Which 3 band pre amp for me?

I've just purchased an Aguilar OBP-3 for my Yamaha TRB5. I should have it installed by the weekend. I'll let you know what it sounds like. it comes highly recommended.

 

What do you have in mind by "variable mid control"? Are you thinking of a switch to toggle between pre-set mid frequencies, or are you thinking of a knob to adjust the mid center frequency like you would on a parametric EQ?

There are several pre-amps with selectable pre-set mid frequencies (Bartolini, Aguilar, etc ...) but only the Retros by John East have a knob for you to adjust the mid center frequency like a parametric EQ.

BestBassGear.com (one of the TB forum sponsors - see the sticky at the top of this forum) has a great selection of all of these different pre-amps.

R

 

John East does a model called the U-Retro for non Jazz basses, which I believe is the same circuitry, just mounts into a rear rout bass or whatever. Check out www.j-retro.co.uk

He's a good guy to deal with and he'll answer any questions you may have. There's even a forum on his site about his pre-amps which may be worth a look.

 

I always thought that Active pickups had higher output then passive ones. That's why amp often have a passive and active input. If you put a passive bass into the active input, it would not as loud as it does in the passive input, because the active input is build to cope with higher/active input.

 

Active pickups are quieter than passive pickups. That's why they need an on-board preamp. With the preamp, though, usually they get louder than passive electronics, but not always.

 

Yeah what he said. I have one in my TRB6P. A decent preamp up grade is highly recommended on all trb instruments by me
Seriously, it has made my awesome bass totally out of this world as to what it can do and how it sounds.

 

That's a little misleading, since the "on-board preamp" is actually part of the pickup itself--that's what makes them "active pickups". A passive pickup run though an active EQ like the J-Retro/Aquilar/etc. is not the same as an "active pickup".

Mike

 

The EMG BQC also has a sweepable mid control, and the Aguilar OBP-3 can be wired that way.

Mike