bubinga5 Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I did search this..but im thinking of getting a external pre amp to run the Fender Jazz through for a four string active option. I have no experience of these..are they very good..will it totally change the tone of the Jazz? What are the best...i had an Aguilar OBP2 in my recently sold Ostinato and it sounded awsome..but of course it had EMG's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 Having used an MXR M-80 D.I. for my passive P and Maruszczck Jazz to give that all important mid control and the switchable boost and distortion I'd strongly recommend it. The Tone Hammer was the other possibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 (edited) [quote name='GreeneKing' post='588120' date='Sep 2 2009, 10:44 PM']Having used an MXR M-80 D.I. for my passive P and Maruszczck Jazz to give that all important mid control and the switchable boost and distortion I'd strongly recommend it. The Tone Hammer was the other possibility.[/quote] +1 Tonehammer is great. I tested one for ten mins at Bass Merchant and I loved it. Made a nice difference to a passive bass, and the overdrive was really useful and gritty! Really good solid pedal with lots of features. Its now on my GAS list... Edited September 2, 2009 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I'd like to add that my MXR is probably surplus to requirement (Boss ME 20B too?) since buying the TC Electronics Rebelhead with the pedal and 3 memory positions. The tube simulation on the Rebelhead works well. The Rebelhead has a separate headphone amp and an MP3 input, which is precisely what I was using the Boss for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 For a jazz I'd suggest the Sadowsky (old or new style) or the Aguilar DB924 (OPB1 in a box). Both very similar, but add a great active boom/sheen to a passive fender, without carving holes for batteries and extra pots. I guess the tone hammer is the same, but I haven't heard one yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 I grabbed a Behringer DI and it's really given a boost to my bass sound. It's like a steroid switch, just beefs everything up a little and I'm just using the suggested settings. I was playing bass with a friend of mine after I got it and he just laughed as the bass just sounded so good. Best £30 I've spent in a long while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassninja Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 [quote name='7string' post='588179' date='Sep 2 2009, 11:48 PM']I grabbed a Behringer DI and it's really given a boost to my bass sound. It's like a steroid switch, just beefs everything up a little and I'm just using the suggested settings. I was playing bass with a friend of mine after I got it and he just laughed as the bass just sounded so good. Best £30 I've spent in a long while.[/quote] +1, Good bang/buck ratio for the £, but plastic casing is pretty rubbish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHUFC BASS Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Sansamp VT for me. Brilliant bit of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foal30 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Sadowsky Pre-Amp for Fender Jazz is mean beans fretted and fretless funk, soul, blues and jazz enthusiastically embraced here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnylager Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Settled on a [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=45784"]DHA VT2-Twin-EQ-Bass[/url] after realisng the BDDI, Paradriver & Microbass II were only pretending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeftyJ Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I used to own a Hartke VXL Bass Attack that I really liked, especially for its added simulated tube grit, even though it sounded a bit cold. I replaced it with an EBS MicroBass II and love it, although I tend to think of it more as an integrated preamp and DI to plug straight into a mixer or PA than a preamp pedal to put in front of an amp. It works really well though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niceguyhomer Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 +1 for the EBS Microbass. Superb piece of kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Best at what? Using an outboard preamp pedal to make a passive bass 'active' is no different from claiming plugging a bass into an amp makes it active! It's just a load of extra EQ. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 (edited) I have made that claim! I believe it, at least to an extent. I have found that boosting the mids helps with my particular tone and that passive basses have a deficiency of tweakability in this area. I could just use the amp of course but the pedal gives the option to switch it in and out (as does the Rebelhead). I also like the ability to add a little gentle crunch/distortion for some songs. Again, sounding like a stuck record, - Rebelhead I'd love to hear the RH 450 through a Vintage Alex Edited September 3, 2009 by GreeneKing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 [quote name='alexclaber' post='588426' date='Sep 3 2009, 11:22 AM']Best at what? Using an outboard preamp pedal to make a passive bass 'active' is no different from claiming plugging a bass into an amp makes it active! It's just a load of extra EQ. Alex[/quote] Are you saying Alex that if i bought a Tone Hammer it would sound exactly like my AG500? My Question is general because i want to get different opinions on different pedals..whats best was probably missleading.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I've had the Sadowsky outboard pre/di pedal for a year or so now. Makes a massive difference to the passive jazz. I'd like to try the Tone Hammer as well, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 [quote name='bubinga5' post='588472' date='Sep 3 2009, 11:53 AM']Are you saying Alex that if i bought a Tone Hammer it would sound exactly like my AG500?[/quote] That depends on the circuitry inside both preamps. If the EQ and overdrive are voiced the same, then yes, if not then no. Put it this way - adding an outboard preamp is no different to adding an EQ pedal and/or a distortion pedal (depending on what that preamp does). The different between an outboard preamp and an onboard preamp is that the latter buffers the pickups much more directly, removing treble loss due to cable capacitance (see the Audere website and Z switch for more info on how pickups interact with cables and input stages). [quote name='GreeneKing' post='588449' date='Sep 3 2009, 11:35 AM']I'd love to hear the RH 450 through a Vintage Alex [/quote] The most recent Barefaced Vintage has gone to an RH450 owner! I bet it's quite loud... Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubinga5 Posted September 3, 2009 Author Share Posted September 3, 2009 Well you learn a new bass fact everyday..thanks Alex of course an outboard preamp will make not alot of difference.. Think there is an Audere circuit i could pop straight in or just some Nord split coils.. Well you gotta learn somewhere.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Switching the MXR in and out with the mids boosted a little only certainly didn't drastically alter the bass's tone, it just gave it a bit more 'bite'. I believe the Aguilar has sweepable mids too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simon1964 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Another +1 for the Microbass II. Really versatile, especially if you switch between two basses. I'd agree with the comments on the Behringer - surprisingly good for the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 +1 for the Hartke VXL Bass Attack, never gig without it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I have an MXR M80 which I have principally for DI in case of amp failure. However, a preamp/DI does give you the ability to footswitch additional EQ for solos or a slap passage if you mainly play fingerstyle, or fill a potential hole in your amp's tonestack, for instance the M80 has its bass control centred at 60Hz whereas my LMII is centred at 40Hz. Additionally preamps such as the M80, Sansamp Bass Driver, Tonehammer, etc will also give you crunch if you want it. Best? Way too subjective, but I bought the M80 because its flat sound is transparent i.e. no pre curve EQ, unlike the Sansamp for instance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreeneKing Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 [quote name='ezbass' post='588615' date='Sep 3 2009, 01:49 PM']I bought the M80 because its flat sound is transparent i.e. no pre curve EQ, unlike the Sansamp for instance.[/quote] Except when you push the 'colour' button without noticing, and your bass gets completely 'Lost in Space'!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eight Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 My amp head has separate inputs for active/passes basses, and I also usually run through a fuzz and a limiter; are we saying I'd get nothing from adding a pre-amp? I'm just not really sure what they're for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 I've tried a number of these things over the years and none made any difference worth spending money on. You end up with tone controls all over the place with plenty of possibilities for confusion. Obviously it makes a massive difference if you are going out through a PA or not. In that case you are probably better off with a decent DI, set everything flat and let the sound man do his job. Other than that any half decent head probably has more eq than you'll ever need. If you really want to go nuts, get a proper graphic and put it in your effects loop Just my $00.02. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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