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I've a super duper Mayones super Jazz bass. It has an East Uni preamp which can be bypassed. I love this bass. But I've been playing for nearly 30 years, countless different types of basses, and I've come to the conclusion I just don't 'get' active preamps on basses. I think the East preamp is a good one, and the Nordstrand pickups and bass in general is just excellent. But I only run the bass passive because it's just simpler, particularly on gigs. The Uni has got a traditional passive tone control and a blend. This seems to be just fine. So what am I missing out on by not using the active bit? How do you get the most out of using an on board preamp? How not to keep messing around with the variable mid control? I guess what I want to know is how to get the most from this terrific instrument. It has a great natural, passive sound but by not utilising the preamp am I missing out on an even better aspect of it? All tips and opinions appreciated 👍

L.O.

Agree with final sentence. Our guitarer is spuriously ineffectual.

9.6 to 9.8 Volts is the standard reading of a brand new quality (9 Volts) battery.

You won't like my comment @la bam, so don't read it, even if the solutions are in there. Easiest way as it's what's your heading to with your vanity is stopping playing in any band. Sounds harsh, but your behaviour is exactly that: harsh and selfish... Wearing glasses is not an option, it's mandatory and concerning the distorted view with varifocal it's linked to the type of lenses, the cheapest one will give that effect and as you go up the range and price, there are excellent varifocal glasses that will allow you to read from left to right without any distortion or problem as well as from bottom to top : this is what they are really intended for and need a very tiny bit of time to get used to them IF you wear them all day long (took me exactly 1 second to get used to them and I only need glasses for close sight, but chose to have the perfect correction even for my very good far sight, which is now excellent). But, excellent varifocal glasses are expensive, around 2 to 3 k£... Think about it another way: I guess you're driving a car without glasses and not seeing anything at a remote to far distance, it's simply criminal and I hope you'll never get involved in an accident where it's proven that it's linked to your poor sight! Concerning the weight of instruments, you could play sitting, using a Dynarette (https://www.thomann.co.uk/hopf_dynarette_high.htm) as this accessory will relieve all the weight, or use a lighter instrument for ALL sets, your back will thank you. Now I'm certainly pissing against the wind as you seem to prefer the ostrich way than acting for the better ... and you know it. Sit on your vanity and see the positive of all the above and I hope you're not dying your hair too or wearing a head covering to hide your baldness... Told you you wouldn't like my comment.

Welcome Phil.

@AndyTravis Drums are powerful and sound great and work well with the dark backing that also has a touch of tension. Nice.

Now relocated in the Strand Arcade, off Sadler Gate, as Foulds Guitars. There is also Hippo Guitars on Osmaston Road who buy and sell pre-owned guitars and basses exclusively. Worth a trip @Geek99.

Thanks I am a klutz when it comes to electronics and was a little concerned that I'd end up making things worse. I have Servisol, I have screwdrivers.. maybe I'll have another look. 😬🤞 I run mine on mains BTW.

@upside downer "UFO, are you friend or foe?" That's a strong line. Nice guitar / bass arrangement.

Yep, Chas. Foulds, down Irongate.

I’ve been round both these blocks. i used to have the ‘one eye reading, one eye distance’ and, as only an occasional wearer, it felt like you were walking round in circles for 5 mins but the brain quickly compensates. I struggled with early ‘versions’ of multi focal lenses so went back to one short one long for a while. Recently they bought out lenses for astigmatism so I now have one for that and a multi focal and I can see so well I’m thinking of wearing them more often. Anyhoo, I can’t see without glasses so play in them if I can’t be bothers to put lenses in ( or we’re playing somewhere posh and it’s unlikely there will be a fight 😂). The bass player is the studious intellectual anyway so we look cool in glasses anyway?

Fair point. As above, maybe gigs is the answer.

I opened mine up and gave the inside of the switches a good squirt of Servisol (switch cleaner) no further problems to date. I run mine on batteries, I find that if the batteries are getting close to dead the switches don't work as they should. Remember these aren't actual swiches, which are in the electronics, they just send a signal that you want to change something and if the batteries need changing then you don't have enough power for the programmable to work Paging @Chienmortbb