Warwick Jack Bruce PS and John East preamp

[Diddywah]

I just got my hands on a 2013 Warwick Jack Bruce PS bass and have a set of TI flats coming my way so I can do a proper set-up.
Bass came with some worn out (probably the original) Warwick strings....so I strung it with some Labella Deep Talkin Flats I had lying around (My emergency flats, but I don´t like them, they´re too high tension and stiff for me)
It plays nice, and is a looker, but the preamp is noisy, treble hiss... hate that
So I ordered a John East Uni Pre3 preamp to sort out that hiss and give me some midrange control.
Anyone here have any thoughts/experience on the Warwick Jack Bruce or the John East?
I will share my findings as they emerge.

 

[bassvi]

I've got a Warwick Jack Bruce fretless Rockbass... I waited almost a year to get it after purchase, music store said dockworkers were on strike or something so apparently it sat on the boat for a long time. Strings were awful and had to do some adjustment to the truss rod to get it near playable. Nut was also too high even with just-a-nut all the way down. Recently I discovered I could just pull out the shim in between the nut and the neck, now it plays super nice!.... I like the pickups a lot but yeah it does have a little noise going on in there. It's a beautiful bass, I am enjoying it now as much as my Tony Franklin....

 

[Diddywah]

I've got a Warwick Jack Bruce fretless Rockbass... I waited almost a year to get it after purchase, music store said dockworkers were on strike or something so apparently it sat on the boat for a long time. Strings were awful and had to do some adjustment to the truss rod to get it near playable. Nut was also too high even with just-a-nut all the way down. Recently I discovered I could just pull out the shim in between the nut and the neck, now it plays super nice!.... I like the pickups a lot but yeah it does have a little noise going on in there. It's a beautiful bass, I am enjoying it now as much as my Tony Franklin....

I would love to have a fretless JB too! But I have four fretless basses now, so I bought the JB because I needed a bass with frets too (at least that was my excuse for getting it). Do you find the Rockbass (china) series on par with the Proseries (korea)?

 

[somebrains]

I swapped the ICs to kill the hiss of a Streamer 3-band preamp.
It was just an exercise, hiss is gone but the preamp still sounds lackluster.

I've played basses with an East in them, you should record it bc I don't think I've seen anyone with the SG looking JB irl.

Aren't those J's under a cover or??

 

[Diddywah]

I swapped the ICs to kill the hiss of a Streamer 3-band preamp.
It was just an exercise, hiss is gone but the preamp still sounds lackluster.

I've played basses with an East in them, you should record it bc I don't think I've seen anyone with the SG looking JB irl.

Aren't those J's under a cover or??

Interesting! Yeah, those PU´s are singel coils. Same PU´s I had in a pro series Star Bass and also in a MIG Starbass I used to have. (MEC KX 60113 R/C) but those basses were passive.
The JB is set up nice and low now with a set of TI flats and the neck has settled inn too. So I hope I get that East preamp right over Easter. Hiss is annoying and I miss some control over the midrange.

 

[somebrains]

Interesting! Yeah, those PU´s are singel coils. Same PU´s I had in a pro series Star Bass and also in a MIG Starbass I used to have. (MEC KX 60113 R/C) but those basses were passive.
The JB is set up nice and low now with a set of TI flats and the neck has settled inn too. So I hope I get that East preamp right over Easter. Hiss is annoying and I miss some control over the midrange.

I play my Warwick $$ with Big Mans basically split down to a pair of Big Singles.
I've got a parts Jazz 5 with stupid hot 10% overwound Fralin singles.

I basically have to switch amps depending on the bass.
The Jazz basically can make a Mesa tube head sound like an SVT or older Aguilar when you lean on the OD.

Singles are better to play with 3-band or 4-band preamps.
Some of what humbuckers cancel out is a bit of the tweakable tones, so the baby can be thrown out with the bathwater when you are chasing hum.

Give your amp(s) a run thru with the Audere but keep an open mind.
Hit your local well stocked stores and take everything for a spin.

I found the $$ can make everything sound good.
The Jazz makes everything sound the same, like you poured Heinz ketchup on every amp.
It's nice to have a "dependable sound", but it's good to see what you've got and make changes as appropriate.

The journey can be very fun.

 

[Diddywah]

My East preamp arrived! Easy install, just had to resolder the jack. First test at home on my AER basscube 2 is very promising. Great sound, absolutely no hiss and a new window opened to the midrange control.
Playing around with it I could dial in some very nice sounds. Can´t wait to give it a go with the band next week, and then it will be through my Mesa Walkabout!
Here is the original MEC preamp before removal:



Trying out the position on the East:


Finished install:


And it looks good too

 

[Diddywah]

Update; I have had some time with this preamp now, and I am really happy with it! My main amp is a Mesa Walkabout 15 with an extra 15 cab. Bass sounds great on that for sure; I leave everything flat on the amp, or sometimes just drop a little of the lowest on the parametric if there is anything boomy going on. Then I can adjust the tone of the bass for different songs on the preamp. Very convenient! I love how the volume is a "proper" volume; I can back it off some, and have that extra boost if I need it without losing any of the tonal qualities in the preamp. I also played a Trace Elliot 350 rig and a Ampeg SVT with the same approach. Amp flat; shaping on the preamp. Bass sound was cracking! Even people in the audience commented my good sound. That makes a bassplayer happy for sure

 

[somebrains]

Did you get some copper tape under the control cavity lug?
Is the control cavity cover copper taped?

 

[Diddywah]

Did you get some copper tape under the control cavity lug?
Is the control cavity cover copper taped?

The control cavity is painted with that black sheilding paint. And I checked it with a multimeter, it was ok. But John East recommended to put a proper copper sheild, so I did that too. The black frame for the cover you see in the picture was removed before I lined the cavity. There is no sheilding on the back of the cover. But it would be easy to do....

 

[somebrains]

Ideally you box in the electronics to be 100% sure you are getting the most out of your copper tape job.