Reverse engineering vintage Haz Labs pre

[marsquake]

I’d like to share my experience with the LHZ. I have a Spector NS Pulse 2 with the EMG pickups and it came with the Tonepump Jr preamp. It sounded great and I got a lot of compliments on it when I played it.

I read about this LHZ preamp and how great it sounds, and how the Tonepump Jr is good, but not as great. I held off getting the LHZ for the longest time because I’ve made mods to several of my basses, but I wasn’t totally satisfied with the result. In fact I’ve reversed several mods (remove a preamp in one bass, put the original pickups back in two other basses to name a few).

After going through the Spector Owners thread and this thread, I contacted Lonnie and asked a couple questions. He was quick to respond and offered a return policy if I wasn’t 100% satisfied. I caved in and ordered the LHZ-01 preamp.

It arrived immediately and I installed it right away. I can say without hesitation that he’s not getting this back. I liked the Tonepump Jr, but I felt it had a limited range. What I mean is that I would never solo one pickup because it didn’t sound great with either one soloed. It was good, but I would use both on full, or dial back one of the pickups just a little. And I would never dime the treble or bass controls or even go as high as 80%. I feel that the LHZ has a wide range that sounds great.

I took the bass to band practice and it was good, but I gigged with it on Saturday night and I must say that it was glorious. So if you’re on the fence, I would say go for it. If you have questions about this preamp, Lonnie will respond immediately. He’s great to deal with.

Thanks for the post. I have one of the Pulse II's on order from Sweetwater. Apparently they think these basses are new and rare as rocking horse turds, so it's going to take them a month or two to get mine to me...whatever. In the meantime, I'm looking at modding the pre already and was steered to the LHZ.

Did you get the 01 or 02 version? I have zero soldering/wiring experience...which would you suggest for swapping in the Pulse II in place of the TP Jr.? Thanks again!

 

[BKsGarageBand]

Thanks for the post. I have one of the Pulse II's on order from Sweetwater. Apparently they think these basses are new and rare as rocking horse turds, so it's going to take them a month or two to get mine to me...whatever. In the meantime, I'm looking at modding the pre already and was steered to the LHZ.

Did you get the 01 or 02 version? I have zero soldering/wiring experience...which would you suggest for swapping in the Pulse II in place of the TP Jr.? Thanks again!

I’d want to see inside the control cavity before I made a recommendation. If it has the factory quick connectors on the EMG stuff, then the pin header model would definitely be easier. But if Spector does all soldered connections that it really makes little difference.

 

[ColdEye]

Placed an order for the preamp. Was gonna use it on a Warwick but ended up getting a Spector...

 

[AgingEngineer]

I generally recommend the LHZ-02 for anyone with average or limited soldering experience, and the LHZ-01 for folks who a very comfortable with small-wire soldering.

In the beginning I assumed people would buy the LHZ-01 for soldered pots, and the LHZ-02 for installations where they were using the EMG modular controls. Nope! Fully HALF of the LHZ-02 units are being used in installations with soldered pots!

Turns out it's super easy to install: just solder one of the extra connectors in the the LHZ kit to the volume pot, and plug it in... done! It also makes future control / pickup replacements easy.

 

[ColdEye]

I generally recommend the LHZ-02 for anyone with average or limited soldering experience, and the LHZ-01 for folks who a very comfortable with small-wire soldering.

In the beginning I assumed people would buy the LHZ-01 for soldered pots, and the LHZ-02 for installations where they were using the EMG modular controls. Nope! Fully HALF of the LHZ-02 units are being used in installations with soldered pots!

Turns out it's super easy to install: just solder one of the extra connectors in the the LHZ kit to the volume pot, and plug it in... done! It also makes future control / pickup replacements easy.

Ah, didn't think about that. Should have went with the LHZ-02.

 

[Low Commotion]

Thanks for the post. I have one of the Pulse II's on order from Sweetwater. Apparently they think these basses are new and rare as rocking horse turds, so it's going to take them a month or two to get mine to me...whatever. In the meantime, I'm looking at modding the pre already and was steered to the LHZ.

Did you get the 01 or 02 version? I have zero soldering/wiring experience...which would you suggest for swapping in the Pulse II in place of the TP Jr.? Thanks again!

I agree with @AgingEngineer. I have experience with soldering, but if I were to do this again, I would seriously look at the 02 version.

 

[Jim C]

Ah, didn't think about that. Should have went with the LHZ-02.

Once it's installed and working you won't even remember there was a choice!

