Pickups, Preamps and outboard electronics
(contributed by Robert Giovannetti of Vannetti Bass Designs and Best Bass Gear) Gain is often misinterpreted to be synonymous with volume because they both sound like they mean the same thing, especially when referencing amplifier heads. Compound this with the fact that raising or lowering an instrument’s or amp’s gain will affect its volume, and … Read more
Dave Ellefson, bassist for Megadeth, has one of the best metal bass tones – and he plays with a pick. One of the most amazing things about Dave’s tone is simply how clean it is. Even for diehard “I play with fingers only” bassists, when you hear just how clean and precise Dave delivers the … Read more
The Tech 21 Bass Fly Rig is a multi-effect unit with, obviously, a whole bunch of in-built effects. But as you can see from a photo of it, one of the features is “sans amp”, and yes this does mean it can be used direct into a mixer. But as anyone who has used a … Read more
This is a continuation from part 3. Below: Potentiometers being attached to the control plate, with washer being placed. Below: Washers for both pots placed. Below: A 1/2″ nut driver being used to tighten the nuts to the washers. Below: Tightening the other pot to the plate. Below: Output jack being held underneath and attaching … Read more
This is a continuation from part 2. Below: Tinning the ground wire in preparation for soldering (the white wire later also will be tinned). Below: Soldering the ground wire to the pot. Below: Soldering the white wire to the upper left terminal. Below: Coaxing the wire out of the ends of the cloth coating. Below: … Read more
This article is a continuation from part 1. This series of articles is specifically concentrating on the Fender American Vintage ’62 Jazz Bass Complete Wiring Kit. If you have bought or are thinking about buying this kit from Best Bass Gear and have questions, we can help. Just ask. Below: One hand holding pliers with … Read more
While we can deliver a pre-wired ’62 Jazz Bass control assembly, if you want to save some money and wire it yourself using this kit, you can. Pictured below: The kit itself. What’s in the kit: American Vintage ’62 Jazz Bass 3-hole control plate with 3 chrome screws. 2x: American Vintage ’62 Jazz Bass CTS … Read more
If you can believe it, Rolling Stone magazine called Rush’s Signals album “mostly a wasted effort“. Crazy, but true. Well, aside from what Rolling Stone thought, some of Geddy’s bass lines were absolutely incredible on this album. One such song that shines is Digital Man. Here’s an isolated bass version (with drums): And since we … Read more
In a recent article we featured an Ibanez fretted/fretless hybrid where the fretless part of the bass has a piezo pickup. We also mentioned that we carry piezo bass bridges. Is the piezo pickup the “secret” to the upright bass sound? The best way to answer that is to say first that nothing sounds like … Read more
Fresh from the NAMM show, MXR showed off the Sub Octave Bass Fuzz pedal. This fuzz pedal features two circuits, meaning it’s not the typical “one trick pony” type of fuzz. It also features separate bass and treble EQ controls, an octave control (of course), dry volume control (totally necessary for bass), has mid-frequency boost, … Read more
