Preamp
All our basses come fitted with our unique pre-amp, still true to its original design. We hand solder these using the highest stability and closest tolerance components, and fit custom made graphite wiper pots with push/pull gold contact switches. All controls are designed for ultra low noise, interference and distortion-free performance. All cavities are screened against external electrical interference. Powered by a single 9-volt battery.
A master volume control provides smooth rotary adjustment of output volume, with an additional push/pull feature that actuates a pick-attack mode. This adds narrow band of high frequencies to the overall tone-setting to provide dynamic, percussive attack. Both overall output level and level of pick-attack are trimmable from inside the bass.
A pickup mixer control silently mixes the levels of the pre-EQ’d pick-ups to any desired ratio whilst keeping the combined output level constant.
Individual tone knobs for each pickup operate electronic, low pass filters whose roll-off frequencies vary with the position of the control. Fully clockwise at 10, the spectrum is full and flat. As the controls are backed off, the spectrums of the appropriate pick-ups are foreshortened. (Roll-off 12dB / Octave). The dominant tone character varies, therefore, throughout the entire range of control. Pulling-up the knob produces a quasi-parametric boost of about 10dB to the harmonics which lie at or near the roll-off frequency set by the rotary position. This provides the characteristic active sounds so popular today, without the clinical quality common to many circuits. By using the pan mixer like a master tone control, in conjunction with the pick-up controls, an endless range of subtle tones and dynamic effects can be created, with or without the pick attack.
A standard ¼ “jack output is fitted (for amplifier feed), along-side a balanced DI with transformer isolation that provides clean, reliable and safe studio or stage mixer feed without the need for an external DI box. On left-hand models all rotary functions are reversed to right-hand.
