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Reverse engineering vintage Haz Labs pre

#185
bigbottomend said:
I had mine wired -T= Tip, R=Sleeve, S=Ring.
Click to expand...

@bigbottomend Yes, that is how is should be wired (R=Sleeve and S=Ring), so I agree it's probably something else on your installation. If you want to PM me some pictures of your control cavity, I can see if anything jumps out at me.
 
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#186
fibz said:
Regarding HAZ variants @AgingEngineer : you mentioned the other HAZ were similar to the Spector HAZ. If you get your hands on more preamps is it possible to include a say dip switch to change between different styles? Like on a EMG preamp.
Click to expand...

Absolutely! I'd love to get my hands only some other Haz preamps, or a really good set of photos from multiple angles on both sides, so I could take a shot at some other designs.
 
#191
Just received the LHZ for the new (to me) NS5CR. I'll be doing some soldering tonight after work. Just checking - the new instructions on the website account for the ring/sleeve swap? Or do I need to reverse what's there?
 
#192
VeryTallBassist said:
Just received the LHZ for the new (to me) NS5CR. I'll be doing some soldering tonight after work. Just checking - the new instructions on the website account for the ring/sleeve swap?
Click to expand...

Awesome! Yes, the installation manual had already been updated and is correct.
You'll notice it now features a red line / text callout drawing attention to the RING and SLEEVE connections.
 
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#197
VeryTallBassist said:
@AgingEngineer is there a break-in period for the LHZ? It seems like both of mine have sweetened up over the first week or so post installation. I might be crazy, but I don't think it's on account of this.
Click to expand...

No, there's no break-in period as these are all components that don't really degrade or change. (Well, after a few decades the caps will degrade. But that's normal aging.) I think you might be experiencing the same thing I did as I had a similar reaction when I installed the first prototype in my Rebop.

My initial reaction was very positive, but I also recognized that what this preamp does is a very subtle. In a straight A/B comparison with other preamps, it wasn't dramatic change. I understood why there are some folks that think there's no difference between a Haz and any other preamp.

HOWEVER, about a week or two later... I hear it. It feels different, it sounds different. It feels like it came out of it's cage. I asked the same question: did it somehow "warm up" like breaking in a tube amp?

I got my answer 4 months later when I got a second Rebop, and immediately swapped out the TonePump for the LHZ. That bass was immediately "out of the cage" and sounded just like the first Rebop.

It made me realize that I started playing the bass differently after putting the LHZ in. Since some of the articulation comes out when I dig in more, my right-hand technique had changed subtly so I'd hear more of that sound I wanted. I was also modifying my signal chain slightly over those first few weeks to get rid of all the stuff I was doing to my bass prior to the LHZ.

So between adjustments to my playing technique and signal chain tweaks, there were a lot of variables that changed between Day 0 (when the LHZ when in) and Day 14 (when I realized it sounded even better than the first day) that contributed why I felt it had changed.

Dropping that second Rebop into the modified signal chain 4 months later (with the same playing style) I noticed no "warm up" period as it sounded exactly like the first Rebop.

Sorry for the long-winded answer.... It was an interesting journey of discovery for me!
 
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#198
Ordered one last night through reverb, excited to try it out.

I won’t be able to install it for a little bit, this is going into a non-Spector custom build I’m doing. Neck is still under construction so hopefully by the new year I’ll get to put it through it’s paces.
 
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#200
VeryTallBassist said:
Just received the LHZ for the new (to me) NS5CR. I'll be doing some soldering tonight after work. Just checking - the new instructions on the website account for the ring/sleeve swap? Or do I need to reverse what's there?
Click to expand...

I have a NS5CR too! How’s the upgrade and comparison between the BTS and LHZ? I mostly play finger style rather than a pick so I’m wondering how that sounds like
 
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