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Who has WARWICKS with non-MEC pickups?

#61
Bovril- I recall in some other Warwick thread, some TBers have kept the MEC pups but put in an Aguilar pre and said that the Aguilar pre mates well with the MECs. I'm guessing that Aguilar + MEC = ultra-responsive instrument.
 
#66
Son of Bovril said:
what sort of tone difference could I expect from the Aguilar OBP-3 and the MEC pickups?
Click to expand...
I've swapped out the MEC active pre in my Corvette LTD 02 for an Aguilar OBP-3 and i'm very happy with it. The Aguilar is so much more responsive. The MEC can't really boost the bass without distorting, where as with the Aguilar I can really fatten up the bottom end.
 
#67
I've had two different Warwicks with Duncan pups & pre amps; a 5 string Corvette with a solid quilted maple body, and an FNA jazzman. The Duncans were an improvement on both of those basses and they sounded good. BUT, I have a Corvette 4 string with a swamp ash body that I set up with Bart pups & the 3.14 preamp, that is BY FAR the BEST sounding, most quiet and most versatile bass I have ever played. I would have a real hard time recommending anything else in a Warwick. The ONLY, and I mean ONLY down side to the Barts is the availability of decent looking knobs. The little black plastic knobs that come with the preamp look like hell, especially on a Warwick. Bestbassgear.com sells chrome flat top knobs that look better, but still not as good as the stock knobs that come with the MEC pre's. This is my only bitch about the Barts; the bastard sized pot shafts. One other thing you can do to drastically improve the sound is sheilding. I sheilded the holy crap out of that Corvette and I really think it helped quiet it down a lot. The inside of that control cavity looks like a lunar lander! I used copper tape, then soldered the seams so that when I was done I could put an ohm meter on opposite sides of the cavity and have no resistance. Good luck!! (Barts, really!!!)
 
#68
You know, in addition to that, I've also wondered what a Corvette Standard would sound like with Lindy Fralin pups and a passive setup.

Dincrest said:
I have nothing to contribute, but I must say I'm enjoying reading this thread. I've often wondered how my Corvette would sound with Aero or Villex pups and passive electronics. Though I wouldn't dare change its stock configuration. I love the bass to bits.

.
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#70
Hey FatHand,
my Corvette was noisy as hell too. I tried the preamp first and it helped, but I finally yanked everything out of the bass, sheilded it, put in the Bartolini 3.4, and the Bartolini 9K jazz pickups. As stated earlier in this thread, this is the quietest bass I have ever had. For all of their high end claims and advertising about the best woods, they don't do **** about shielding their bass, or using decent electronics for that matter. Hell, even Ibanez uses Bartolinis in some of their basses.

I can't tell you abour the aguilar pre, I've never used one. Go to bestbassgear.com if you want Bartolini stuff. Brian is very helpful.

Jeff
 
#71
grumpyjfc said:
Hey FatHand,
my Corvette was noisy as hell too. I tried the preamp first and it helped, but I finally yanked everything out of the bass, sheilded it, put in the Bartolini 3.4, and the Bartolini 9K jazz pickups. As stated earlier in this thread, this is the quietest bass I have ever had. For all of their high end claims and advertising about the best woods, they don't do **** about shielding their bass, or using decent electronics for that matter. Hell, even Ibanez uses Bartolinis in some of their basses.

I can't tell you abour the aguilar pre, I've never used one. Go to bestbassgear.com if you want Bartolini stuff. Brian is very helpful.

Jeff
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've been checking the bestbassgear.com site lately, mainly because I could get Aguilars from there for a reasonable price. :)

(Surprisingly... well, not really - Aguilar doesn't have a Finnish dealer)

But thanks for the info. Bartolinis are still an option, we'll have to see.
 
#72
Well,I might as well add another to the thread. I just picked up a nice FNA Jazzman 5,that after I got it set up properly,might work out nicely.I got it mainly to have a second bass similar to my custom 5 string (see avatar). It has the Basslines SMB5-A,which I really love,so will this pickup go in the Jazzman without mods? And should I replace the front pickup also? I seriuosly doubt I'll ever use the front pickup,but you never know. I'd love to hear from anybody that's had the Basslines Alnico on their FNA Jazzmans.
 
#73
73jbass said:
Well,I might as well add another to the thread. I just picked up a nice FNA Jazzman 5,that after I got it set up properly,might work out nicely.I got it mainly to have a second bass similar to my custom 5 string (see avatar). It has the Basslines SMB5-A,which I really love,so will this pickup go in the Jazzman without mods? And should I replace the front pickup also? I seriuosly doubt I'll ever use the front pickup,but you never know. I'd love to hear from anybody that's had the Basslines Alnico on their FNA Jazzmans.
Click to expand...
Yes, my FNA Jazzman currently has the SMB5-A as well. Although this one is giving me some trouble (the guy I bought it from either sweats a LOT, or took the bass surfing with him), I had them in another Warwick that I built the body for to replicate a Double Buck. Also had one in a Warmoth Gecko bass. They sound great, very versatile and it fits the jazzman perfectly. Trouble with the front pickup is the dimensions. The only thing I have found that will fit that sports the exposed pole peices is the Dimarzio 5 string jazz pickup (bestbassgear.com). I ordered a replacement MEC jazz pickup from a Warwick dealer and I got one without polepeices. I'm actually getting a little frustrated with the whole thing and I'm giving serious thought to switching the whole shooting match to Bartolinis, never mind the pole peices. This is unfortunate, because I think that's what gives the FNA it's ballsy look. But, from experience, the Barts sound AWESOME in a Warwick!! Hope this helps. Jeff
 
#74
I have a 6er thumb bolt-on with Bartolinis. That's exactly how I want my bass to sound. I also have a fretless Ibanez with EMGs ... they sound too clean for me, but that's a personal matter of taste.