 

[ColdEye]

If the EMG pickup did not come with a wiring kit, can I just use these?

 

[AgingEngineer]

If the EMG pickup did not come with a wiring kit, can I just use these?

You'll want female-to-female cables, something like these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09FPL7ZGM
These will work find inside the control cavity to connect the modular EMG controls together.

If you need the longer pickup cables, I'd recommend getting replacements from EMG here: Invalid Link Removed

Cheers!

 

[AgingEngineer]

Just a quick update for everyone who thought that the "HAZard LAMPS" pedal was a nice pipe dream... It's in production!

If you play your Spector with the EQ “dimed” (or nearly so) then switch to a passive bass, you know the problem: The tone controls in a passive bass only cut frequencies; it does not boost them. This means that passive bass tone controls rolled all the way to MAX is equivalent to an active bass set at the FLAT position.

This results in a HUGE difference in levels and tone that makes it difficult to switch instruments (using the same signal chain) during a show.

The HAZard LAMPS pedal gives a passive bass the same active EQ control as a Spector with a HazLabs preamp in it. A vintage Fender Jazz with the HAZard Lamps “dimed” yields the same levels, same EQ impact, and the same unique “Haz” fingerprint as your Spector.

These will start shipping in about two weeks, and sell for $250USD. Since this idea started right here in this TalkBass forum, I wanted to make anyone here that's inquired in the last year has first dibs on them before they go up for public sale.

In the last year I've lost track of all the conversational threads on forums, direct messages, emails, FB, store channels, so while I have a short list of TB users who've asked for this, I do not remember all the names. If you'd like to reserve one from the first production batch, pop into the "Reserve My Build" form on the website and add your name to the presale wait list.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[wolfkeller]

Just a quick update for everyone who thought that the "HAZard LAMPS" pedal was a nice pipe dream... It's in production!

View attachment 5374922 View attachment 5374923 View attachment 5374924 View attachment 5374925

If you play your Spector with the EQ “dimed” (or nearly so) then switch to a passive bass, you know the problem: The tone controls in a passive bass only cut frequencies; it does not boost them. This means that passive bass tone controls rolled all the way to MAX is equivalent to an active bass set at the FLAT position.

This results in a HUGE difference in levels and tone that makes it difficult to switch instruments (using the same signal chain) during a show.

The HAZard LAMPS pedal gives a passive bass the same active EQ control as a Spector with a HazLabs preamp in it. A vintage Fender Jazz with the HAZard Lamps “dimed” yields the same levels, same EQ impact, and the same unique “Haz” fingerprint as your Spector.

These will start shipping in about two weeks, and sell for $250USD. Since this idea started right here in this TalkBass forum, I wanted to make anyone here that's inquired in the last year has first dibs on them before they go up for public sale.

In the last year I've lost track of all the conversational threads on forums, direct messages, emails, FB, store channels, so while I have a short list of TB users who've asked for this, I do not remember all the names. If you'd like to reserve one from the first production batch, pop into the "Reserve My Build" form on the website and add your name to the presale wait list.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

That has been a long time major issue for me. I use 3 basses for a show and I absolutely cannot switch between passive and active. This should be my solution. I have used various pedals to try and fix this, closest was the 3 channel programmable sansamp. All good except when you don't want that sound.

 

[ThisBass]

Just a quick update for everyone who thought that the "HAZard LAMPS" pedal was a nice pipe dream... It's in production!

View attachment 5374922 View attachment 5374923 View attachment 5374924 View attachment 5374925

If you play your Spector with the EQ “dimed” (or nearly so) then switch to a passive bass, you know the problem: The tone controls in a passive bass only cut frequencies; it does not boost them. This means that passive bass tone controls rolled all the way to MAX is equivalent to an active bass set at the FLAT position.

This results in a HUGE difference in levels and tone that makes it difficult to switch instruments (using the same signal chain) during a show.

The HAZard LAMPS pedal gives a passive bass the same active EQ control as a Spector with a HazLabs preamp in it. A vintage Fender Jazz with the HAZard Lamps “dimed” yields the same levels, same EQ impact, and the same unique “Haz” fingerprint as your Spector.

These will start shipping in about two weeks, and sell for $250USD. Since this idea started right here in this TalkBass forum, I wanted to make anyone here that's inquired in the last year has first dibs on them before they go up for public sale.

