preamp/pedal help?

[peoplechipper]

So I need a few suggestions...I bought a Rickenbacker 4003s about a month ago and love it; good timing too as my distillate REALLY needs a refret - gonna stop using stainless strings, I love the tone but they exact a price for that tone...

Anyway, my dilemma. It doesn't sound the same! of course it doesn't and I'm listening to a rehearsal recording as I type this...it sounds great and fairly close to the Alembic (proof that it's in the hands- I can made a bass sound distorted acoustically!)...the Distillate into my rig just has more grind and overtones, a bigger 'pillow' of bass for my guitar player to jump around on and I want that pillow if I can...I have a Boogieman preamp I thought of putting in but it won't fit easily (Ricky's are thin bodies) and don't wanna dick around with it...

So my rig is the bass into a Tech 21 sansamp bass DI (older one with no mid control) into an Acoustic 370...the Distillate is both pickups on with bass/treble boost on, q off...the sansamp is cranked drive, treble and bass with presence set to just before feedback howling; I know, not exactly subtle!...that's why I'm peoplechipper...

I'm looking for suggestions as to how to get the grind- do I put a preamp in and which one, or do I replace the sansamp- maybe one of the new ones with more tone shaping? or is there another that I need to get, or a little pre-boost before the sansamp...

any suggestions from the tone kings and queens here would be helpful, although my wants are a little uglier than most on this forum(that didn't sound right!) but I'm sure y'all can help me get to them...thanks in advance, Tony.

[gearhed289]

I also play a Distillate and a Ric (my #1). And sometimes a Spector. And Gibsons with T-bird pickups... To balance things out between the active and and passive basses, I have a Sadowsky preamp pedal. It has bass and treble knobs (boost only, no cut), and an output level knob. Works out great. I hit the bypass switch for active basses. Good luck and chip on!

As far as those frets, I've had a couple of people suggest stainless steel frets.

[hieronymous]

Very interesting - I'm also both a Rickenbacker & Alembic player, though I haven't tried to replicate the sound of one with the other.


Is it simply a gain issue? Is the Ric not pushing the Sansamp hard enough? I wouldn't mod the Ric, like Tom mentioned I would think either a preamp or boost in front of the Sansamp would work. Or maybe one of the Darkglass preamps (http://darkglass.com)? I keep entering their giveaways but haven't won one yet    I still haven't tried one, they seem pretty expensive but it might be worth trying out - they seem really popular these days (at Talkbass for example).


Another option would be an Alembic SF-2 Superfilter - I remember playing my 4001 through it and couldn't believe how it brought it to life! I could dial in a nice full bottom end, and get some of that Alembic high-end sparkle too!

[peoplechipper]

Thanks for the ideas. I was just thinking today that my buddy Chris is the main guy of Union Tube and Transistor and their MORE pedal may be the thing to goose the sansamp - it's based on the preamp section of an old Korg delay that has magic tone...anyway it might do what I want...it sounds weird that I'm looking for a preamp for my preamp, but I guess I am...Tony

[lbpesq]

How about putting a Stratoblaster on the Ricky?  Just a thought.

Bill, tgo

[StephenR]

Which Korg delay has "the magic tone"?

Stratoblaster would be pretty cool but I would think some kind of pre with variable gain would be a better choice so you would have more control.

[edwin]

Which Korg delay has "the magic tone"?

Stratoblaster would be pretty cool but I would think some kind of pre with variable gain would be a better choice so you would have more control.

Bartolini AGDB-18. I just put one in my Dark Starred EB-3.

[David Houck]

A search suggests that the Korg delay in question is this one:

[StephenR]

Cool... I have a SDD 3300 sitting in the closet that I haven't used in years. I think it is supposed to be like having three of the 3000's in one unit. Controls on mine are digital not analog.

[peoplechipper]

Haven't looked at this thread in awhile; I tried the More and something else and it was howl and noise, but not the kind I was looking for...I realize now that I need to try a bass EQ pedal to replicate the boosts of the Distillate more than anything else. Anyway, it finally allowed that refret it needed, and Paul & Fritz here in N.Vancouver set me up (they are wizards!) Fritz used to drum in my band and after finishing the refret he plugged it in and went "grang! grang! grang!" and said "yep, that's the thing that tried to rip my head off every week..." nice to see he has happy memories!

So now I have new problems...I've been playing mostly the Ricky and my Yamaha sbv reissue while the Distillate's been in the shop and while I'm not totally comfy on 33.75-34" scale yet, I'm now not totally comfy on 32" either, or at least the 'hang' of the Ricky vs. the Alembic; it's like I've been caught cheating and now I have to figure out the relationship(s)...weird that even strap length has to be changed a bit...I guess it'll all shake out, but it is weird...I don't know what to play next gig!