After market preamp???

[RaginRog]

So I was surfin' the net and noticed an auction on ebay with someone selling an SR HH 4 that had a John East BTB MMSR 3 band preamp, with a sweepable mid knob.

Anyone ever heard of these? Does BP know they are being made? What do you guys think of 'em? I don't see what they could possibly add to the sound of my SRs? They claim to make your SR sound more like a vintage SR.

My apologies if this is something I shouldn't have posted on the site, but was curious as to what some of the EB MM faithful had to say.

-Rog

 

[bovinehost]

I have nothing but respect for John East.

They claim to make your SR sound more like a vintage SR.

My Stingrays do sound like Stingrays. I realize there's a cult thing going (and some of you are here, I see you waving at me) with "vintage" being ever so fashionable and desirable. I think that's fine. If you believe it sounds better, then it does. Let's not argue about that, thanks so very much in advance.

But a good (passive) Jazz bass, built in a factory somewhere in Mexico or California or wherever....sounds like a good passive Jazz bass that was mysteriously assembled by elves with magic powers in 1964. (Not 1965, of course. We all know the process lost its magic in 1965.)

And guess what? A good Stingray - whether it was built in 1977 or 1997, well, it sounds like a good Stingray, doesn't it? Sure, sure, I know (I see you waving at me, I see you), the older ones have some kind of magic crap baked into them somehow....ahem. I have a two-band active SUB that sounds just as good (if not better) than any of the pre-EB Stingrays I've owned, and I've owned a 'few', as they say.

John East will undoubtedly sell a few of these preamps to people who firmly believe that vintage is somehow better. Good for him, I say - good for him.

Against my better judgment, I'll leave this open unless or until BP comes along and has a problem with it. It's happened before.

Personally, I don't know why you'd buy an instrument and think "Well, if I just yank all the noise-making/noise-processing bits out and replace it with NEW STUFF THAT PROMISES TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE OLD STUFF, it will be an excellent bass!" But apparently, this sort of thing happens.

Choice is good, as BP says. But you can make bad choices, too.

Jack

 

[scottbass71]

But a good (passive) Jazz bass, built in a factory somewhere in Mexico or California or wherever....sounds like a good passive Jazz bass that was mysteriously assembled by elves with magic powers in 1964. (Not 1965, of course. We all know the process lost its magic in 1965.)

Yeah I heard the basses made before 1965 where made with wood from leos actual house and the pickups where wax potted in leos earwax.

I am with you on the 'vintage smintage' market jack, but in saying that my 77 ray keeps going up in value so I now take back those comments!!!!

 

[Aussie Mark]

My Buttercream SR4 has one of those East preamps, installed by the previous owner, who was silly enough to let the shop who did the install keep the original preamp. It sounds good, but no better or worse than the standard SR4 preamp. I don't think the East preamp sounds more like the two pre-EB SR4s I've owned than the current 3 band SR4s. The different is negligible to my old ears.

 

[Big Poppa]

voodoo schmoodoo doo doo

I m sure these are fine....I thinkn its funny that people designing basic circuitry and boutique pickup makers create a voodoo around what they do... its electronics 101 maybe 102.....Nasa guys are electronic geniuses...some wire some bobbins and some magnets and the pick up guy becomes a tonal guru with magic powers....

 

[scottbass71]

As person who has repaired a few pickups in the last few years I think BP has nailed it on the head with his description, but don't forget the few other gem words
Vintage
NOS (new old stock)

I am surprised when musicians find out I repair/ can make pick ups, that they want me to make pickups that will make them sound like their favourite player (and of coarse the player still don't sound like their hero) - instead of spending $300- on pick ups spend the money on lessons ( I always think that but I never say it can't afford to lose a customer)

 

[shakinbacon]

voodoo schmoodoo doo doo

I m sure these are fine....I thinkn its funny that people designing basic circuitry and boutique pickup makers create a voodoo around what they do... its electronics 101 maybe 102.....Nasa guys are electronic geniuses...some wire some bobbins and some magnets and the pick up guy becomes a tonal guru with magic powers....

semi diety alert!

