Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 SO after having my Aria Integra 5 for a few months, I've decided that either the EQ or the stingrays style pickup, or both needs to go. The bass is lovely, but my other basses batter it tonally. The EQ is, master volume, 3 band EQ, active/passive switch, series/parallel switch (I think). Any suggestions on an EQ upgrade? If the pup goes, it'll be for a Nordstrand, but I'm going to do the EQ first to see what that does. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 What is missing from the sound when you bypass the EQ? That is basically what you're trying to get the EQ to compensate for. If the pickup isn't even getting you close, then I'd start with the pickup before going anywhere near the preamp, personally. My own rule-of-thumb is that if I can't get a tone I like with the EQ flat, including on the amp, it gets moved on quickly. It's too easy to spend money chasing a tone you like without ever getting there. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 (edited) After a good deal of EQ faffage, I settled on John East's EQ offerings a long time ago, and now they're in almost all my basses (as much for consistency as whether the basses were drastically in need of it) I have (including my Dingwall, my bitsa Shukerbird, and my main Shukers) and have improved everything they've gone in. Mostly U-Retros, of various vintages... They're a very 'musical' control, but the mid-sweep is the key for me... Edited March 8, 2022 by Muzz 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 I stuck a SD Basslines in my IGB55 and while it was better it wasn't a great deal better, the MM pickups on those basses are absolutely fine on their own. The first port of call for tone improvement on those old Korean Samick builds will be to swap out the preamp for something more capable IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 16 minutes ago, lemmywinks said: I stuck a SD Basslines in my IGB55 and while it was better it wasn't a great deal better, the MM pickups on those basses are absolutely fine on their own. The first port of call for tone improvement on those old Korean Samick builds will be to swap out the preamp for something more capable IMO. Those were my thoughts too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 39 minutes ago, Doctor J said: What is missing from the sound when you bypass the EQ? That is basically what you're trying to get the EQ to compensate for. If the pickup isn't even getting you close, then I'd start with the pickup before going anywhere near the preamp, personally. My own rule-of-thumb is that if I can't get a tone I like with the EQ flat, including on the amp, it gets moved on quickly. It's too easy to spend money chasing a tone you like without ever getting there. The bass was a gift from my Mrs, SO, it's staying. I think the EQ is the first port of call. It doesn't have a particularly powerful output, compared to the Hohner B Bass that sounds very big. Generally it just sounds weaker and with less tonal variations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 An East MMSR 4 knob might be a nice drop in replacement, unfortunately that isn't one of their preamps that has an active/passive switch as an option. There's a Musicman 5 string pickup in the classifieds here for £60 btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
40hz Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 OP, What is it that you don't like about the tone it currently puts out? Just the volume issue? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 37 minutes ago, lemmywinks said: An East MMSR 4 knob might be a nice drop in replacement, unfortunately that isn't one of their preamps that has an active/passive switch as an option. There's a Musicman 5 string pickup in the classifieds here for £60 btw Yeah I saw that, unfortunately I need the MM style pickup with the "ears" ie a Nordstrand style Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 13 minutes ago, 40hz said: OP, What is it that you don't like about the tone it currently puts out? Just the volume issue? Yeah the volume is a bit on the low side (turn the amp up?) And compared to even a passive Yamaha RBX it lacks clout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 Perhaps try wiring the p/up directly to the jack socket. That’ll certainly highlight if the circuit is lacking. Even bypassed you’re still going through some parts of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 Oooh, wiring isn't my bag.... setups etc no problem but I leave the electrics to my tech, I'll make a balls of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 Mini pots and a bunch of scary wires, no sign of a pentometer to boost the output like I have on the Hohner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 (edited) Why not turn the Hohner down, then, to a comparable output and bump up your input gain on the amp to compensate? Can you bypass the preamp on the Hohner, too, and compare the respective pickup outputs without the gain boost? Edited March 8, 2022 by Doctor J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 I turned the Hohner down when I got it, it was cranked, and the output was pretty silly. Now, it's on a par with all the other basses output wise. The Integra is quieter than them all. Set flat, the EQ just sounds lifeless and unexciting. With the bass, mid, treble boosted considerably it sounds better. I just want more level from the volume. I expected more of a Stingray style output I guess. