carlitos71 Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Hi All I'm thinking of changing the pickups in my Warwick Streamer Stage II bass for some new ones. I'm considering either a Wizard or a Bare Knucle Set. After a fat, clear sound, lots of bottom... dubby type of sound although I don't play dub! What you guys think, recommend? Many thanks Carlos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I'd check out an outboard pre amp first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitos71 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 (edited) [quote name='chris_b' post='487771' date='May 14 2009, 12:23 PM']I'd check out an outboard pre amp first.[/quote] Hi Chris Thanks for your message. I already have one, an ART tube pre-amp compressor and have also have a Dave Hall twin tube pedal which I intend to use Channel 1 to warm up my sound. The on board pre-amp is giving me trouble and a sounds engineer friend of mine recommended that I change pickups to good quality passives for a better tone, sounds... Cheers! Edited May 14, 2009 by carlitos71 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 I just spent a good part of the morning playing my Streamer Stage II and was knocked out by the tone - warm, fat, thick and growly with an incredible amount of controlled power. I played it against a Fodera MG which sounded thin by comparison! I'm very surprised you're considering changing the pickups - I'd have a think about repairing or replacing the on-board pre (I'm sure Warwick can assist...at a price). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitos71 Posted May 14, 2009 Author Share Posted May 14, 2009 [quote name='lozbass' post='488025' date='May 14 2009, 04:02 PM']I just spent a good part of the morning playing my Streamer Stage II and was knocked out by the tone - warm, fat, thick and growly with an incredible amount of controlled power. I played it against a Fodera MG which sounded thin by comparison! I'm very surprised you're considering changing the pickups - I'd have a think about repairing or replacing the on-board pre (I'm sure Warwick can assist...at a price).[/quote] Hi, thanks for your message. I agree with your description of the Streamer sound but I believe I can still get out more from it by installing the best quality hand made pickups out there and also getting rid of the active pre-amp that is giving me trouble. I did consider replacing pre-amp but have been adviced that money is better spent in pickups Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted May 14, 2009 Share Posted May 14, 2009 Sort of.. if the preamp is causing you problems, have you tried wiring it out so you just get the pickups alone? Even top notch pickups through a ropey preamp can only sound ropey! Better to have decent pups with no preamp. On my Ibanez: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673[/url] it started with decent stock pups and stock B+T preamp. As I got a better amp, I found I used the tone controls less and less, so in the middle of one of the experimental rewires I took all the active stuff out. Way better! Of course I also kept experimenting with pickups, , which is maybe why I just played the one bass for so many years. EMG really do the biz for my taste! Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitos71 Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 [quote name='hubrad' post='488097' date='May 14 2009, 05:14 PM']Sort of.. if the preamp is causing you problems, have you tried wiring it out so you just get the pickups alone? Even top notch pickups through a ropey preamp can only sound ropey! Better to have decent pups with no preamp. On my Ibanez: [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=44673[/url] it started with decent stock pups and stock B+T preamp. As I got a better amp, I found I used the tone controls less and less, so in the middle of one of the experimental rewires I took all the active stuff out. Way better! Of course I also kept experimenting with pickups, , which is maybe why I just played the one bass for so many years. EMG really do the biz for my taste! Have fun![/quote] Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitos71 Posted May 16, 2009 Author Share Posted May 16, 2009 any more suggestions? Has anyone got Bare knuckle J pups? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackLondon Posted May 16, 2009 Share Posted May 16, 2009 [url="http://www.nordstrandpickups.com/bass-pickups/index.shtml"]NORDSTRAND PICKUPS[/url] Can't go wrong with them, I'm having a set put in to my custom bass Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitos71 Posted May 16, 2009 Author Share Posted May 16, 2009 cheers will check them out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlitos71 Posted May 18, 2009 Author Share Posted May 18, 2009 So anybody with Wizard or Bare Knuckle pickups got anything to say? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 I've got Bartolini pickups and pre amps in two of my basses and I think they sound great from a full and fat bass tone, through flat to high treble. They seem to be the pickup of choice for a large number of high end bass manufacturers as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted May 18, 2009 Share Posted May 18, 2009 [quote name='carlitos71' post='491215' date='May 18 2009, 11:17 AM']So anybody with Wizard or Bare Knuckle pickups got anything to say?[/quote] Yep. Had some Wizard 84's in me old Ged Jazz - lovely kit. Email or phone Andy at Wizard, tell him what you want and he'll tell you what he can do, you don't necessarily have to stick with stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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