Stingray5 preamp (2006) driven by 18v

[ejp]

Hi

Does anyone know if the mm pre can cope with an 18v supply? I have finally added a graphtech pre and piezo to my bass. In my opinion the piezos I've ever used. But the acoustiphonic runs fine at 18v and I thought the battery drain when powering both would be somewhat less. Or has my electronic theory completely deserted me. ?

Regards

Felix Krish.

 

[nicjimbass]

Hi

Does anyone know if the mm pre can cope with an 18v supply? I have finally added a graphtech pre and piezo to my bass. In my opinion the piezos I've ever used. But the acoustiphonic runs fine at 18v and I thought the battery drain when powering both would be somewhat less. Or has my electronic theory completely deserted me. ?

Regards

Felix Krish.

I modded my SR5 to run 18v a while back. I ended up not liking the tone much... it became much harsher to my ear. I've since wired it back to standard 9v operation, with no ill side-effects from the 18v wiring.

 

[keko]

I modded my SR5 to run 18v a while back. I ended up not liking the tone much... it became much harsher to my ear...

You butcher...

 

[J Romano]

It's not nice to mess with perfection!!!!!!

 

[MK Bass Weed]

If nature intended a StingRay run on 18v, it would be a BONGO!

Preserve Nature

Let the Ray Be a Ray

 

[ejp]

I modded my SR5 to run 18v a while back. I ended up not liking the tone much... it became much harsher to my ear. I've since wired it back to standard 9v operation, with no ill side-effects from the 18v wiring.

Thanks for that. I actually only considered it because graphtech told me that the battery would drain down twice as fast powering the acoustiphonic and mm pre. But hey ho. Will just have to accept that.

 

[J Romano]

Interesting, doesn't seem to be diminished battery life with MM basses with mag/piezo setups! At least that is what I have found so far. Has anyone else seen this, or is it because of the non-MM addition????

 

[Golem]

`

I seriously doubt the idea that the graphtec "pre" would
really double the battery drain. You're still running the MM
EQ-pre, and the "additional pre" associated with the piezo
saddles is more than likely not actually a pre-amp at all,
but simply an impedence buffer circuit.

Most mag PUs need about 50K to 250K ohms of impedence
to sing their proper tone, but piezos need about 1 megohm
[or else they'll sound extreeeeemely KrunTchy with almost
no bottom end]. A buffer circuit is verrrry low drain.

Corrections, re: graphtec in particular, are welcomed ....


---------------------------------


I have 4 EBMM piezo-bridge basses and have not noticed
them being battery hungry. Acoarst, one of them is 18V
but that one would be 18V even if it were the non-piezo
version [being as itza Boingo].


--------------------------------


On the other foot, if you enjoy electric mods/experiments,
and heeding the advice posted earlier that 18V will result
in the MM EQ-pre sounding harsher, then go for it. Piezos
have a broad and atmospheric bottom end when the low
end boost is up, and the final sum total just might prove
to be a tonal miracle. You could use an "On-On" switch in
the battery leads to allow switching the whole shebang
between 9 and 18, which presumably would provide you
with two noticeably different tonal contours !

Radio Shack sells a bag of snap connectors with leads on
them, about 4 sets for about $3. You can easily build a
little outboard adapter to hang a pair 9V batteries wired
in series outside your ax. The 18V leads from there will
need to end at a dummie block [size of a 9v battery] to
insert into the MM 9V battery chamber. It's some minor
crafty work, but you'd get to hear what 18V sounds like
without any actual mods to your ax, before you [maybe]
actually mod your ax. You could handily use one of the
snap-connector-with-lead-wires to create the connect
end of your dummie block. Thaz the cool thing about 9V
connectors, they're all "bi-sexual".



`

 

[five7]

this is making me dizzy

 

[ejp]

Ok

Before everyone gets too excited, I like many of you, have been playing professionally for a long time and have no desire whatsoever to mod instruments any longer. The info on battery drain comes from graphtech, though in fairness their info on that still suggests maybe a three month change as opposed to six months.

I did originally try and get a stingray 5 with piezos and unfortunately it couldn't be delivered in time. I have been sitting on these graphtechs (metaphorically) for 4.5 years before I took the plunge. I don't know how they compare with the mm piezos but I have had various other instruments with factory piezos and have found them very disappointing. The graphtechs in my view do actually sound very nice. And the acoustiphonic pre handles the mix between mag and piezo well. Don't know if anyone else has done this to their stingray?

 

[J Romano]

We weren't putting you down , just a little teasing. That's pretty much what happens sometimes on our threads here. You are right we are all looking for the holy grail of tone, and GAS for it. Many times trying to change things up for inspiration! With you being new here I just wanted to explain that, hope you find the tone you are looking for, and welcome aboard!

 

[ejp]

Don't worry I wasn't in the slightest bit offended. Have already got the vibe reading the posts!!! The one forgets with all this is that actually however much you want to tweak it is mostly only you who will notice the difference!!!

 

[nicjimbass]

You butcher...

You have no idea! lol