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 (edited) 1 hour ago, Rayman said: Mini pots and a bunch of scary wires, no sign of a pentometer to boost the output like I have on the Hohner. If you like the Hohner preamps from the Korean Cort models then I have one I can stick in the post. It's from a Hohner JJ Pro and has the mini adjustable gain pot on it. https://i.ibb.co/kDtStZ7/Hohner-pre-1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/R9yfSS1/Hohner-pre-2.jpg Edited March 8, 2022 by lemmywinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lemmywinks Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 (edited) Duplicate post Edited March 8, 2022 by lemmywinks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2022 Share Posted March 8, 2022 Blimey. For an active bass that’s a tiny cavity to fit all that wiring into! The jack socket also seems pushed a long way into the cavity. As a cautionary tale, I took a cheap bass that’s was lacking in something sound wise and spent almost the value of the bass again on US Bart pickups and preamp. Afterward, to my ears, it actually sounded worse. 🙁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 4 hours ago, lemmywinks said: If you like the Hohner preamps from the Korean Cort models then I have one I can stick in the post. It's from a Hohner JJ Pro and has the mini adjustable gain pot on it. https://i.ibb.co/kDtStZ7/Hohner-pre-1.jpg https://i.ibb.co/R9yfSS1/Hohner-pre-2.jpg That's very decent of you, mate, I'll let you know Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 8, 2022 Author Share Posted March 8, 2022 2 hours ago, FDC484950 said: Blimey. For an active bass that’s a tiny cavity to fit all that wiring into! The jack socket also seems pushed a long way into the cavity. As a cautionary tale, I took a cheap bass that’s was lacking in something sound wise and spent almost the value of the bass again on US Bart pickups and preamp. Afterward, to my ears, it actually sounded worse. 🙁 Yeah, been there done that too. The bass is what it is, maybe I should live with it. I won't be putting a ton of money into it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkypenguin Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 The East UNI pre should fix it based on my experience of fitting the older U-Retro, although that being said you might have a job fitting it into that control cavity 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 The Darkglass Tone Capsule is very good. What I found very useful is that it has a high mid control instead of treble. It just seemed to be a much more useful frequency. The preamp board is nice and compact and comes pre wired and there's no soldering, just screw connections. I put one in a SUB (not US) stingray and it improved it massively even with the original, cheap pickup. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Two suggestions for fixing it using pedals If it's purely volume then a simple booster like an MXR Micro Amp would work - I use one live to balance active and non-active basses as a clean boost to adjust volume levels, and it's excellent. Well, I used to use one live but now don't need to... If it's more of an issue with the active electronics being underwhelming, I had a very similar issue with a Warwick, and I ummed and aahed about changing the active eq, but in the end fixed it with a Darkglass Harmonic Booster. It is now my "make everything better" pedal for any passive basses and the underwhelming Warwick. Honestly, it makes it sound like a brilliant active circuit and just adds a bit of sparkle and depth to the sound 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 3 hours ago, Monkey Steve said: Two suggestions for fixing it using pedals If it's purely volume then a simple booster like an MXR Micro Amp would work - I use one live to balance active and non-active basses as a clean boost to adjust volume levels, and it's excellent. Well, I used to use one live but now don't need to... If it's more of an issue with the active electronics being underwhelming, I had a very similar issue with a Warwick, and I ummed and aahed about changing the active eq, but in the end fixed it with a Darkglass Harmonic Booster. It is now my "make everything better" pedal for any passive basses and the underwhelming Warwick. Honestly, it makes it sound like a brilliant active circuit and just adds a bit of sparkle and depth to the sound Awesome thanks for that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StickyDBRmf Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 What Monkey Steve said. Get a boost for it before changing pickups and preamps and whatnot. All my instruments have different outputs and with my Chapman Stick, I have an EMG active pickup block, and a Villex passive block. The Villex MELTS the EMG's. I have to gain them differently. (Emmett Chapman said the Villex's were the hottest pu's he's ever tried). Just because the pickups are active doesn't mean they're hot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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