- Jun 29, 2006
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Show us your Martin Keith Basses
- Thread starter 77stingray
- Start date
VERY sweet bass on the way @77stingray
I really like the Audere four band on my fretless with jazz pickups. Like the three band with z-modes less on my walnut bass with Fatstacks...have considered simplifying that setup but don't feel like I "need" to.
I really like the Audere four band on my fretless with jazz pickups. Like the three band with z-modes less on my walnut bass with Fatstacks...have considered simplifying that setup but don't feel like I "need" to.
Go passive! 
As both of my basses have Citron pickups in them, YMMV.
As both of my basses have Citron pickups in them, YMMV.
Go passive!
I'm tempted to with the walnut bass, as my main tendency is just to turn down the treble and a passive control might be better than the three band. It has solid lows on it's own. But, there are too many knobs (4 in total). The switch is fine because it's humbucking/single coil.
Edit based on your edit
: My fretless with Citrons is passive (minus the buffer for the piezo). When I ordered the walnut bass (Elfin #1), my tendency was more toward a hi-fi sound than it is now. I still love the clarity of that bass which is unmatched, but it's a bit brighter than I now prefer when set flat. Not that turning down the treble is a big deal or anything.
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I really like the tone of both my Keith basses with the passive tone controls rolled most of the way down, perhaps my tastes in bass tone are becoming more refined in my advancing years. Something else I have discovered on these basses is that with the tone control rolled all the way down, if I roll the volume control back a tad, the upper mids reduce even more, producing a deep, pillowy tone which is really nice for some things.
Thanks for all the input! I went with the Audere at Martin’s suggestion, I haven’t tried one yet. I was on a tight Budget as well. I guess I should make sure it can go passive too -I’ll ask about it. The body shape is slightly larger so there is no neck dive. Are all of your basses passive? If not, what preamps do you have?
I had had my basses running passive for a long time. I recently got a Nordstrand 2B+ in my main electric bass (w/Nordstrand BigRig pickups). I always roll back the passive tone a bit. Other than that I use the preamp to fill in the low end. That goes for any preamp. I never use the treble control.
I have a Nordstrand 2-band pre (cut/boost) in my Nordy bass -- Nordstrand pickups, of course. Passive tone control also. We all know that many onboard preamps sound very active, often with a volume boost as well -- not that that's a bad thing, some love it, but the Nordstrand preamp is surprisingly natural: just a bit more hi-fi than passive, and almost no volume boost.
My favorite active setup in general is two-band boost-only plus passive tone. My Elfin Plus has an Aguilar OBP-1 plus passive tone (and Nordstrand pickups) -- the Aggie is fairly neutral as well.
I recently read that placing a passive tone after an active preamp brings output impedance closer to passive, so cable capacitance comes back into play, reducing the amount of high treble that reaches the amp. Techies, please correct me if I'm inaccurate (or wrong!) but if true, it's another reason I prefer my actives to have a passive tone.
I have to add: boosting treble with the active control and then cutting with the passive is NOT redundant! Results vary from preamp to preamp (and the value of the passive tone capacitor as well I'm sure), but typically you get increased presence (hi mid, lo treble) without all that high treble info you get from active treble boost alone.
My favorite active setup in general is two-band boost-only plus passive tone. My Elfin Plus has an Aguilar OBP-1 plus passive tone (and Nordstrand pickups) -- the Aggie is fairly neutral as well.
I recently read that placing a passive tone after an active preamp brings output impedance closer to passive, so cable capacitance comes back into play, reducing the amount of high treble that reaches the amp. Techies, please correct me if I'm inaccurate (or wrong!) but if true, it's another reason I prefer my actives to have a passive tone.
I have to add: boosting treble with the active control and then cutting with the passive is NOT redundant! Results vary from preamp to preamp (and the value of the passive tone capacitor as well I'm sure), but typically you get increased presence (hi mid, lo treble) without all that high treble info you get from active treble boost alone.
The Nordstrand 2B+ is a 2 band boost only pre. Again, I don't use the treble boost but the bass boost is perfect for my needs. That with the passive tone and I get exactly what I want.
