After market preamp???

[tkarter]

This has to be one of the most fun threads I caught up in awhile.

Why doesn't EB sell preamps and the like?

Because they don't have to is the simple answer. They sell instruments.


I am an old hot rodder. Never have had an urge to modify a bass yet. If I don't like how it sounds I go find one I like.


Now I really should go put some taller shocks on the father in law's Buick.
He is having issues with getting down to the right height to ride in it.

When I play bass it is a bongo.


tk

 

[drTStingray]

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

Jack et al - these are some of the funniest (and perceptive) things I've heard said about the current trend for 'vintage' I shall use some of these when the occasional guitard asks me why I don't use a '63 Fender, '66 EB3, '76 Ray etc - it seriously happens quite often - bass players don't seem to ask this though - in fact a guy I know who uses a '59 Precision agrees it's at least 50%fashion - perhaps the bass players listen to the bass sound for what it is rather than believe the hype??

 

[RaginRog]

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...)

Been there my friend....you search for that sound in your head and wind-up dissapointed when you can't find it. J basses and P basses are great.....I just prefer my Stingray HS. I thought the Stingray was it....but The HS is certainly the one!

 

[five7]

Once I played a musicman, that was it. I was hooked. I go to a music store and I only play MMs. I don't even see the other brands. It's like I have blinders on.

 

[nsh50a]

Sorry for dragging up an old thread. I've got a 97 SR4 I bought from thuroughbred music before sam-ash bought them out. About 5 years ago the preamp blew magic smoke and instead of replacing the 3 band I bought a '77 2 band from ebay. The sound was great however It definitely is not the best s/n ratio wise. The church I play at has huge LED stage lights that make it go nuts if I have the treble knob any where close to midline. I want to keep the 2 band sound and don't want to give up the '77 B00 pre for a replacement, yet I can't send back the 3 band for a replacement 2 band either. I was looking at the john east pre's as something that would come close to the same sound (classic 2 band) with less noise that what I have now. I know that it is the pre causing the noise as well b/c when I replaced the 3 band with a 2 band, I left the original jack hardwired straight to the pickup and when I plug into it it is dead quiet.