If you go for the Bartolinis, you can't go wrong imho.

--
Jeremy
 
#75
I may be swimming upstream from what I've read so far, but I bought a used N/T Thumb, and it came with EMGs (owner upgraded, w/EMG preamp), and a spare set of Basslines (the optional original equipment pickups).

I HATED the EMGs, and it took ALL of the very SOUND that the Thumb is known for away. I did some reading about the Basslines, and most said they weren't really that much of an improvement, or that terribly different than the MECs. Some reviews said that they offered perhaps a bit less growl...not acceptable. Growl is why I wanted a Thumb in the first place.

I promptly called Bass Central, and asked them to contact Dana B. Goods to secure the original MEC electronics so that I could restore the bass to "stock". (plug for Bass Central - THANKS GUYS!)

I am happy as a clam. I LOVE the sound of the bass now.

IMHO, Warwicks sound best unmolested. The pickups are at least PART of what makes them sound truly unique.

That said, the BEST pickups in the world are wound by Bill Bartolini. If I were to consider changing the MECs for ANYTHING, it would be Barts...but I LOVE the MECs.
 
#76
Fathand said:
One question (from a newbie in bass preamps):

My Corvette's MECs are noisy, would an Aguilar OBP-2 quiet that noise?

Or should I just get new pickups and save the preamp for later?

Thanks.
Click to expand...

In theory, if your pickups are noisy, than installing a pre-amp runs the risk of increasing the noise since you are boosting the signal. However, I used to run my Corvette Standard passive through an outboard Aguilar 2 band preamp (the 924) and it seemed to actually reduce the noise in most cases. If you install the Aguilar 2-band I would have the pickup routes and electronics cavity completely shielded as well. Couldn't hurt and probably better for the bass anyways since the passive MECs aren't reverse wound for hum canceling when both used (I think - someone correct me if I'm wrong on this). All in all I really liked the passive MEC/Aguilar preamp combo, worked out really well.
 
#77
Basshole said:
I may be swimming upstream from what I've read so far, but I bought a used N/T Thumb, and it came with EMGs (owner upgraded, w/EMG preamp), and a spare set of Basslines (the optional original equipment pickups).

I HATED the EMGs, and it took ALL of the very SOUND that the Thumb is known for away. I did some reading about the Basslines, and most said they weren't really that much of an improvement, or that terribly different than the MECs. Some reviews said that they offered perhaps a bit less growl...not acceptable. Growl is why I wanted a Thumb in the first place.

I promptly called Bass Central, and asked them to contact Dana B. Goods to secure the original MEC electronics so that I could restore the bass to "stock". (plug for Bass Central - THANKS GUYS!)

I am happy as a clam. I LOVE the sound of the bass now.

IMHO, Warwicks sound best unmolested. The pickups are at least PART of what makes them sound truly unique.

That said, the BEST pickups in the world are wound by Bill Bartolini. If I were to consider changing the MECs for ANYTHING, it would be Barts...but I LOVE the MECs.
Click to expand...

I feel that way about Basslines! My Stage 1 5 with the Basslines KILLZ!!! I can't speak for the other models, but if you're going to play a Stage 1, you've GOTTA have the SD Basslines. I think it's in the Bible somewhere! :hiding:
 
#79
I am also considering replacing both pups in the FNA Jazzman5 with a set of Bartolinis. Anybody ever done this and leaving the factory preamp in place? I need to do something with this bass in a couple of weeks. Also,is there any string I can put on this bass besides tapercores? Thanks folks!
 
#80
Hello everybody. I have the same problem, as a many here has, my stock pickups (MEC singles) on Warwick Corvette 5 are terrible noisy(for me). It's not a problem of stock onboard preamp, and 2 band EQ is enougth for me, I just wanna replace pickups to any noiseless, but some problems appieres.
Stock MEC pickups, neck and bridge, has the same dimensions(3,74 inch or 94 mm long, 1,57 inch or 40 mm between screws), and Seymoure Duncan Basslines SJB-5(passive) are different, bridge is OK foк Warwick, but neck is shorter (3,61 inch or 91 mm long, 1,5 inch or 37 mm between screws). The same situation with EMG , and only Bartolini makes pickups of dimension i need. BUT! it's active pickups, powered by battery. Can I use this model with my stock active electronic on bass?
Another way is to buy two Bridge Pickups from Basslines, this way is everything Okay with dimensions, but will be problems with output impedance, for example, and whith sound, cause, as i read in specifications, neck and pridge in pair, has different output and freiquency.
So this is my problem)), who advise something? I Just Want to make my bass NOISYLESS, i don't care about little less of growl))).

To Nitkin: Андрей, вот так-то рожать текст с языком выученным с грехом пополам))))Да простит меня сообщество
 

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