Ed_S Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Hey all, I'm looking at options to replace the defective stock preamp in my 2010 USA Deluxe Precision, and wondered if anybody could suggest a good system to install which will work well with the stock pickups and utilise all the holes in the stock pickguard? And yes, I could legitimately have it repaired under warranty, but I trust Fender's UK repairs and service department as far as I could throw their corporate headquarters! The pickups are a passive P/J set, the pickguard has 4 holes for pots and one for a small toggle switch, the output jack is on the bottom edge so doesn't figure, and the battery route is a double so 18V systems are fine. I don't want anything with stacked / dual concentric pots (I really don't like them) and don't want any holes or DFA controls left over; I also don't want to drill any more holes in the pickguard as it's already got too many for its own good! Oh, and nothing that only comes with a rechargeable power pack and can't use real PP3 batts. Nice easy request, eh?! I'm open to suggestions on control compliment - something like volume and blend (or two volumes) and a 2-band EQ with passive active switch would be ideal, but fully active with volume, blend (or two volumes) 2 band EQ and a mid-shift or similar switch, or even master volume, 3 band EQ and a three way mini-toggle to act as pickup selector would be acceptable. Thanks in advance for any ideas you might be able to put my way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 (edited) I'm fast approaching the conclusion that what I should probably do is replace the pickups with EMGs and the preamp with a BTS System, but it seems such a shame given that there's nothing wrong with the pickups... I notice that the BTS control is supposed to work with passive pickups - anybody got any experience of that kind of setup? Edited February 19, 2012 by Ed_S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBboy Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 I can highly recommend the Glockenklang systems. You could have a vol, blend, treb, bass setup. The vol ppt is push/pull true passive bypass, and in passive mode the treble pot acts as a passive tone control. Don't know what you would do with the mini toggle hole....... wire in an LED? Install a dummy switch? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 [quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1329696626' post='1546204'] I can highly recommend the Glockenklang systems. You could have a vol, blend, treb, bass setup. The vol ppt is push/pull true passive bypass, and in passive mode the treble pot acts as a passive tone control. Don't know what you would do with the mini toggle hole....... wire in an LED? Install a dummy switch? [/quote] Cheers for the suggestion! I'd sortof glossed over those on the Thomann website because their description had lost clarity going from German to English and suggested they were all stacked pots. But yeah, on closer inspection that 2-band looks a reasonable system for £120ish. Next bit of research will have to be the depth of the controls Vs the depth of the control cavity. And, of course, what I'd do with that mini toggle... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 Just a quick report back which may be of benefit to anybody else who is less than inspired by the stock preamp in their 2010 USA Deluxe Precision. I went with TRBboy's recommendation above, stripped the original preamp out yesterday and fitted a Glockenklang 2-band model, so having played it for a reasonable time today, thought I'd briefly share my thoughts. My biggest worry was that the thing wouldn't physically fit, but it went cleanly into the route with no modification necessary. The only thing I would say is that the pot shafts, washers and nuts are smaller on the Glock than on the Fender, so if you're keeping the original pickguard like I did, be prepared to either find some larger diameter washers with the correct size hole, or to cheat and put the Fender washers back on first to get the diameter down before putting the Glock stuff in over the top. I went with the latter and it feels perfectly solid. The soldering job I guess you either fancy or you don't, but if you do then rest assured it's not massively awkward. I finished the job off with a set of black dome-top Schaller knobs for a more understated look than the original flat-top chromes. The only hang-over from the original config is the toggle switch hole which I contemplated putting a dummy switch into, but eventually went with a bit of PVC tape until I can find an appropriate stopper. And the important bit... for the first time since I bought it, my Deluxe P actually sounds like it's worth the money I paid for it, rather than feeling and playing right but only sounding 'good'. It's an incredibly transparent preamp that's gone in there, but it's so clearly a better quality sound than the stock unit provided, and as such has brought out a much more refined tone from the stock pickups than was ever possible before. Well worth the bit of extra cash to properly finish off an otherwise very nice instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRBboy Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Glad you're pleased with the Glock! They do take a minute to get used to (sound-wise), but they work really well, and it's great having the passive bypass and tone control. Very good value compared to some other circuits I would say! I find that the controls are pretty sensitive, and only a slight adjustment can make quite a difference, so it's worth spending some time tweaking to find the tone you're after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 I was about to offer you my glock 2 band i'm passing on. and then came up with a suggestion of a series/parallel switch for your hole. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mog Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 Didnt see this originally but would have made the same suggestion. I cant understand why Glockenklang aren't sweeping everything else aside. Their gear is simply amazballs (as the kids would say). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_S Posted March 13, 2012 Author Share Posted March 13, 2012 [quote name='TRBboy' timestamp='1331659336' post='1576775'] Glad you're pleased with the Glock! They do take a minute to get used to (sound-wise), but they work really well, and it's great having the passive bypass and tone control. Very good value compared to some other circuits I would say! I find that the controls are pretty sensitive, and only a slight adjustment can make quite a difference, so it's worth spending some time tweaking to find the tone you're after. [/quote] Aye, cheers mate, was a good shout! My favourite part of the original preamp was the active 'lift' you got by leaving everything in neutral and switching to active, and whilst the Glock doesn't do that as crudely by default, a couple of millimetres round the treble control and you're there. [quote name='LukeFRC' timestamp='1331659554' post='1576779'] I was about to offer you my glock 2 band i'm passing on. and then came up with a suggestion of a series/parallel switch for your hole. [/quote] Ah.. shame.. always nice to save a couple of quid on new, but do feel free to point in the general direction of this thread if it'll help you get a sale [quote name='Mog' timestamp='1331659577' post='1576782'] Didnt see this originally but would have made the same suggestion. I cant understand why Glockenklang aren't sweeping everything else aside. Their gear is simply amazballs (as the kids would say). [/quote] Yeah, it's a great preamp at a very realistic price, and as an added bonus I get to say the name 'Glockenklang' which, let's face it, is brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 [quote name='Ed_S' timestamp='1331664133' post='1576873'] Aye, cheers mate, was a good shout! My favourite part of the original preamp was the active 'lift' you got by leaving everything in neutral and switching to active, and whilst the Glock doesn't do that as crudely by default, a couple of millimetres round the treble control and you're there. Ah.. shame.. always nice to save a couple of quid on new, but do feel free to point in the general direction of this thread if it'll help you get a sale Yeah, it's a great preamp at a very realistic price, and as an added bonus I get to say the name 'Glockenklang' which, let's face it, is brilliant! [/quote] you mean like this http://basschat.co.uk/topic/170746-glockenklang-2-band-pre/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
longtimefred Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 lol i saw this thread on the list and though i would come on and recommend the Glock pre. I'm glad you went for it! Great bits of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted March 13, 2012 Share Posted March 13, 2012 [quote name='longtimefred' timestamp='1331677074' post='1577177'] lol i saw this thread on the list and though i would come on and recommend the Glock pre. I'm glad you went for it! Great bits of kit. [/quote] They are. I think if I had a fender type bass and wanted a pre in there it would be my number one choice. There is something about the tone that is almost tuned to a fender type mid response. I would love to hear the highs working with a alder body bass with more trad pickups, you can hear/imagine how it would work. (An all maple through neck it doesn't fit quite as well ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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