<Captain Kirk voice> Can't... resist... the... urge... to... question. May... get... flamed...

This begs the question, why doesn't Musicman sell pickups and preamps?

 

[bovinehost]

This begs the question, why doesn't Musicman sell pickups and preamps?

If you want a Fender-esque thing, go buy a body from Warmoth, a neck from Mighty Mite, a bridge from Leo Quan, some pickups from Duncan, a pickguard from Pickguardian and - so on.

If you want a Music Man, guess what?

 

[scottbass71]

some pickups from Duncan

or pickups from scottbass71!!!!

 

[Big Poppa]

that scottbass is a monster guru

 

[scottbass71]

Thanks pops the cheque and berocca are in the mail!!!

Also I use vintage magnet wire that came from thomas edisons design lab in my pickups

 

[RaginRog]

I have nothing but respect for John East.



My Stingrays do sound like Stingrays. I realize there's a cult thing going (and some of you are here, I see you waving at me) with "vintage" being ever so fashionable and desirable. I think that's fine. If you believe it sounds better, then it does. Let's not argue about that, thanks so very much in advance.

But a good (passive) Jazz bass, built in a factory somewhere in Mexico or California or wherever....sounds like a good passive Jazz bass that was mysteriously assembled by elves with magic powers in 1964. (Not 1965, of course. We all know the process lost its magic in 1965.)

And guess what? A good Stingray - whether it was built in 1977 or 1997, well, it sounds like a good Stingray, doesn't it? Sure, sure, I know (I see you waving at me, I see you), the older ones have some kind of magic crap baked into them somehow....ahem. I have a two-band active SUB that sounds just as good (if not better) than any of the pre-EB Stingrays I've owned, and I've owned a 'few', as they say.

John East will undoubtedly sell a few of these preamps to people who firmly believe that vintage is somehow better. Good for him, I say - good for him.

Against my better judgment, I'll leave this open unless or until BP comes along and has a problem with it. It's happened before.

Personally, I don't know why you'd buy an instrument and think "Well, if I just yank all the noise-making/noise-processing bits out and replace it with NEW STUFF THAT PROMISES TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE OLD STUFF, it will be an excellent bass!" But apparently, this sort of thing happens.

Choice is good, as BP says. But you can make bad choices, too.

Jack

Thanks Jack.

I wasn't and still am not interested in changing my preamp, I was interested as I happen to be a bit of a gear-head. The seemed nice, but don't seem to do much to justify spending $230. If I happened to own a SUB bass, I would consider one of his preamps because I prefer 3 band EQs and most SUBs have 2 band eqs.

-Rog

 

[RaginRog]

My Buttercream SR4 has one of those East preamps, installed by the previous owner, who was silly enough to let the shop who did the install keep the original preamp. It sounds good, but no better or worse than the standard SR4 preamp. I don't think the East preamp sounds more like the two pre-EB SR4s I've owned than the current 3 band SR4s. The different is negligible to my old ears.

It's one of those things some Gear Heads do- they must have the newest contraptions available. It's like computer junkie's who buy the fastest computer chip every 6 months, instead of leaving their computer alone.

Car aficionados are the same way; always buying contraptions to give them an extra 5-10 HP....like they're going to be able to drive 150 MPH on the beltway! lol

 

[RaginRog]

voodoo schmoodoo doo doo

I m sure these are fine....I thinkn its funny that people designing basic circuitry and boutique pickup makers create a voodoo around what they do... its electronics 101 maybe 102.....Nasa guys are electronic geniuses...some wire some bobbins and some magnets and the pick up guy becomes a tonal guru with magic powers....

Thanks BP!
I wasn't trying to rock the boat- an honest curiosity was all it was.