In the last year I've lost track of all the conversational threads on forums, direct messages, emails, FB, store channels, so while I have a short list of TB users who've asked for this, I do not remember all the names. If you'd like to reserve one from the first production batch, pop into the "Reserve My Build" form on the website and add your name to the presale wait list.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

What's the input impedance for the HAZard LAMPS pedal?
Question asked cause the original HAZ schematic shows a 510k resister that is (AC wise) in paralleled wiring to 1 Meg Ohm. If I do the math correctly, in total the AC input impedance for the original HAZ schematic was equal to roughly ~340 kOhm.

 

[AgingEngineer]

That has been a long time major issue for me. I use 3 basses for a show and I absolutely cannot switch between passive and active. This should be my solution. I have used various pedals to try and fix this, closest was the 3 channel programmable sansamp. All good except when you don't want that sound.

That's exactly the problem! For me it was either using dedicated set of EQ / boost pedals to bring my old Fender Jazz up to the level I was running at my Spector at, or leave it at home. I could never get the sound right and ended up leaving the Jazz at home.

It's ironic: guitarists can change instruments all the time to suit the character of the song. But in a live show the bass and drums are the foundation: If you switch up the bass and it's at a completely different level and EQ character, the whole mix goes out the window.

I am hoping in the next week to have some video from a Spector-endorsed artist who is giving pedal 00 (first build) a good run this weekend to see if his vintage Fender can hang with his stable of Spectors. Fingers crossed!

 

[billyofcourse]

Just got my pulse 2 back from getting the LHZ preamp installed. Absolutely blown away. This bass sounds like a million dollars.

 

[wolfkeller]

That's exactly the problem! For me it was either using dedicated set of EQ / boost pedals to bring my old Fender Jazz up to the level I was running at my Spector at, or leave it at home. I could never get the sound right and ended up leaving the Jazz at home.

It's ironic: guitarists can change instruments all the time to suit the character of the song. But in a live show the bass and drums are the foundation: If you switch up the bass and it's at a completely different level and EQ character, the whole mix goes out the window.

I am hoping in the next week to have some video from a Spector-endorsed artist who is giving pedal 00 (first build) a good run this weekend to see if his vintage Fender can hang with his stable of Spectors. Fingers crossed!

Now THAT will be interesting

That's exactly the problem! For me it was either using dedicated set of EQ / boost pedals to bring my old Fender Jazz up to the level I was running at my Spector at, or leave it at home. I could never get the sound right and ended up leaving the Jazz at home.

It's ironic: guitarists can change instruments all the time to suit the character of the song. But in a live show the bass and drums are the foundation: If you switch up the bass and it's at a completely different level and EQ character, the whole mix goes out the window.

I am hoping in the next week to have some video from a Spector-endorsed artist who is giving pedal 00 (first build) a good run this weekend to see if his vintage Fender can hang with his stable of Spectors. Fingers crossed!

 

[ThisBass]

What's the input impedance for the HAZard LAMPS pedal?
Question asked cause the original HAZ schematic shows a 510k resister that is (AC wise) in paralleled wiring to 1 Meg Ohm. If I do the math correctly, in total the AC input impedance for the original HAZ schematic was equal to roughly ~340 kOhm.

btw, changing two resistor values of the original HAZ schematic it should be possible to rise the input impedance to HiZ level 1 Meg Ohm

 

[AgingEngineer]

Just got my pulse 2 back from getting the LHZ preamp installed. Absolutely blown away. This bass sounds like a million dollars.

I'm glad you are digging it! For me, it took my Rebops to a whole new level. They were decent instruments before and I was mostly happy, but after that first install it was like a whole new beast that just begged me to play more!

If I get time this weekend, I might be doing a Frankenstein mod and put one in my Fender Jazz. I probably shouldn't... but...

 

[VeryTallBassist]

If I get time this weekend, I might be doing a Frankenstein mod and put one in my Fender Jazz. I probably shouldn't... but...

Is it just a front plate or rear routed? I've been wanting to do something with my Coda but it's so damn tight behind the plate - at least there's a separate battery compartment and small rear cover for the output jack. There's hope...

 

[AgingEngineer]

I'm going to try the front plate along the wall aside the bass and treble pot locations. I couldn't do it before with the vertical pins, but I think (I'm a glass-half-full guy when it comes to projects!) it might fit this time.

I'll take photos as I do this so I can share if all goes well. (Or for future design review if it doesn't!)

 

[zanzibar jorge]

Anyone got recordings of their non Spector basses with the LHZ? I have a Yamaha bb435 that I dropped emgs in and was about to spring for a BTC or BQC when I stumbled on this thread. I like the idea of the LHZ but have of course only heard it in Spectors in demos