itu

We are talking about slightly different things. Carbon track produces noise by itself. But it's something you don't have to worry about in a band context. Most of the companies today use the same pots everywhere: bass, pedals, amps. They are functional, if not the highest quality. Some may say that conductive plastic track, or cermet (ceramic metal) pots would be overkill on a bass (and amp etc.). But they are widely used in analogue mixers, and analogue studio equipment. They are higher quality, although at higher cost. A true limitation is to find suitable parametres (resistance, taper), and a dealer. Mouser is a good place to start with (no affiliation).

True. But a 741 is a noise machine compared to the low noise NE5534. There are several parametres that require energy. Long ago had a Washburn (a copy of Status) which preamp had a single opamp. It was filed blank, so the actual type was unknown. I decided to try several types, because it was easy, and such ICs were (and are still) pretty cheap. TL071 was just fine, the sound was quite close to the original. Power consumption was just slightly larger. The last in line was this NE. Superb sound, deeper bass, wider response, everything was better. Except it was power hungry (OP series wasn't available at that time). Battery (batteries, to be honest) cried, and I had to change batteries pretty often. Later I studied electronics, and started to understand the details. No, I haven't been very active with designing circuitry, although some time ago I fell in love with the designs of our own @Passinwind. His work is very interesting. I wish at least one preamp will find its way to the basses I work with.

This is not that simple. The output level doesn't have to be super high, not at all. Some hi-Z ("passive") basses may even have higher output level. A 9 V battery is an easy option, because it contains enough energy to drive a tiny preamp (usually the tone stack only) for a year or so. The voltage is suitable for an opamp or few. The low output impedance (Z) requires some energy. If the Z is lower, more energy is needed. An NE5534 consumes pretty much energy compared to say, TL07x family, or much newer (and better) opamps. But it is also a very lo-Z output opamp. Alembic used the NE 553x family, and chose an external PSU to drive the high current consumption circuitry. I am not sure, but the PSU could be two sided, someone could maybe verify this? Once more: battery voltage is not directly connected to the output level. Battery powered lo-Z preamp does not have to have higher output than its hi-Z sibling. With all settings maxed out (treble, bass etc.) it is possible, but not a must.

A looper (and an optional click) is probably simple because you can check your playing right away.

Simplified background: Operational amplifiers (opamps) need double sided power. Positive (+), negative (-), and the zero point. A preamp can be built with one sided (with a single 9 V battery), or two sided power (2 x 9 V). Two sided is easier to build, because it is simpler and requires less components (the first battery is the lower side from -9 V to 0 V, and the second from 0 V to +9 V). If a preamp is functional with both options, the circuitry is based on a one sided power, and "an artificial zero point". +9 V 0 V -9 V The preamp sees the lower side (- connected to negative, + connected to 0 V) as negative voltage, and the higher side (- connected together with the first battery to 0 V, + connected to +9 V) as the positive. Opamp is happy with this arrangement. If there's just one battery, the voltage has to be divided with components to positive, negative, and 0 V. More voltage equals more headroom (Status has a preamp running at 4 x 9 V = 36 V, like @Hellzero mentioned), but the output of an ordinary bass is in the ballpark of 1 V (peak to peak). Even a single 3 V battery could be enough to drive a pre. True: depending on the pickups, some transients could reach few volts (peak). [Sometimes it would be wiser to have two batteries in parallel. Then the last drops of the batteries would be used till the very end.]

I think if the pots are not functional, you can ask for a change. I would also mention storing to the luthier. Carbon track pots in general are noisy, and mediocre at best. There are few other types that are higher quality in terms of use and life time, like plastic track (blue Bourns) and cermet type units. These are rare in basses, because of the cost, compared to Alpha and CTS. The price difference may be in the ballpark of 1:10, where one carbon pot is like £1. Please check Mouser et al. I remind you that there are carbon track pots which have been in use for few decades without major issues. After all, some Deoxit once per decade may give very long lifetime, even in active use. Some added noise is negligible in most "electronics" that basses represent. A high end mixer board is another story.

SWR Interstellar Overdrive tce 1140 parametric FI (I would have enough time to tame it) IE Xerograph Deluxe (or Onkart Gromt) envelope +1 tce HyperGravity three band compressor OK, the first two aren't pedals. Then SWR could be Spruce effects Old growth fuzz, and 1140 could be IE Divaricator (X-over). Order: Xero - SWR - FI - 1140 - HG envelope - X-over (fuzz in the loop) - FI - comp The order is this, because I like how envelope reacts to my playing. OD/dist/fuzz loves to be in the front line, just like the envelope. Comp is last and it will take care of the overall level (if needed). Anything else can be between those already mentioned. Oh dear, do I have to build one more set?

