pre-amp free, it's the way to be

[dub]

I just bypassed the pre-amp on my musicman to see what it would sound like.

The surprising thing was that it had more output with no pre-amp.
The pre-amp just seems to add loads of top end and hiss, so I'm just going to leave it without the pre-amp connected.
I've tried bartolini and aguilar pre-amps and they are quieter but they still added a bit of hiss.

Now I've got no eq on the bass so I tilted the pickup to get a bit more bass response and I'm really happy with the result.
I should have tried it years ago, never mind messing around with pre-amps.

If you're wondering how to get less hiss, it's worth checking out, the best way would be to get a bass tech to install an active/ passive pull/push switch volume control, although it wouldn't work so well with low output pickups.

(I just found out from obbm that this wouldn't work on MM basses made after 91. The pickups have an extra hum canceling coil so they would need a balanced input to work.)

Edited June 26, 2008 by dub

[acidbass]

Interesting idea! Can you still get the trademark MM sound out of it though?

[s_u_y_*]

I always think it is a little overkill to be going through 2 different preamps.

Edited June 26, 2008 by s_u_y_*

[dub]

[quote name='acidbass' post='227533' date='Jun 26 2008, 05:53 PM']Interesting idea! Can you still get the trademark MM sound out of it though?[/quote]

If you add in the top end at the amp or in the mix it sounds the same.