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onboard boost only. Anyone tried this?

thebassbuilder

thebassbuilder

Mar 7, 2012
1,013
378
Spartanburg SC
Disclosures
guitar builder, Meyers Guitars
#1
I was just thinking about how to make passive pickups I like have more gain. I did a search and found there are some onboard boost only controls. Has anyone ever tried these and if so, was the result worth it? The main reason I would like a boost only is just to drive the effects or amp. I like passive tone more than I like a 2 or 3 band pre in most cases and to me a multi band pre does not help drive effect in the best way.

I saw these $18.99 to $20 Artec ones on eBay and thought that would not be bad just to try one day. Let me know what you think.
 
#2
thebassbuilder said:
I was just thinking about how to make passive pickups I like have more gain. I did a search and found there are some onboard boost only controls. Has anyone ever tried these and if so, was the result worth it? The main reason I would like a boost only is just to drive the effects or amp. I like passive tone more than I like a 2 or 3 band pre in most cases and to me a multi band pre does not help drive effect in the best way.

I saw these $18.99 to $20 Artec ones on eBay and thought that would not be bad just to try one day. Let me know what you think.
Click to expand...
Do not know about Artec but here are some Bartolini's for about $14 more
Bartolini TC3 Preamp - Best Bass Gear
 
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#4
thebassbuilder said:
I was just thinking about how to make passive pickups I like have more gain. I did a search and found there are some onboard boost only controls. Has anyone ever tried these and if so, was the result worth it? The main reason I would like a boost only is just to drive the effects or amp. I like passive tone more than I like a 2 or 3 band pre in most cases and to me a multi band pre does not help drive effect in the best way.

I saw these $18.99 to $20 Artec ones on eBay and thought that would not be bad just to try one day. Let me know what you think.
Click to expand...
So you just want a boost you don't need any eq? If that's the case I would buy a small boost pedal and hard wire it with a push/pull pot for the boost control and to turn it on and off with up being off. That's what I'm planning on doing with mine, well building one not buying.
 
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#5
thebassbuilder said:
I was just thinking about how to make passive pickups I like have more gain. I did a search and found there are some onboard boost only controls. Has anyone ever tried these and if so, was the result worth it? The main reason I would like a boost only is just to drive the effects or amp. I like passive tone more than I like a 2 or 3 band pre in most cases and to me a multi band pre does not help drive effect in the best way.
I saw these $18.99 to $20 Artec ones on eBay and thought that would not be bad just to try one day. Let me know what you think.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify terminology, what you're talking about doing is making a passive instrument into an active one with an on/off switch for the preamp and no EQ with the hope of generating a higher output signal.

I don't know of any mass production basses that are wired that way, but it isn't unheard of on guitars. In particular the Clapton signature Strat and the Ovation Breadwinner have switchable onboard clean boost circuits.
 
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#6
lz4005 said:
Just to clarify terminology, what you're talking about doing is making a passive instrument into an active one with an on/off switch for the preamp and no EQ with the hope of generating a higher output signal.

I don't know of any mass production basses that are wired that way, but it isn't unheard of on guitars. In particular the Clapton signature Strat and the Ovation Breadwinner have switchable onboard clean boost circuits.
Click to expand...
EMG makes some pot or switch mounted boosters, specifically for this job.
 
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#7
lz4005 said:
Just to clarify terminology, what you're talking about doing is making a passive instrument into an active one with an on/off switch for the preamp and no EQ with the hope of generating a higher output signal.

I don't know of any mass production basses that are wired that way, but it isn't unheard of on guitars. In particular the Clapton signature Strat and the Ovation Breadwinner have switchable onboard clean boost circuits.
Click to expand...

+1
 
#8
Thanks for the info everyone. To the question about no eq. Yes I am looking for a boost only with no EQ, this way I can just use the tone pot for this. I would like the boost to be controlled by a pot, so I can select how much boost I want.

I will have to look at the Bart to see if this is something i would like.
 
#9
thebassbuilder said:
Thanks for the info everyone. To the question about no eq. Yes I am looking for a boost only with no EQ, this way I can just use the tone pot for this. I would like the boost to be controlled by a pot, so I can select how much boost I want.

I will have to look at the Bart to see if this is something i would like.
Click to expand...

The Barts do a great job of boost/ no EQ. It is also a buffer for your pickups. I used them for a while until I decided to go with active pres.

The Bart has a trim pot in the module to adjust its output. I don't know how you'd make it adjustable with an external knob. But I wonder, how would that be different from just using the volume knob on the bass?
 
#13
thebassbuilder said:
What are those for? Are they to help balance the two pickups when blending? I saw these but not real sure how they work and is it something you can turn on and off?
Click to expand...

Not about blending. They are buffer/preamps.

There's guitar tech guys that explain the skinny on these things better than I.

But I do know that for boosting passive pups' output and adding a buffer to the pickup (helps alleviate the effects of cable- and effects box loading on the pups. Again, those guys can better explain why this is a good thing.
 
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#15
Kijuer said:
Where does this thing go, inside the bass?
Click to expand...
Yes

Kijuer said:
Is it "linked" between the pups and the output jack?
Click to expand...
Yes.

Kijuer said:
No pots here I see so is it some kind of "always-on-hidden-inside-your-bass" device?
Click to expand...
Yes

If your current bass is passive you'll have to install a stereo output jack to switch the battery off when you're not using the bass, and you'll have to find a space for a 9 volt battery. If there's not room for a battery, you can route out a hole in the back of your bass' body and install a battery box. I'm sure the Bartolini module is pretty small and will fit in most control cavities without modification.
 
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#16
I love the Sadowsky setup of the boost only two band preamp with a tone control. Sometimes I have both boost bands zero. And I almost always have some cut on the tone control. As you probably know the preamp will buffer your pickups from the cable capacitance and provide a flatter and broader high end response that may be heard as increased clarity.
 
#18
You're looking for an EMG Afterburner. I have a set of Alembic pickups in an SR bass. They sound really great but are low output ( I didn't receive the Alembic pre in the deal) so I installed an Afterburner I had laying around. Up to 20db of clean boost with a push/pull pot and adjustable level. What I don't like is that the pot is pulled up all the time because I always have it engaged. Not a big deal and it really did exactly what I, and from the sound of it, you want.
 
#19
I have a J&D bass with this preamp. I would like to know the Bass, treble and Mid frequency that was set on the preamp. I have a little problem eqing it in the studio. I contacted Mings company and they were only able to provide me with this schematic.
NB: the Mid frequency is parametric. couldnt figure out the range of frequencies that was set on the control.
Attached is the pics and pdf file of the preamp
Additional info about the preamp will be of help also.... Thanks
Mings Preamp Schematics.JPG
 

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