John East

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East preamps was formed by John East in 1998 with the J-Retro 01 being the first product offered for Jazz and J Styled basses. The design of the J-Retro came into effect with John's lust for an unobtainable sound in live settings without requiring outboard preamps. Not content with an outboard option after building a few units he set about designing an onboard retrofit optiong that required no modification for install on his Jazz bass.

Before building such high end preamps as the J-Retro, J-Retro 01, and MMSR MusicMan units, John had his beginnings as a professional bass player. Most of his experience in electronics comes from being a player and understanding the need for a quality engineered flexible solution. He has also worked in the professional audio engineering and design field with companies such Solid State Logic and Oxford Digital. This combination of playing experience and audio engineering is what makes every East product unique and high quality. This performance can be found in the high quality pro audio feel of any of the East preamps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Where Can I Buy John East?

Answer: You can buy these from Best Bass Gear by Calling 877-839-3531 or Emailing us at sales@bestbassgear.com or chatting with our Bass Techs

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  1. John East BTB-01 1 or 2-Pickup 1-Knob 2-Band Treb/Bass Stack
    Out of stock

    John East BTB-01 1 or 2-Pickup 1-Knob 2-Band Treb/Bass Stack

    Out of stock

    $155.00 - $160.00
    The BTB-01 is based on the middle stack of the J-Retro 01 bass preamp. It consists of a single dual concentric knob stack with controls for Bass, Treble, and Bright functions.
    Control Configuration Treble/Bass Stack Available in Black, Chrome, or Gold Finish Description The BTB-01 is based on the middle stack of the J-Retro 01 bass preamp. It consists of a single dual concentric...
  2. John East MMSR 1-Pickup 4-Knob 3-Band Vol - Treb - Bass - Mid/Mid Stack

    $237.50 - $245.00
    The BTB-MMSR 4 Knob, including Mid Sweep, has been designed with characteristics very similar to the original MM Stingray 2 Band EQ, but is not an exact copy of the original circuit. Note: Control Plate Not Included Note: Will not work for US made Music Man Sterling basses and Stingray 5-string basses with the Tri-Coil pickup and 3-way selector switch
    The MMSR 4 Knob 3 Band has been designed with characteristics very similar to the original MM Stingray 2 Band EQ, in order to retain the same interaction between the MM pickup and the electronics, crucial in creating the original pre EB sound colours....
  3. John East J Retro Preamps

    $289.00 - $325.00
    The J Retro 01 Bass Preamp is designed to fit directly into standard "Jazz" style basses without modification, including a 9v battery.
    Control Configuration Volume/Blend Stack Treble/Bass Stack Mid/Mid Stack Blend & Pickups Switch Active/Passive Switch Available in Black, Chrome, or Gold Finish Description ...
  4. John East DJ Retro
    Out of stock

    John East DJ Retro

    Out of stock

    $299.00
    Same as J Retro, but with curved plate to work on Lakland Darryl Jones model basses. Top knobs and plate are chrome, bottom knobs are black.
    Control Configuration Volume/Blend Stack Treble/Bass Stack Mid/Mid Stack Blend & Pickups Switch Active/Passive Switch Description Same as J Retro, but with curved plate to work...
  5. John East MPM-02 Piezo Magnetic Buffer

    $110.00
    John East Piezo Magnetic Buffer
    The MPM-02 consists of two identical configurable high impedance buffer input amplifier stages. Designed for piezo as well as magnetic pickups, they can be configured to correctly mix piezo and magnetic pickup signals. Features 2 Class A...
  6. John East BLI-01
    Out of stock

    John East BLI-01

    Out of stock

    $40.00
    9v or 18v East Battery monitor
    The East BLI-)1 is designed to indicate when the life of your 9v or 18v battery system is getting towards the end of its life. At the point the warning LED begins to flash, around once per second, there is still some useful life left in the battery....

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: Where Can I Buy John East?

Answer: You can buy these from Best Bass Gear by Calling 877-839-3531 or Emailing us at sales@bestbassgear.com or chatting with our Bass Techs

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