OLP upgrade...:)

[NotPer]

Hello Everyone!

I followed the advice of some of the forum-mates and got that OLP bass. I can say it's a great bass for its money, plus you get a really close stingray-feeling

I'd like to ask some questions concerning possible upgrades to that bass:

1) Electronics: The bass has a nice music man style passive humbucker. Is there a possibility of achieving a better sound by placing an original music man stingray pickup (or seymour duncan basslines series?) only, without the preamp? I'm asking 'cause I like passive basses...

2) What about the metallic parts (bridge etc..)? Do I get a difference by placing original mm parts, and what exactly is the difference? (better sustain i.e.?)

3) And something a little crazy: Is it possible to put a stingray neck on an OLP bass????



Thanx in advance!Keep on funkying!

 

[midopa]

I'm not sure from where I heard this, but supposedly by the time you're done souping up your OLP to StingRay specs, you'd have spent enough money to buy a SUB instead!

 

[cgworkman]

+1

 

[nismaniac]

Hello Everyone!

I followed the advice of some of the forum-mates and got that OLP bass. I can say it's a great bass for its money, plus you get a really close stingray-feeling

I'd like to ask some questions concerning possible upgrades to that bass:

1) Electronics: The bass has a nice music man style passive humbucker. Is there a possibility of achieving a better sound by placing an original music man stingray pickup (or seymour duncan basslines series?) only, without the preamp? I'm asking 'cause I like passive basses...

2) What about the metallic parts (bridge etc..)? Do I get a difference by placing original mm parts, and what exactly is the difference? (better sustain i.e.?)

3) And something a little crazy: Is it possible to put a stingray neck on an OLP bass????



Thanx in advance!Keep on funkying!

It sounds like a lot of trouble and work. I don't think the parts are the exact same size as Music Man parts. I don't think you can do a direct swap of hardware etc. If you are happy with the bass then just keep it, otherwise trade in or buy a SUB as suggested. Good luck

 

[hankSRay]

Ive customized a few low end basses and I must say, Im surprized they came out as good as they did lol. Heres my 2 cents, as for electronics, if u want passive Id say go for either basslines pickup and preamp or if you can mannage to find a used pickup and preamp from a passive SUB on ebay or sumthing, slap one of those in. As for a new bridge Im not really sure if you can buy a MM bridge from a shop, you might have to check ebay for that. I dont really know if the bridge on an OLP is all that bad (never tried one), but if it is and u cant find a MM bridge you could also swap the original for a badass bridge. And as for the "crazy stuff" Id maybe repaint the body some flashy color (my custom squier has a sick sparkle finish i did with krylon cans) or try a custom pg. Now for you neck question supposibly the OLP are built to the same specs as a MM stingray, i would assume the neck pocket would be the same, but im not sure if they use 6 screws to join the neck to the body or a traditional 4, so you might have to find a neck that doesnt have the pre drilled holes on the heel. Anyways If i had the money time and patence lol id get a stratus graphite neck for it. Good luck.

 

[bovinehost]

The neck swap won't work.

 

[vonfog]

The neck swap won't work.

The neck pocket is a little smaller on the OLP. You could enlarge it. But the neck is just fine as it is. So is the pickup. The bridge is much less beefy than the Stingray's, but still decent. Spend your money on a preamp (or a graphic EQ pedal), and you'll have something that's getting closer to the real thing, IMO.

Save up for the real thing, in the meantime have fun with your OLP.



Adam

 

[johans]

i agree

save up to at least get a SUB
or a used 'real' ray i guess

 

[dlloyd]

Hello Everyone!

I followed the advice of some of the forum-mates and got that OLP bass. I can say it's a great bass for its money, plus you get a really close stingray-feeling

Good.

I'd like to ask some questions concerning possible upgrades to that bass:

1) Electronics: The bass has a nice music man style passive humbucker. Is there a

possibility of achieving a better sound by placing an original music man stingray pickup (or seymour duncan basslines series?) only, without the preamp? I'm asking 'cause I like passive basses...

You would undoubtedly hear a difference (may or may not be an improvement) in sound if you added an SD humbucker, but in my opinion (which may or may not be correct), adding a preamp would be your most cost-effective option. What is it you don't like about active basses?

2) What about the metallic parts (bridge etc..)? Do I get a difference by placing original mm parts, and what exactly is the difference? (better sustain i.e.?)

You're unlikely to be able to buy any original MM parts.

However, tuners on MMs are Schaller BMs, which you'll be able to buy. I've never played an OLP long enough to know how quickly they go out of tune, but you tend to find that cheap tuners go out of tune quicker, or at least wear more quickly resulting in them going out of tune easily. Makes a big difference when you're up on stage.

The problem with cheap bridges supposedly is one of weight. Adding a Badass to an OLP will most likely add volume and sustain to the bridge. Never done it myself.

3) And something a little crazy: Is it possible to put a stingray neck on an OLP bass????

Where are you going to get an MM neck from? That's the first problem. Getting one to fit is the second problem.

I'd save my money, if I were you. Save up for a decent amp or a more expensive bass and just play the OLP for the time being.

A confession... I'm a bit short-sighted and have been known to dig the sound a guy on stage is getting from his Stingray to find out later he was playing an OLP. A lot of what makes a good sound is playing ability. I guess the best upgrade you can get is by practicing.

 

[Samingo]

Olp

Alright, I'll try and lend my miniscule, mediocre knowledge here. I don't know too much about 'upgrading', but that's not at all to say I don't know what I'm doing. First thing's first though, I owned an OLP for some months and must say it was an amazing instrument. As far as price, I'd definitely just get a SUB. Compared to all others like 'squier' or anything along those lines.... Totally beats them out in terms of Everything.

Now, in comparison to a SR. The (stock)tuners I had on my OLP were Amazing, in my oppinion. That was one of the things that made me pick up the bass so often. It was Always in tune. On the occasion it was slightly flat or sharp, but only ever slightly and only with a big weather change. The bridge. I'll be honest, the MM bridge suits my fancy better but I personally believe switching out the bridge isn't really too necesarry. It still gets the job done quite nicely(I played that thing very violently) and again, I don't believe it would be worth the trouble of changing.

Sound. Well... What did you expect? Sure a SR is going to be stronger, and better, with Lots more tonal varieties and such. That's just what the extra money buys. But there is nothing particularily wrong with the OLP tone. The biggest difference I noticed was that the tonal knobs on an OLP is volume, not tone at all, and doesn't really do too much. So basically you can get a sort of traditional SR sound and that's it. Again, hey, if you want the real thing, put together the cash to get a SUB.

All in all, the differences are really subtle, but just a matter of finer quality/craftsmenship. As soon as you really have the time to sit and play both, you'll see worlds of difference in things like punch, power, tone, and even a little in feel. Switching everything out and popping in the MM stuff really wouldn't be worth as much time and effort as just buying a passive SUB. I've owned a SUB for a long time now and still love it to death and would play it over an OLP Any day. That is, however, much like everything else this bottles down to, just my own personal preference.

 

[NotPer]

Thanx a lot guys!!! Advice well taken