Mike Pope

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Mike Pope

Michael Pope Preamps

Mike Pope preamps offer the Flexcore onboard preamp for your onboard active EQ needs.

The Flexcore is a 1-to-4 band preamp that is extremely nimble in its configuration options, allowing you to decide which configuration best fits you.

Originally offered only on Fodera instruments, these preamps are now available for any instrument that can handle the installation.

Since these are prewired in-house and utilize a unique and custom modular connection between components, certain components can be omitted or included if less or more EQ bands are required.

There is NO soldering required for most installations. The Flexcore also does not require impedence matching of the controls for active or passive Pickups. It can accept input of both active pickups like EMG, and passive pickups including Bartolini, Aguilar, Nordstrand, Lindy Fralin, Delano, Seymour Duncan, and DiMarzio.

Pickups, bridge ground, and power for active pickups is available input via screw terminals.

These preamps are supplied in 18v power configuration but can easily be modified to run 9v, though it is strongly recommend to use 18v power if active pickups like EMG are being used.

The basis of the Flexcore is in Michael Pope's philosophy on music. Being a bass player himself, his preamp design is intended to support the bass player in a musically inspiring fashion.

Not content with equipment that imparted its own personality or did not offer enough features to sculpt his own unique sound, he set about building the Flexcore with its own unique approach and circuitry.

The circuitry in the Flexcore is designed to assist and not harm nor overly contour your sound. When the EQ sections are set flat in active mode, they are as close to a straight line of the pickup's signal with a small presence of gain adjustment.

The ability to create this transparency stems from the unique EQ staging. Each stage of the tone shaping circuit is independently isolated from the others. The ICs (Integrated Circuits) are 10 times more expensive and infinitely more responsive than what you would commonly find in a run-of-the-mill preamp.

There are also frequency switching options available in the tone circuit to allow you to dial in any character imaginable. Anything from up front in-your-face crisp slap tones, to darker "What is Hip" style finger style tones, to deep hollow rock tones, or the edgy Rickenbacker style edge, the circuit is there to assist without injecting its own personality in your tone.

The Flexcore requires a control cavity depth of 1¼" for installation of the controls. Each standard non stacked control accepts a 6mm set screw knob, while the stacked controls accept an 8mm lower, and 6mm upper set screw style knob.

The switchable frequencies can be adjusted on treble and bass using the supplied jumpers, where the mid controls can utilize the supplied jumpers or accessory mid Switches to allow the ultimate tonal shaping of the midrange frequency spectrum.

We carry a wide array of accessory switches including mid Switches, kill Switches, active/passive switches, and coil tap switches in chrome and black finishes.

Technical Specifications

  • Treble: +/- 15dB @ 6kHz or 10kHz
  • Hi Mid: +/- 15dB @ 1kHz or 1.8kHz
  • Lo Mid: +/-12dB @ 330Hz or 473Hz
  • Bass: +/- 12dB @ 46Hz or 90Hz

Mike Pope products are no longer available. If you'd like to speak with a tech about possible alternatives, please give us a call at (877) 839 - 3531