's definitely active.

It seems like the frontmost knob has a push-pull pot? It makes a noticeable difference to the tone (making it bassier when I pull up), but I can't figure out exactly what it's doing.

This bass truly sounds incredible. I'm kind of shocked. Maybe I've just always needed an active and didn't know it. There's so much punch and clarity. I might be selling one of my Aerodynes now.
Click to expand...
The push/pull sounds like it might be an active/passive switch. When you pull it up, it probably turns the preamp on so the EQ kicks in. So it's perhaps both an active and a passive bass. :) Wow, whoever owned the bass really did a lot of work on it.
Regarding active basses, if you're in the market for others, you should check out the G&L L2000, either the US or the Tribute version (they both use the same pickups and electronics so sound exactly the same). If you want a punchy bass, that would do it as well.
 
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#16
Good choice !

I just found a NOS in the all black version with marched headstock, first generation with the MM massive bridge.

I had a stingray and we can’t really compare. But the feeling is here , the neck Profile is quite close to the stingray , but the sound is specific.
A king of huge precision sound.
And an output level similar to an active bass, what a surprise.
Just a regret in the tone setting that is not so precise I wish.
Very confortable, no defaults , smoth neck and frets.
I just certainly will change the black pearl pickguard to a black, so that the bass will be fully black.

But it is so affordable that is can’t be perfect
 
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