I’m trying to locate a small preamp design for a bass guitar with potentiometer controls for: volume, bass, treble and midrange.
This must be small enough to fit into the guitar body.
Are these designs very popular, in other words if something is available, how many people want one in addition to me?
Thanking everyone in advance for the help.
Gene
This must be small enough to fit into the guitar body.
Are these designs very popular, in other words if something is available, how many people want one in addition to me?
Thanking everyone in advance for the help.
Gene
This is a popular bass preamp design, not for inbody use, but you could easily take the parts you want and make it so.
Bass Preamp
Bass Preamp
A number of these onboard electronics designs are floating on the internet. Mr. Hugsley on this forum has designed on with a two or three band tone control. There's the schematic of the preamp for the ashbory bass (but that's for use with piezo bridges). And if you register at freestompboxes.org • Index page , you can find the onboard electronics of the musicman stingray and sabre basses, which use a extreme low power opamp (LM4250).
Alternatively, you could tack a tonestack between two halves of a dual opamp.
I've made a preamp with a sallen-key lowpass filter and have also made one using a state variable filter (a la Alembic). The state variable one you can find on the musikding.de forum, but it's in german.
Is a active tone control necessary? You could also make just a buffer, I've tried the fet buffers, but I didn't like the simple single JFET ones for bass. Opamps I did like, however, especially the opa2134, although that does draw a bit of current.
To increase the tonal options, you could add switchable caps and resistors, to make a Z-modes preamp like Audere does, I did this with my Precision. Finding the right capacitance and reistance takes some time.
Good luck!
Alternatively, you could tack a tonestack between two halves of a dual opamp.
I've made a preamp with a sallen-key lowpass filter and have also made one using a state variable filter (a la Alembic). The state variable one you can find on the musikding.de forum, but it's in german.
Is a active tone control necessary? You could also make just a buffer, I've tried the fet buffers, but I didn't like the simple single JFET ones for bass. Opamps I did like, however, especially the opa2134, although that does draw a bit of current.
To increase the tonal options, you could add switchable caps and resistors, to make a Z-modes preamp like Audere does, I did this with my Precision. Finding the right capacitance and reistance takes some time.
Good luck!
Thanks Jarno,
Great information!! I can see some very bright people have been hard at work. The interesting thing is, a good portion of the examples you provided seems to indicate, these very bright people are engineering better electronics that what is provided by the guitar manufacturers.
I have found an example of exactly what I’m trying to locate. It’s a schematic for an onboard 3-Band bass equalizer (with integrated onboard preamp).
An example of this 3-Band Bass Equalizer was available from Ibanez in their 2002 Sound Gear 400.
What follows is the Ibanez wiring diagram link: Ibanez :: Electric Guitars : Wiring Diagrams
Thanks again,
Gene
Great information!! I can see some very bright people have been hard at work. The interesting thing is, a good portion of the examples you provided seems to indicate, these very bright people are engineering better electronics that what is provided by the guitar manufacturers.
I have found an example of exactly what I’m trying to locate. It’s a schematic for an onboard 3-Band bass equalizer (with integrated onboard preamp).
An example of this 3-Band Bass Equalizer was available from Ibanez in their 2002 Sound Gear 400.
What follows is the Ibanez wiring diagram link: Ibanez :: Electric Guitars : Wiring Diagrams
Thanks again,
Gene
Regarding the preceeding link i.e. - Ibanez :: Electric Guitars : Wiring Diagrams
Instrument = Bass
Year = 2002
Model = SR400
Sorry! This information must be inputted to pull-up the wiring diagram.
Instrument = Bass
Year = 2002
Model = SR400
Sorry! This information must be inputted to pull-up the wiring diagram.
Well thats not a schematic so there is no hope in just copying it , but it does show that it uses just a single 8 pin opamp probably a dual which means it probably is just a 3 Band active tone controll like this one but with the other half of the opamp used as a buffer ...
or
it"s a 2 opamp stages with a 3 band tone stack stuck in between simular to this one .... (This one is only a 2 band , I use this one in my bass but it has adjustable gain to get those fuzz bass tones but it super clean with the gain down)
Cheers
or
it"s a 2 opamp stages with a 3 band tone stack stuck in between simular to this one .... (This one is only a 2 band , I use this one in my bass but it has adjustable gain to get those fuzz bass tones but it super clean with the gain down)
Cheers
There isnt a lot of room inside a guitar body for electronics.
Also you have to get in to change the battery which isnt a quick job.
I would go for a seperate box.
Thanks for the schematics Minion. I appreciate the information. Minion, if I really grovel could you email a larger drawing of you Guitar Pre w tone controls schematic? I have a tough time reading some of the smaller notations.
Nigel, you’re right, not lots of room. But the guitar is an Ibanez with a cavity for the electronics and another for a nine volt battery. So there is some extra room.
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There are also three pick-ups so I think if I use something like a single shaft (or even a dual shaft) dual body I can control the pick-up input signal.
Thanks for the help guys.
Nigel, you’re right, not lots of room. But the guitar is an Ibanez with a cavity for the electronics and another for a nine volt battery. So there is some extra room.
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There are also three pick-ups so I think if I use something like a single shaft (or even a dual shaft) dual body I can control the pick-up input signal.
Thanks for the help guys.
And you can always break out the router and make a bigger cavity. A separate battery compartment is also a good idea. But you should be able to make a fairly compact version of the preamps, use 1/8watt resistors, small filmcaps. Even the state-variable filter from Musikding, with a quad opamp, fits in most instruments.
the standard cavity in a P-bass fits nothing, those are a bit of a pain, but nothing chisels and a router can't solve.
