Lakland DJ5 Premp - Advice Please

[AJC08]

Hi guys

 

This year I have acquired a Lakland DJ 5 which I absolutely love! Out of a great deal of gear I have owned and used this is absolutely one of the best all around basses I've had so top marks to Lakland.

 

I do however want to add a preamp of some sort. I've tried over a period of months to contact East for their specific one and had no response via email or on here. I hope everything is ok on their end but this is very frustrating.

 

The preamp must ideally have bass, treble and a passive bypass. Don't mind stacked or anything along those lines. Ideally I'd have a passive tone control as well as I use that a hell of a lot.

 

I just do not know where on earth to turn. It also needs to be easily available in the UK too as I cant be dealing with shipping from the US.

 

Literally any advice on where to turn would be a huge help!

 

Thanks as always

 

Aj

[chris_b]

If you love the sound, why do you want to change it?

 

I'd buy another bass to fiddle with.

[Acebassmusic]

Sadowsky pre would fit the description....only drawback would you would need to fit a side jack. 🤷‍♂️ Bass Direct Pre

[chris_b]

44 minutes ago, Acebassmusic said:

Sadowsky pre would fit the description....

 Good call, but I'd suggest trying  the Sadowsky preamp pedal. I have one and it's the more flexible option.

[Terry M.]

5 hours ago, chris_b said:

If you love the sound, why do you want to change it?

 

I'd buy another bass to fiddle with.

To be fair he didn't specifically say he loves the sound. But I'm sure he does 😊

[Terry M.]

12 hours ago, AJC08 said:

Hi guys

 

This year I have acquired a Lakland DJ 5 which I absolutely love! Out of a great deal of gear I have owned and used this is absolutely one of the best all around basses I've had so top marks to Lakland.

 

I do however want to add a preamp of some sort. I've tried over a period of months to contact East for their specific one and had no response via email or on here. I hope everything is ok on their end but this is very frustrating.

 

The preamp must ideally have bass, treble and a passive bypass. Don't mind stacked or anything along those lines. Ideally I'd have a passive tone control as well as I use that a hell of a lot.

 

I just do not know where on earth to turn. It also needs to be easily available in the UK too as I cant be dealing with shipping from the US.

 

Literally any advice on where to turn would be a huge help!

 

Thanks as always

 

Aj

Another vote for the Sadowsky outboard premp pedal. You have the bonus of the bass's tone control in both active and passive a la VTC and you don't have to perform any surgery on the bass should you desire to move it on as-is. It will sell as it left the factory no problem as a lot of users want them all-passive. Then sell the pedal on also if needed.

Edited Saturday at 18:45 by Terry M.

[itu]

A preamp may have some or many of the following features: 

- active mixing (instead of two vol, or blend) 

- bass 

 -middle 

- treble 

- semiparametric eq 

- filter 

- tilt eq 

- individual adjustments for two pickups or coils 

 

On top of that there may be: 

- ser/par/single switching for pickups or coils 

- pickup selector 

- passive, or rather, hi-Z switch 

- hi-Z tone 

 

During the years some effects have been built to basses, like fuzz, and comp. Even a headphone amp. 

 

List the feats you want, and we can try to recommend something suitable to your bass. 

[itu]

If you want B/T/tone, and blend/vol, your wish not to have stacked pots is rough. However if you leave T away, put the output jack to side or back (consider Strat style plate, like in Ritters have), you could have 4 pots in the front. Or if the T has switch and works as a tone, too, that would do. 

 

I think John East had one option, where all adjustments were divided to separate pots, but I couldn't find it now. His preamps are highest end, and are designed in a very interesting way. John used to design mixing consoles, and it can be seen in his creations. 

[AJC08]

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

So I literally just need vol/vol or vol/blend (not fussed) b/t, and a passive switch ideally. I'm more than happy for stacked controls. Just no idea where to turn.

 

In regards to liking the sound, I love it, but I want flexibility on board. If I'm playing live, I dont want to have to fiddle with pedals mid gig to get a slightly different tone. Plenty do that I knkw, just not for me.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Terry M.]

2 hours ago, AJC08 said:

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

So I literally just need vol/vol or vol/blend (not fussed) b/t, and a passive switch ideally. I'm more than happy for stacked controls. Just no idea where to turn.

 

In regards to liking the sound, I love it, but I want flexibility on board. If I'm playing live, I dont want to have to fiddle with pedals mid gig to get a slightly different tone. Plenty do that I knkw, just not for me.

 

Thanks for the suggestions.

What are your thoughts with regards to the Sadowsky outboard preamp pedal? It keeps things real simple.

Edited 3 hours ago by Terry M.