Modding an OLP bass

[marleaux-user]

Hi all,

I just bought me an OLP MM3 (5 string). I'm really pleased with it. But my hands are getting itchy, and i am thinking of modding the controls on the bass. It comes with V/V/T, which is kinda weird as i personally prefer single volume controls for hushing my bass onstage easily. Heres a pic anyway

Right now, my only 'problems' with the bass are 1) Lack of low end, being a passive bass. 2) Weird V/V/T. 3) Badly sanded neck. I just need you guys to suggest things like changing pickups or adding a preamp etc etc, as i know nuts about such things. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JB1]

I'm unclear on this VVT thing.

You have one pickup-right - so why 2 vol controls? Weird indeed.

As for the neck, try some fine grade wire wool (do a search here & a previous thread will come up).

As for the lack of grunt, well, as you said it's passive. Guess you just need a beefier amp.

If you really want to be doing things like changing out the pup & adding a pre, why did you go for a regular Ray (or maybe Sub?) in the first place (apart from cost issues of course)

 

[kn38ms]

I wanted to buy an OLP 5 string and possibly "improve" it.
By the time you get done with spending xtra $$ and time and labor
it still is not a Ray'. I will save up and buy a Ray'. Do it right the 1st time.
The OLP is decent for the money as is. IMHO it would cost ineffective to
dump cash into. Enjoy it as is. Save your cash for the real deal

 

[marleaux-user]

I gave some serious thought about what you guys said, and yeah, youre absolutely right!

I'd have to be crazy to route a battery comparment to just to make this bass active. I"m gonna have to stick to EQs/preamps as i dont have a proper bass amp, just some monitor speakers thru a comp (recording setup).

Yeah JB1, its utterly weird, but this bass has 3 knobs. Vol, Vol and tone. One vol for each coil, and as expected, it causes hum when both are not in unison levels. I"m gonna wire it up to just one Vol. Sounds easy i suppose! If u guys are interested, i'll keep you posted.

 

[JB1]

Always interested to see what can be acheived....

I think you're better off waiting for the $'s to get a 'Ray.

Modding an OLP IMHO is most cost & hassle than it might be worth.

Good luck on the vol pot

 

[barkatozz]

I installed a Bartolini pre in my OLP 4 banger & it sounds very similar to a Stingray.

 

[marleaux-user]

Its always nice to hear insights from fellow bass players

I have a (rather) long term plan to obtain a Sterling. I have MantaRay to thank for that This was after he defined the sound of a phat, lucious slapped tone that resonates with clarity and natural compression via a short mp3 demo sometime back!

I'm pretty newbie-ish compared to most of you guys, having just embarked on being a full-time musician in Singapore! It'll take a while before i get my first EBMM sterling, but i'll get there!

 

[shamus63]

Hi all,

I just bought me an OLP MM3 (5 string). I'm really pleased with it. But my hands are getting itchy, and i am thinking of modding the controls on the bass. It comes with V/V/T, which is kinda weird as i personally prefer single volume controls for hushing my bass onstage easily. Heres a pic anyway

Right now, my only 'problems' with the bass are 1) Lack of low end, being a passive bass. 2) Weird V/V/T. 3) Badly sanded neck. I just need you guys to suggest things like changing pickups or adding a preamp etc etc, as i know nuts about such things. Your help would be greatly appreciated.

You could probably get the volumes wired to one pot (a cheap fix), do a very light sanding job on the neck (I forget if they're finished or not), and buy a Tech21 SansAmp NYC Bass Driver to warm-up/beef-up your sound.

BTW, very nice finish on your bass!

 

[Father Gino]

I've thought of getting an OLP MM2 just for the sake of experimentation. I've been tempted to try different pickups, pre-amps or no pre-amps in my fretless Sterling, but I'm too chicken to solder & resolder on its circuit board. I figure an OLP would give me some idea of what this stuff would sound like with minimal risk.

Do they make a fretless OLP?

 

[shamus63]

I've thought of getting an OLP MM2 just for the sake of experimentation. I've been tempted to try different pickups, pre-amps or no pre-amps in my fretless Sterling, but I'm too chicken to solder & resolder on its circuit board. I figure an OLP would give me some idea of what this stuff would sound like with minimal risk.

Do they make a fretless OLP?

Hmm, I haven't seen a FL OLP Stingray...yet.

 

[marleaux-user]

The bass pictured isnt the same as the one i'm having... Mine dosent look quite as nice But i'm kinda happy about how it sounds though.

Yeah i'm usin a MXR bass DI and it works fine for beefin' up the lows. I'm kinda saving up for a Radial Bassbone though. Not quite like the preamp in a SR, but what the heck :

 

[Urwordsbreakmed]

Man thats really sexy looking

 

[sultrabass]

The two volumes of the stock OLP don't do much. I made mine a single volume and used the second volume as a tone control by adding a capacitor. Then I added a switch to the last hole for series, parallel, and single coil. It's all easy to do except making sure the phasing is correct for the switch. That setup gives the bass a lot more useable tones. Really fat in series, nice slap in parallel, nice clean tones in single coil(with single coil noise). Cost about $5. I think you can get the switching diagrams from the Stewart-Macdonald site or some of the pickup manufacturer sites.

 

[marleaux-user]

Whoa, thanks man!
You got pics of your OLP's controls?

 

[JB1]

Now that IS a good solution.

You going for it Marleaux (spelling)?

 

[marleaux-user]

Strongly considering it, provided I know how to get it done properly! If not, I'll just make it a V/T.

But still i cannot escape the fact that the bass needs an active boost. It was even clearer to me when i brought it out for a practice session. It definitely still needs an outboard pre/DI!

 

[limitk7]

I'm pretty newbie-ish compared to most of you guys, having just embarked on being a full-time musician in Singapore!

Wow. I am under the impression that there aren't too many full time musicians in that country yet, so props to you for becoming one.

 

[marleaux-user]

Thanks dude.

 

[sultrabass]

Go For It

Whoa, thanks man!
You got pics of your OLP's controls?

I got a special switch so I could balance the volume between the different switch positions by adding some extra components(the series position is pretty hot). I don't think I'd be doing you a favor by sending photos of that rats nest. Go to: http://www.1728.com/guitar.htm That should give you enough info to do the mod. If you get the pickup phasing wrong you'll know because the pickups will sound very thin. Then it's just a matter of switching the black and white wires of one pickup(meaning one half of the humbucker) at the switch. From the switch you just wire it like a P-bass(1 volume, 1 tone):http://www.guitarnucleus.com/wiring.html Even if you add a preamp, this is still a good mod. Good luck.

 

[marleaux-user]

Thanks Sultrabass

I'm gonna try doing that asap!