Edit:
By the way Gene, you did "click" on the pictures minion posted?
the standard cavity in a P-bass fits nothing, those are a bit of a pain, but nothing chisels and a router can't solve.
Edit:
By the way Gene, you did "click" on the pictures minion posted?
Jarno,
Yes, there are a number of different options and altering the cavity is definitely one. But altering the cavity size and location also changes the resonance of the body. So it’s almost a catch 22.
My focus is on using an existing tone control and preamp design that cause/create little to no distortion. Not that I’m a purist, but I want a good clear and clean signal going out of the guitar. ,
I think, perhaps mistakenly, the best place for intelligent distortion systems should be located between the guitar and speakers.
Additionally, I’m still trying to find a good conductive paint. Ibanez coats their cavity to shield the electronics from all kinds of nasty stuff like lighting systems etc.
Yes, I did click on Minion’s pictures; one was very legible but other was not as clear. Since there are two standards for component symbols and values are often critical, I wanted to be positive everything was right before grabbing a soldering iron.
Gene
Yes, there are a number of different options and altering the cavity is definitely one. But altering the cavity size and location also changes the resonance of the body. So it’s almost a catch 22.
My focus is on using an existing tone control and preamp design that cause/create little to no distortion. Not that I’m a purist, but I want a good clear and clean signal going out of the guitar. ,
I think, perhaps mistakenly, the best place for intelligent distortion systems should be located between the guitar and speakers.
Additionally, I’m still trying to find a good conductive paint. Ibanez coats their cavity to shield the electronics from all kinds of nasty stuff like lighting systems etc.
Yes, I did click on Minion’s pictures; one was very legible but other was not as clear. Since there are two standards for component symbols and values are often critical, I wanted to be positive everything was right before grabbing a soldering iron.
Gene
I don't think you'll change the resonance much on a electric guitar or bass, but fitting it in an existing cavity is less work of course. For conductive paint, blackboard paint is reported to work as there are iron particles in there, haven't tried it myself.
Alternatively, there's the silver loaded paint Alembic is using, but that stuff is ueber costly
Alternatively, there's the silver loaded paint Alembic is using, but that stuff is ueber costly
Stew MAc sells conductive paint, as I suspect do other gui9tar parts sellers.
Search results for "conductive paint" at Stewart-MacDonald
Search results for "conductive paint" at Stewart-MacDonald
Google search on a different matter also gave this one
Havent looked much at it, but could be interesting
FET Preamplifier, Part 1
Wow, it can be mounted on guitar strap
And especially good fore piezo pickups
And thats what I plan use fore my bass
Havent looked much at it, but could be interesting
FET Preamplifier, Part 1
Wow, it can be mounted on guitar strap
And especially good fore piezo pickups
And thats what I plan use fore my bass
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This might help:
J201 FET - Google Search
combine the two lines to form a single link.
Components are available, but the issue is the PCB. Rather than breadboarding, it's easier, neater and faster to use a printed circuit board.
But there is generally a minimum requirement. We need a bunch of guys to agree on a single design and do a PCB run.
J201 FET - Google Search
combine the two lines to form a single link.
Components are available, but the issue is the PCB. Rather than breadboarding, it's easier, neater and faster to use a printed circuit board.
But there is generally a minimum requirement. We need a bunch of guys to agree on a single design and do a PCB run.
Tinitus,
First I sincerely hope you don't have Tinnitus. That could ruin those great bass moments.
Regarding the circuit . . . electronics is the key. If you have good pickups, a good body and neck - all you really need is the electronics to “supercharge” your guitar. DIY is the cheapest method to increase your guitar’s tonal performance in a big, big way..
But don’t listen to me, there are some really bright guys on this forum – so get some feedback from them as well.
First I sincerely hope you don't have Tinnitus. That could ruin those great bass moments.
Regarding the circuit . . . electronics is the key. If you have good pickups, a good body and neck - all you really need is the electronics to “supercharge” your guitar. DIY is the cheapest method to increase your guitar’s tonal performance in a big, big way..
But don’t listen to me, there are some really bright guys on this forum – so get some feedback from them as well.
I'm in the process of putting a preamp in my bass. Have a look at the Hugsley design. One important note: the characteristics of the J201 FET must be measured. Hugsley has a nice procedure for doing this. Also, not all J201's will work in the circuit. You'll probably have to buy a few and find one whose characteristics will work.
Here's the link to the Hugsley design:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/musical-instruments/27524-new-jfet-guitar-preamp-project-11.html
Here's the link to the Hugsley design:
http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/musical-instruments/27524-new-jfet-guitar-preamp-project-11.html
Hi
Thanks, no my tinitus is not too bad, but its there and I need to be careful what I do
Low noise gear is essential
I have bought expencive wood to build a 4-string bass guitar
Hopefully the best ever
Nah, but I have build a violin, but my hart is to the bass, also in the music, I dont deny it, I love bass, pure and clean
I want to use one of the new ABM bridges with integrated piezos, fore a smooth build
I expect it will need some sort of pickup preamp
So yes, I am definately interested in this
Especially a simple low noise design running on low 9V
And preferably low power consumption and long lasting battery
Such simple design would be easy to hardwire
No need to design a board
We could easily do a layout so simple that anyone could assemble
Mind you, I have no interest in controls of any kind
New commercial main preamps have plenty of those
May be different with standard double pickups
Its all complete new to me
I didnt plan to do this now, but now you are on it why not join in
Concerns about Tillman pre
Is J201 available
Hawes says its close to perfect to run on 9V battery
These guys definately know their stuff
http://www.till.com/articles/GuitarPreamp/
http://www.hawestv.com/amp_projects/fet_preamp/fetpreamp1.htm
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