Wing and Clicky wired together

There is also a rockabilly preamp from Shadow you might want to have a look at.

 

I’m running through a 500H as well. Me likey.

 

Most people look at the RB systems (my Dad helped K&K design and execute the first such system about 20 years ago) as an analogy to dinner; the bridge pickup is your meat and potatoes, and the clicky is the seasoning. Some players want to have just a little salt and pepper, and some players maybe pour it on liberally. Others may prefer Himalayan salt and fresh ground pepper. And their meat and potatoes are Kobi steaks and fancy twice-baked potatoes. The analogy is that some may prefer to customize the blend of HOW MUCH seasoning, as well as the flavors (EQ) of the seasoning before adding it to the food. Whereas others might be less concerned with it and be just fine with how the chef prepares it without specifying anything.

Using that analogy, here are your options:

1. Wire two pickups - clicky and "main" pickup - together into a single mono jack. This will take ALL control out of the equation. You get a 50/50 blend of main/clicky, and don't get to EQ either of them independently. You can "master EQ" at the amp, or at an external preamp if you want - but you have no control over blend or individual pickup EQ. Plain steak and potatoes, seasoned by the cook with no intervention.
   
2. The Schatten prewired setups - Both the passive and active versions of these will let you adjust the BLEND - how much clicky (seasoning) you add to the food (bridge) but you still have no control over the tone of each; you might want to EQ most of the lows out of the clicky to get rid of the rumbly, indistinct garbage down low, but enhance the highs so that the click is prominent - but with this system, it's not really possible. Regular steak and potatoes, but the plain salt and pepper are on the table for you to add as you see fit.
   
3. With a system that has its own pre, like the K&K or Shadow, you have two pickups that maintain their independence into the two-channel blending preamp - at the preamp, you can adjust the SOUND as well as the relative LEVELS of the pickups BEFORE they are blended. That is the key advantage - a truly tailored blend and sound. High end steak and potatoes, with artisanal seasonings on the table.

Whether YOU "need" #3 or would get by with #1 or #2 is purely up to you and your sound preference, budget, and willingness to carry "extra" gear.

Hope that clears it up!

 

The preamp that comes with the RB setup (and also their Bass Master Pro, Golden Trinity Setups, etc., as well as is separately available as the "Dual Channel Pro ST") has two external knobs for volume - the box top easily opens up and there are eight mini pots inside (and a guide and handy mini screwdriver are in there to easily adjust them) for:

1. Channel 1 Input Volume
2. Channel 1 Bass Boost/Cut
   
3. Channel 1 Midrange Boost/Cut
4. Channel 1 Treble Boost/Cut
5. Channel 2 Input Volume
6. Channel 2 Bass Boost/Cut
   
7. Channel 2 Midrange Boost/Cut
8. Channel 2 Treble Boost/Cut

The idea is that you "set and forget" the internal settings, which means they're not going to get jostled and screwed up in your gig bag - and then make minor adjustments for the room on the amp. And you always have access to the blend, since the master output volumes for each channel are on the outside of the preamp.

 

Just joined the forum, first post. If I shouldn't be posting on this or something, take it easy on me gang.

I'm running the K&K preamp, and their clickity neck pickup, paired with a realist under the bridge. I love the sound, and the eq inside the box was fine with me after a set it and forget it at home. I'll say this though, I can't imagine not being able to adjust the volume of each pickup. On my bass anyway, I barely have to have the click up at all to get a LOT of click sound out of it, so heads up. I also have the preamp attached to my bow quiver, which works awesome, and you only need a 6 inch stereo cable, and the bass is plug and play without wires going everywhere under your feet.

BTW, I liked the setup so much I just ordered (from Mark above me here) a neck and wing pickup for use with the same preamp on my Kay C-1. (Thanks Mark, love your place.) Trying out the lesner guts too. Running Gamuts on my other bass, but looking forward to trying these out on the Kay...