Unfortunately the 2B+ wasn't available when I got my Nordy 3 years ago. I like the cut/boost version... I just never cut (actually I leave it flat nearly all the time).
When I use the MM-style pickup on my Keith, I like to boost treble and bass to get Stingray-style tones.
I definitely need to get another Keith bass.
The electronics for my five Martin Keith basses are all over the map-
Walnut/myrtle/maple/katalox fretted 5: Nordstrand Fatstacks, single coil/humbucker switch, Audere 3 band deluxe (3 bands, 5 z-modes)
Mahogany/koa/mahogany/ebony fretless 5: Citron humbuckers, piezos, D-Tar Eclipse preamp/buffer (passive tone for magnetics and piezos)
Ash/maple/rosewood fretted 5: Nordstrand P and MM pickups, Noll 3 band preamp with passive tone control
Poplar/maple/pau ferro fretless 5: Duncan single coils, Audere 4 band with "bypass" switch
Mahogany/bubinga(?)/maple/wenge/ebony fretted 6: Aero humbuckers, Volume and Blend (no tone controls)
Is the 2B+ more subtle than the Aguilar? The Ag bass boost was too much for me. Maybe I'll check out the frequency ranges and boost amounts of the Nordstrand. Or, I'll leave it alone. Thinking about it as one of five basses, the brightness/clarity of it does offer something unique, and I don't want to lose that.
Walnut/myrtle/maple/katalox fretted 5: Nordstrand Fatstacks, single coil/humbucker switch, Audere 3 band deluxe (3 bands, 5 z-modes)
Mahogany/koa/mahogany/ebony fretless 5: Citron humbuckers, piezos, D-Tar Eclipse preamp/buffer (passive tone for magnetics and piezos)
Ash/maple/rosewood fretted 5: Nordstrand P and MM pickups, Noll 3 band preamp with passive tone control
Poplar/maple/pau ferro fretless 5: Duncan single coils, Audere 4 band with "bypass" switch
Mahogany/bubinga(?)/maple/wenge/ebony fretted 6: Aero humbuckers, Volume and Blend (no tone controls)
Is the 2B+ more subtle than the Aguilar? The Ag bass boost was too much for me. Maybe I'll check out the frequency ranges and boost amounts of the Nordstrand. Or, I'll leave it alone. Thinking about it as one of five basses, the brightness/clarity of it does offer something unique, and I don't want to lose that.
MUCH more usable range with the Nordstrand than the Aguilar. As was said, the Nordstrand is very natural sounding as well. The Aguilar is just more aggressive all around.
You and me both.
I was incredibly tempted, more than once, to sell my Ristola 6 string to have Martin make me a more travel friendly version. I still think about it, but I'm just too attached to my Ristola. Brian Ristola is a dear friend, and there's no telling when he'll get back to building. Not to mention, the bass plays beautifully and sounds incredible. I think it's more a case of wanting a new bass for the convenience of travel. It's certainly not a necessity.
The headstock joint is freakin' brilliant- scarfed on center section, and then the wings glued on. Strong, and elegant!
Thanks for all the input! I decided to go passive and will consider adding a pre-amp if I feel like I need to. I really do love using the passive tone control. I had an aguilar preamp on another bass and I agree, the bass boost just wasn't usable, too much! If I do get a preamp I want to be able to keep the tone control. I have a feeling the passive is going to be perfect, but if not I'll check out the Nordstrand 2B.
emjazz, by travel friendly are you just thinking solid body? shorter scale? Headless :0?
emjazz, by travel friendly are you just thinking solid body? shorter scale? Headless :0?
Definitely headless. I feel that that alone would do it. I was thinking a thicker, chambered body with one magnetic pickup. 33" scale.
For the time being Martin is going to retrofit my Ristola with machine screws so it's faster to take off the neck, and also it won't wear the wood.
Obviously, no one is a bigger fan of Martin than I (okay, maybe his immediate family members are bigger fans...), but it sounds like you really should hold onto your Ristola if you can.
