Preamp for my jazz bass

[bassingeorge]

Hello to all you bass players! I have other topics in the forum, so far it's been very good and helpful, Thanks to all of you!

[Gunslinger]

You can check Seymour Duncan, EMG, and Sadowsky. All have 3 band preamps for Jazz basses. If your gonna spend the money I recommend the Sadowsky or the Duncan. I own both, the Sadowsky is AMAZING, and the Duncan is really nice too. The Sadowsky is the most expensive of the 3 but worth every penny. hope this helps.

 

P.S. you can get the Sadowsky off of their website. www.sadowsky.com

[_Sweet Willie_]

If I had a Fender jazz bass (MIM, MIJ, or US) and wanted to stick an active preamp in it, I would get this one:

 

1. J-Retro - homesite

2. J-Retro - discussion

3. J-Retro - purchase?

 

Peace.

[Tom Capasso]

And don't forget that Steve Rabe at www.raven-labs.com makes these as well.

 

Tom

[NickT]

The J-Retro pre amp is your answer. It is designed to fit the whole circuit...plus a 9v battery inside the control cavity on a standard J bass.

 

Do a search on this forum for more info on this pre amp, it has been discussed alot. Ed Friedland has one in his '74 J bass. He installed it as a replacement for a bartolini pre-amp "a SIGNIFICANT improvement" in his words.

 

I will be installing a J-retro in my Squire J once I choose some pick-ups.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

both aguilar preamps are also very small and would likely fit quite nicely in your J. but if you want a guaranteed fit and a damn good preamp as well, just end the debate and buy a j-retro.

 

robb.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

Originally posted by Tom Capasso:

And don't forget that Steve Rabe at www.raven-labs.com makes these as well.

 

Tom

whoah, there fella! raven labs only makes a p-bass preamp, not a j! the rest of the raven labs offerings are outboard boxes.

 

robb.

[Mr M Pulsive]

Originally posted by robb.:

Originally posted by Tom Capasso:

And don't forget that Steve Rabe at www.raven-labs.com makes these as well.

 

Tom

whoah, there fella! raven labs only makes a p-bass preamp, not a j! the rest of the raven labs offerings are outboard boxes.

 

robb.

Good call robb -

the J-Retro pre is made in the UK by John East.

[...]

In my opinion, it's worth a little routing of the body to fit the Bart 3-band preamp. I have them on two of my basses and they are absolutely the best. Bring it to a trusted luthier and have them do the install if you don't want to attack your bass with a router yourself (I know I wouldn't).

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by Bumpcity:

In my opinion, it's worth a little routing of the body to fit the Bart 3-band preamp. I have them on two of my basses and they are absolutely the best.

I dig the Bart 3-band I had installed in my Carvin, BUT I've heard such great things about John East's preamps that I'd give it a shot in a future bass.

 

I'm not sure, though, how they compare in price.

[bassingeorge]

Man is are preamps expensive! I checked J-retro preamp and it's the answer to my problem, but for 250 bucks! damn! oh well, the thing is..who sells this things in the US?

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by Sweet Willie:

... 3. J-Retro - purchase? ...

Bass Northwest, among others.

[bassingeorge]

jeez...I guess I´ll need about $350 for my new upgrade ... also...What pickups do you recommend?

- basslines Hot stacks

- basslines quarter pounders (SJB-3)

- Antiquaty J bass

 

I'm looking for high output modern punchiness...

[rumpelstiltskin.]

for high output, modern punchiness, you may well enjoy the dimarzio ultrajazz. they're a bit more scooped in sound. i like them well enough, but i'd prefer a more classic j sound to what i have. still they were a great improvement over the pickups in my '99 MIM. the only thing i can guess at, from your list of three pickups, is that the duncan antiquities are not what you want. though i've never heard them, they are reknowned for being "classic" or "vintage" in sound -- not at all "modern". just ask jeremyc about his antiquities p-bass pickup. he said it was indistinguishable from a '68 fender p.

 

have you considered EMG? i think they're universally known as punchy, no? still, the MIM pickups were improved in '01, i think, so new pickups may not be as crucial as they once were.

 

robb.

[...]

Originally posted by robb.:

have you considered EMG? i think they're universally known as punchy, no?

EMG's are hot p/u's, yes, but I don't really like the way they sound on a jazz bass. Lane Poor, Bartolini, and Seymour Duncan make superior jazz bass pickups that retain that 'jazz bass sound'.

 

The search for replacement p/u's can be a real trial and error sort of thing. And it can get expensive really fast if you're not happy with your first choice or two.

[JonPackard]

I suggest that you try the JRetro without new pickups first - you may find you don't need them. I put a JRetro in two years ago in my '99 MIA, and it was the last thing I ever needed to do to it (other than play it). This is one AMAZING preamp - your money will NOT be wasted!

[Tom Capasso]

Hey Bump, I still like the Demeter onboard better than the Bartolini. I think the tone controls adjust the sound more smoothly.

 

But what do I know - Robb had to tell me the difference between a P and a J.

 

And isn't it suspicious that those initials are also the initials for a simple sandwich? Maybe Bump isn't right, since he talks about cheese sandwiches? What's my sign again?

 

(sorry for the mis-information...and thanks for the correction)

Tom

[rumpelstiltskin.]

there is an oblique reference to a raven labs j preamp on their p preamp page. one of the users (Mark Browne) is raving about the p preamp and says, "I can't wait to try the Jazz Bass pre-amp!"

 

this implies there is a j preamp in planning, but that has been up for quite some time. who knows if it will become product? but since it's not, that's why i took the tack that it doesn't exist.

 

robb.

[JDL]

I was wondering if you had to change your pickups to get the best out of the J-retro preamp.

Originally posted by JonPackard:

I suggest that you try the JRetro without new pickups first - you may find you don't need them. I put a JRetro in two years ago in my '99 MIA, and it was the last thing I ever needed to do to it (other than play it). This is one AMAZING preamp - your money will NOT be wasted!

I have a Fender Standard MIM Jazz. Would I have to swap out the p/u's for this preamp? Also, for those who have the J-retro, did you soulder yourself, or take it in?

[humabass]

If your looking for a cheaper great sounding preamp with a small footprint look into the Aguilar. I've heard great things about the J-Retro and may be putting one in one of my Jazz basses but they are pricey. I just installed an Aguilar OBP3 preamp in my California Tobias Killer B 5 and it really opened up the sound. It's 3 band boost/cut. His OBP1 is a 2 band boost only (like Sadowsky) and in my opinion blows the Sadowsky away. Dare I say this? I hate the sound of Sadowsky basses and preamps! I have a custom Jazz with EMG JV pups and Sadowsky preamp and have a close friend with a Sadowsky vintage 5 and just really don't like the sound. If your looking for a great modern tone with WARMTH I would go with Bartolini pups.

[LM Bass]

There is a Raven Labs J-preamp in the works. I have a prototype, and you can't have it!

 

It is a great pre, and I hope they bring it out soon. It has the same tone control that the P-bass has, more lows in one direction and more highs in the other. Nice subtle, quiet design.

 

LM

[Lawnmower8]

Are there any other real benefits to having on on-board pre-amp as opposed to a separate box, other than using one less cable connection (unless it's built in to your amp head)?

Just wondering.