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new bass - need help on the pickup stuff

T

tester423

Feb 21, 2008
7
0
northeast TN
#1
I'm also new to this bord as well - been reading around for a while but Just can't find what i'm looking for.

I am putting a new 4 string together (a buddy talked me into it). I am finding the pick up options to be limitless. I actually prefer to stay passive but I am open to active. I think the passive stuff I have played seems to be a little warmer. My 5 sting is active but it's all stock Ibanez stuff. I like it ok but my frankenstine 4 string actually has more output and its passive. Anyway we could beat that up for a long time so back to the question. I definately want humbuckers. I use a really funky tight tone. I do slap it some or well alot actually. So when I dig in hard or thump on it I want it to come ALIVE.

So I hope you can help me out here. If not, Thanks anyway.

Dick,
 
#3
well I'm not real worried about it - If I have to I can get it a piece at a time. It's gonna take a while to get the body done anyway so I'm not in a real big hurry. It's not a super sexy one off unit but I don't want cheap junk in it either. $300ish I would hope could cover it.
 
#4
If it will take you some time to finish the body, my vote goes for the new line of Villex pickups with a 3 band cut/boost passive EQ. it's not available to the public yet (they are fixing some minor details on the product). I suppose they will be readily available very soon.

You may read the review here

http://www.talkbass.com/reviews/showproduct.php/product/1233/cat/16

The only thing I need to add is, due to the absence of center detent pots on the EQ pots, what I thought as flat was the complete cut of the specific frequencies. This is in the process getting fixed (the pot manufacturer is late to provide the part). I am really blown away by the sounds provided with this system.

I am not an endorser of Villex pickups and electronics (or any of other product). I am just a customer who understands physics, has tried most of what is out there, has an informed opinion (based on all the things I've tried) and I demand the best value for my hard earned money
 
#6
Villex pickups are beyond traditional pickups. I got hooked from the first line ("Classic") of Villex pickups and 4 basses later I got the NVT which is beyond belief (passive CUT and BOOST in 3 bands; tell me if this is traditional). Even in the "Classic" line, the mid-control is not a mere mid cut; it is part of the circuit. The versatility as well as the tone at all settings needs no preamp (all preamps in my Villex Classic loaded are in passive mode; no need to use)

I have tried many other pickups (Q-tuner included). My (informed) opinion can be read in other threads.
 
#7
My comment wasn't addressing you. I should have been more clear.

How does one boost a passive signal? The website's explanation isn't exactly the soundest I've heard. Inductance would make the most sense, but raising the voltage would also raise the output impedance, unless I'm missing something?
 
#8
I apologize if I sounded a little direct Parabolic Box. I did not mean offense. We are here to discuss the acquired knowledge.

I really don't know how Villex boosts passively the signal. I own the Villex Passive Rotary Tone Booster (PRTB) and it really boosts the signal in the lows and low mids at the expense of highs (I have incorporated that booster in 4 basses and it really works for the application). I suppose he was able to move forward and use the same principles based in 3 different bands. It is not an aural illusion (eg cutting mids to allow lows and highs to shine). I have uploaded clips that show there is no interaction between the 3 pots. I am more than happy with the end result (I have already placed orders for another 2 sets of NVT and Passive EQ when production starts). He is exceptional in not only for the design of his products but mainly for the tone result
 
#14
whick of those are villex units are you using -- Seem to me they are all drop in for the popular stuff. This makes my life easier but the only humbucking ones were for the jazz bass and the musicman. Sounds like these units will cover all the basses and then some. That passive rotatry tone control. how does it work? Villix also shows a blend pot in one of thier diags. I looked quickly but I never saw that boost control in a circut.
 
#17
Villex pickups ("Classic", the one you see on the website) as far as I know, have 2 wires. Their design needs to have the mid-control as an integral part of the circuit, in order to take full advantage of the design. They are unlike other pickups. Their tone is worth the price. And yes you can add the PRTB at the end of the chain. I have done that on my Villex-loaded Voodoo. I did it as an experiment (not that I was dissatisfied by any means, but I always try things to see if I can improve what is already great). The end result it is so addictive that I got hooked, and now this is one of my main basses for many applications
 
#18
Are the new ones the NVT you mentioned above? I'm liking the sound of this so far. I am gonna do alot of digging and see what I can find on these. Thanks for your help. if you got any other suggestions I'm all ears. Oh, so far all the High End basses I have played have used Bartolini systems which all sounded great but I am weighing my options. I would rather make one smart purchase instead of experiment.
 
#19
The NVT is not available right now (unfortunately). Apart from my review, you will not find many things regarding them (there is a thread though http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=385188)

The pot manufacturer is late to deliver the right product (center detent EQ pots with the given characteristics) and Villex wants to provide a product that he feels is great all around when all details have been taken care of (very soon I hope; I have already asked for another 2 pairs of the NVT line). Mine was the first and only NVT and Passive EQ delivered (I am over the moon with that) and I am waiting for center detent EQ pots to replace the existing ones (tone-wise they will do nothing; just the center detent as the EQ at the give frequency is flat, reference point, no cut or boost). The be honest, center-detent pots makes no difference to me cause all tones provided are more than great (from fully cut to fully boosted and everything in between); fine-tuning allows for a very diverse pallete of sounds, nothing TOO extreme though. But then again most people would care to have the center detent pots.
 
#20
tester423 said:
I'm also new to this bord as well - been reading around for a while but Just can't find what i'm looking for.

I am putting a new 4 string together (a buddy talked me into it). I am finding the pick up options to be limitless. I actually prefer to stay passive but I am open to active. I think the passive stuff I have played seems to be a little warmer. My 5 sting is active but it's all stock Ibanez stuff. I like it ok but my frankenstine 4 string actually has more output and its passive. Anyway we could beat that up for a long time so back to the question. I definately want humbuckers. I use a really funky tight tone. I do slap it some or well alot actually. So when I dig in hard or thump on it I want it to come ALIVE.

So I hope you can help me out here. If not, Thanks anyway.

Dick,
Click to expand...

Funky tight tone that works well for slap screams DiMarzio Ultra Jazz to me. They're about $80 for the set and are slaptastic. Good zing and thump without too much honky mids (till you turn down the neck pickup), and they're great for fingerstyle too. They're humbucking so they don't have the problem traditional Jazz SCs do when the volumes are unbalanced. I threw a pair into my Jazz project bass (UJs, V/V/T/T controls, a side jack and some aesthetic touches) and couldn't be happier. The only downside to these is that they're not tappable; if you want to cut out the hum-canceling coil for SC tone, you'll need to trade up to something like SD Classic Stacks.
 

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