Yes, I have seen good looking Js and Precisions, but they're not for me. There was one Pensa-Suhr, and one black fretless BaSSStar, but other than those two, no. I even hate P pickup: it looks dreadful, and the sound, no thank you. I have tried many basses, and there has been some strange encounters: Steinberger L-2: terrible neck! Wal: super electronics, mediocre neck profile Alembic: some models look strange, and they are so heavy! Lakland: varying quality and so on... I do admit that my Genesis 5 is probably closest to a J. But the neck is from another planet. These are my main basses. 1) they please my eye 2) they are comfortable to play 3) they sound fab 4) necks are stable 5) light weight or not very heavy

Please check these out. Basic stuff about compression including bass settings. In studio, yes, but a good starting point for tweaking: https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/compression-made-easy https://www.soundonsound.com/techniques/compression-limiting

https://truetone.com/1-spot/ Shouldn't be too big or heavy. I have one extra in the rack case.

This came from our @GisserD:

This VHS video was sold decades ago (ancient, pre-internetic). I suppose it was one of the most copied educational videos of that time. I think there was a score included, or sometimes a faint copy of it. Jaco plays Jerry's bass, but which brand it is, that I have forgotten.

pickups - vol - vol - tone stack - out I suppose the only battery powered ("active") part is the tone stack. The pots and pickups are possibly plain hi-Z (high impedance, "passive"). Changing the tone stack is just de- and soldering few wires (in, out, battery terminals) if the tone pots are already fitted to the stack. This takes maybe an hour including all assembly work. Simple job. I do not think that your tech have to change pots, if they are functional. Very common (and mediocre) carbon track Alpha and similar pots cost practically nothing, so if he wants to change them, it's up to him. The reason would be nice to understand, though.

By the way, which metals have been used in basses, and by whom? Kramer/Travis Bean/Hoxey/Aluminati...: Al necks alusonic: Al bodies Ogre: Mg bodies and necks (but no basses) Gittler: steel body and neck Anything else? Ti?

I'm in need for some playing skills...

In that case you could have V-V-T-T or V-Blend-T-T. Because there are already four pots in a row, use 500k. VVTT: 2 x (pickup - V - T) - out Just solder both sets to output. VBlendTT: 2 x (pickup - tone) - blend - vol - out Blend pot: Bourns 500k MN This may look a bit peculiar, but the order has to be this to keep the blend and two tones functional. Keep the wires long enough. Helps with the assembly.

A parametric eq pedal, maybe? Artec is very cheap and functional. I am wondering - although you have tried this and that - if something else is affecting this issue. Is the room you play at very boomy, or is your amp in a place, where it produces the unwanted sound, like in a corner?

Have you been thinking of a tone bypass (i.e. A/P) switch? There's no need to change the pots, except the one you replace with a switch pot.

Wait a minute, I'll need to check the photo of him and the bass! https://www.stretta-music.com/dragonetti-six-waltzes-nr-122681.html Yes, sure he used a three string bass. I just wanted to upgrade that irritating "Jaco only...". That's so lame! Electric bass is so new an instrument, it's still evolving. Fender wasn't the only or the first inventor. His idea of a cheap mass produced instrument just happened to be in a right place at a right time. Functional, yes. Popular, yes. Standard, not. Remember Leo was developing his own creations through his whole life.

This is something I wrote long ago: Double basses and basses have this ancestor called viola da gamba. We know that gambas and double basses have had 1 - 9 strings as well as frets. Yes, several centuries ago! Players have used bow and certainly different kinds of plectra. What is new here? Is four strings actually a step backwards, or just a simplification of this incredible instrument? Standard it certainly isn't. Even the one string washtub bass has been used with success. It is not the instrument, but the player. Technology does not make music, we do. [Dragonetti needed just one, so please buy an Atlansia Solitaire. The fretless one.]

Thanks and congratulations! After making nearly 1200 charts you would be nearly 120 years old if you transcribed them with my speed... Hope you can reach 2000!

One box that can be considered as an effect is a looper. While training, you can use a looper to check how your playing really sounds against your belief while playing. It is really helpful tool to train for example legato playing: are there long, tied notes, or does it still sound like staccato playing? You don't have to buy a studio to hear yourself play. Try one, you may love it... or hate it after hearing the outcome.

There's no such rule! In the music school I attended a long ago people had 4, 5, and 6 string basses. Including teachers. If I was you, learning major and minor scales (all 4), chords (major, minor, dim, ±5, 6, 7, m7, maj7, mmaj7, ±5, dim7) and you already know quite a lot. Learning these through the fretboard gives you pretty good tools to play many songs. There are two books that might be worth checking (try amazon): Standing in the shadows of Motown. Bass line encyclopedia. The first one includes some tough stuff like What's going on. The second has a good selection of different playing styles.

[Pretty long time ago] "I hate that wooden box on top of my piano" (which I sold to get my Quantum 5 SPi). I learned to play in time playing with LPs, CCs, and CDs. And radio, too. It was more fun and natural.