Single Pickup EQ?

[DavidMP]

I'm looking to upgrade the electronics in my bass.

What do you think will be more versatile

a) Vol, Blend, Treble/HighMid, LowMid/Low
b) Vol, Blend, Treble/Bass for neck pu, Treble/Bass for bridge pu (Baxandall style)

Any reports on how versatile (or not) option (b) is over option (a). I couldn't find anything in the search.

I have also thought of replacing the blend for a 5 position make-before-break switch pre-set to 100%-75%-50%-25%-0% for any given pickup.
I just want to be able to change tone without too much fiddling with the knobs.

your insight is appreciated.

David

 

[DavidMP]

nobody has EQd their pickups independently?

 

[ScubaSteve]

It really depends on your pickups as far as EQ'ing separately

With Jazz pickups for example, I prefer to use them both at 100% since this gives a unique sound and an increased extension of very low frequencies. They just work really well together.

If it was a combination of a Precision pickup in the mid position and a hot and gritty humbucker in the bridge position, then yes I would want to EQ separately so the lows and mids are coming from the P pickup and the grit and grind when I want it can come from the bridge humbucker without affecting the tone of the P pickup.

What kind of bass, pickups, and what style are we talking about here ?

 

[DavidMP]

I was away for a week and then had to catch up at work.

The full story is the following:

I have a Godin Freeway five which I'm going to upgrade. I can only afford to have one bass at the moment and I can't afford a Dingwall (my dream bass since I played an AB-I). I play at church and that means that I need tone versatility since worship songs can change a lot in style within one service.
I have decided to replace the neck soap-bar with a Bartolini "deep tone" and the bridge with a Q-Tuner.
I want to get an Audere preamp with volume, blend and 5 position impedance switch but I'm unsure as to what EQ approach to pursue:
a) 4 band global EQ
b) 3 band + sweepable mid global EQ
c) 2 band EQ per pickup

The idea is to move as few pots as possible to switch form one tone to the other (say a mellow ballad to funk to heavy rock), my right hand technique (hopefully) would do the final attack adjustment to get the tone I want. Your comments are welcome

 

[luknfur]

The idea is to move as few pots as possible to switch form one tone to the other (say a mellow ballad to funk to heavy rock), my right hand technique (hopefully) would do the final attack adjustment to get the tone I want. Your comments are welcome

FWIW:

there's your real crux, the only way to quickly swap through tones on a bass is through switching not knobs.

But for starters the only way I know what something's going to sound like is to do it. Given the atypical mix you've got here, it's not like you can do search for other experiences to even get a remote idea from others experiences. You won't know what this is going to sound like till it's done.

If you play a variety of styles it's not very practical to expect one bass to do it all. Either it's going to be limited tonally or have a complex of controls that make it impractical to work with on the fly.

For what you're talking about, personally I'd spend my money on something outboard that's programmable and plug/unplug and play - not tearing into the bass every time you want to make a change.

 

[DavidMP]

I agree with you, but money is not very abundant right now and life is full of compromises so I'm looking at doing the best of what I have.

My original thinking was as follows:
a) Set the bridge pickup with the z control and a 2 band eq to give me a modern, harmonically rich tone usable alone and with overdrive.
b) Set the neck pickup with independent z control and 2 band eq to give me a darker, "old school" tone
c) Use the blend pot to switch between them and maybe find some other interesting tones in between

I know I just have to try it but one always forecasts as much as possible before running experiments, so I'm trying to pick the collective brain. Any insight is really appreciated

David

 

[A9X]

But for starters the only way I know what something's going to sound like is to do it. Given the atypical mix you've got here, it's not like you can do search for other experiences to even get a remote idea from others experiences. You won't know what this is going to sound like till it's done.

What he said.

Are you building it yourself (sounds like to from your posts)? If so that it won't cost much to try.

A better idea may be another rack preamp and taking the signal from the bass via V/V controls to a TRS jack and 3 conductor cable. Then you can do whatever you want in terms of tone, blend, EQ etc and not be stuck with the compromises of low current, low voltage electronics. Decent rack pres' can often be had cheap and are far more flexible than on board. A bit different though.

Alembic do individual filters on some models, as well as two channel (it's NOT stereo) output.

 

[luknfur]

I agree with you, but money is not very abundant right now and life is full of compromises so I'm looking at doing the best of what I have.David

FWIW:

Q-tuners look interesting and I get the impression you still don't have the planned pups or preamp. I've never looked into Q tuner pricing but my guess is there aren't dime store variety.

You could probably pick up a used pod (whatever) in excellent condition for what the Q-tuner alone would run. Plug it in and if it does nothing for you, unplug and move it on for probably far less loss (roughly $20) than if you buy a new Q tuner.

If you're talking about buying this stuff new, probably $400-$500 range. That's a lot to dump into a bass on a song and a prayer.

 

[A9X]

Q tuners are about $US150 - 170 ea + $15 shipping.

 

[luknfur]

Q tuners are about $US150 - 170 ea + $15 shipping.

Thanks, about what I thought. I paid $180 shipped for my podxt and that's pretty run of the mill current pricing, no deal by any means. As far as trial goes, you can buy the original bass pod for $100 shipped all day long, even down to $60 or so if you wait around for a little while.

But as I'd said, doesn't have to be a pod. I just like modeling stuff lately for bass.