This is what I wrote to Aussie Mark....it just goes with what you were saying:

It's one of those things some Gear Heads do- they must have the newest contraptions available. It's like computer junkie's who buy the fastest computer chip every 6 months, instead of leaving their computer alone.

Car aficionados are the same way; always buying contraptions to give them an extra 5-10 HP....like they're going to be able to drive 150 MPH on the beltway! lol

 

[Big Poppa]

I know I have zero axe to grind with John East...some of the old quotes and opinions he had on the old dude pit made me chuckle

 

[Rano Bass]

This begs the question, why doesn't Musicman sell pickups and preamps?

+1
It would be great to have the option to experiment with different pickups (say... change from ceramic to alnico) without having to go to other brands of pickup makers to do it.
IMO of course.

 

[Musicman Nut]

So I was surfin' the net and noticed an auction on ebay with someone selling an SR HH 4 that had a John East BTB MMSR 3 band preamp, with a sweepable mid knob.

Anyone ever heard of these? Does BP know they are being made? What do you guys think of 'em? I don't see what they could possibly add to the sound of my SRs? They claim to make your SR sound more like a vintage SR.

My apologies if this is something I shouldn't have posted on the site, but was curious as to what some of the EB MM faithful had to say.

-Rog

Just buy a Music Man Bass & Play it, changing the guts is never good, cause you'll always go back, you bought a music man for that tone, who knows it better then Ernie Ball Music Man.

 

[EdFriedland]

If you want a Music Man, guess what?

Jack, I'm stilling waiting for the answer!?




The urge to alter a bass is natural. But over the years, many of us have learned expensive and painful lessons. It took me YEARS to stop turning every frikkin' P Bass I bought into a P/J. And I won't even mention some of the horrors I have bestowed upon other children of Leo that will remain nameless lest I be banned.

A preamp swap is not horrible, but don't cut! I'm just saying.

 

[bovinehost]

Jack, I'm stilling waiting for the answer!?

If you want a Music Man, you buy a Music Man.

If you want a Fender, well, maybe you really want a Sadowsky. Or a Lull. Or...the list goes on and on. Or maybe you go to Warmoth or USACG and build your own, and frankly I have nothing against doing any of that. (Having done it once or twice, ahem, myself.)

The urge to alter a bass is natural. But over the years, many of us have learned expensive and painful lessons. It took me YEARS to stop turning every frikkin' P Bass I bought into a P/J.

I agree, it IS one of those things you just have to do - at least for a while. Maybe it's just my age bracket, but it seemed to come of age in the seventies. Oh, the J-pickup routes in each and every P-bass....yeah, I did it, too. Brass nuts. BadAss bridges. The list goes on and on.

And even now, I still tell people the same thing: it's your bass, bought and paid for. If you think you have to change things in order to be happy with it, then do it. I would. I have.

But I'm way more easygoing about my own basses and outlook now. A good P bass isn't rocket science. If a P isn't what you want, DON'T BUY ONE.

I'm fortunate, really, that I know what works for me now. That wasn't always true. (Maybe it's not just being older but actually being smarter!) I might occasionally sound like a broken record, but slap a Bongo in my hands and I can do whatever it is I want to do. Pickup configuration is entirely unimportant, mostly. I've given up that thought process that makes me think, "If I only had THIS xxxxx, I'd be better!"

I yam what I yam.

A preamp swap is not horrible, but don't cut! I'm just saying.

There are worse things than swapping a pre, most of which I have done (and you, too).

But I remember a United States Marine Corps maintenance shop sign that said, "If it ain't broke, we'll fix it until it is."

My basses ain't broke, and no Marines are allowed to fix them.

Jack

 

[eastcoasteddie]

funny, I had 2 Jazz basses. Tinkered with them from day one; pots, bridges, caps, switches...none of it made me say "Yeah! that's it!"

My Stingray, perfect from day one. Don't dare mess with a good thing ('xcept maybe change the battery as needed...)