Aguilar OBP--2 & ONBOARD PREAMP ANXIETY

J

jazznut

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Sep 20, 2016
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#1
Problem, my Marcus Miller bass' stock preamp died, Fender won't replace it, so I have to buy another brand. I want it to sound as close to Marcus Miller's bass as possible, but as we know that particular Bartolini preamp is discontinued.

Recently, I bought an Aguilar OBP-2SK for my Squier Jazz Bass (defretted, basswood body, ebanol fretboard, Carvin pickups, low gauge Hibeams) & I don't know if I like it. I wanted a penetrating boost when asked to solo, but it doesn't take much treble boost to make the g & c strings sound brittle & metallic. Also, two very notable characteristics! One is that in the middle, zero gain position there is noticable gain. The other is that there are very hard transients, and a commensurately rapid decay (or perceived decay). Not really that neutral sounding in comparison to passive.

Now I have a dilemma. My stock MIM in 2013 Marcus Miller bass has a very low output (+2db?) in the active treble & Fender won't even sell me a replacement because I am not the original owner.In theory no loss, Fender Active electronics are not highly regarded & typically upgraded. But in this case I would know the devil I am dealing with as these newer MIM models have very neutral sounding preamps (compared to passive).

With the Aguilar's hard transients it could definitely enhance the slap sound (I also use round core
Hibeams 105 80 60 45) & the attack can better be defined. But I am also concerned about the timbre of the spund coming after the attack. Because of the difference in tonewoods, pickups & string gauges, & fretless vs. frets I can't begin to guess how it will sound.

So I would like some feedback from Aguilar prwamp owners. Anyone else find the transients really hard, & output levels a little high in unity gain?
Aguilar is very popular & the price is right. Others such as Nordstrand's & Pope? Pricey, gotta draw the line. Is a two band Aguilar work well with a Marcus Miller bass?
 
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#3
Funkinthetrunk said:
These hard transient punch is what I really like about Aguilars. Along with the fatness they bring.
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I am starting to learn that the key to making my fretless work with the Aguilar is to actually turn down the treble--as it very sharply defines the note. If I turn it up it gets brittle & you hear the fretboard slap (strings are set very low,) & lots of finger noise.
 
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#6
Ok, you got me lost. You only have the Aggie currently installed in the Squier Jazz Bass, right? So you're concerned that the MM will sound like the Squier with the Aggie? If so...they're 2 different basses. I doubt that your fretless will sound much like your fretted MM. I've heard people say that these onboard Aggies are transparent. I personally do not think so, I think they have an distinct "Aguilar" sound to them. And I really dig that. OBP-2 should make your MM sound pretty damn close to the "Marcus Miller Sound." Instead of buying another OBP-2, remove the one out of the Squier and put it in the MM.
 
#7
Funkinthetrunk said:
Ok, you got me lost. You only have the Aggie currently installed in the Squier Jazz Bass, right? So you're concerned that the MM will sound like the Squier with the Aggie? If so...they're 2 different basses. I doubt that your fretless will sound much like your fretted MM. I've heard people say that these onboard Aggies are transparent. I personally do not think so, I think they have an distinct "Aguilar" sound to them. And I really dig that. OBP-2 should make your MM sound pretty damn close to the "Marcus Miller Sound." Instead of buying another OBP-2, remove the one out of the Squier and put it in the MM.
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I totally agree about the Aggies having a sound of their own, not transparent. The existing Fender was surprisingly transparent & did the job before pooping out on me. I am waiting to get my repaired Hartke head back to properly evaluate whether or not the existing, +2 or + 3 db max treble boost on the MM is sufficeent--& good idea, I am thinking of doing a Aggie transplant soon.
 
#9
jazznut said:
The existing Fender was surprisingly transparent & did the job before pooping out on me.
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If you like stock preamp - why don't you get used one?
People are replacing them (because they stink :-) and I guess there are many Fender MM preamps in CL or just laying in some drawers.
I replaced mine with Sadowsky and I have old working preamp just hanging around and will probably never use it again.
Too bad that I'm over the ocean (Croatia), but if you are interested we can work something out.
 
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#11
Torrente Cro said:
If you like stock preamp - why don't you get used one?
People are replacing them (because they stink :) and I guess there are many Fender MM preamps in CL or just laying in some drawers.
I replaced mine with Sadowsky and I have old working preamp just hanging around and will probably never use it again.
Too bad that I'm over the ocean (Croatia), but if you are interested we can work something out.
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I hear the MIJ Marcus Miller basses have lean sounding preamps, & the MIM ones rectified that. If yours is a Made in Mexico 4 string it's the same as mine.

Aguilar makes preamps for Sadowski (so I hear) & DiMarzio makes some preamps for Fender.
 
#14
SirMjac28 said:
I love the preamp in my MIJ MM and I can't remember ever seeing one for sale I might have to get one as a backup.
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Fender won't sell those preamps. They are reserved strictly for warranties. If I could get an exact replacement for my MIM MM (made in 2013, purchased used in 2014) this thread wouldn't be here

Another reason for not wanting to purchase another preamp from Fender is that the original proved s unreliable. Fender preamps are notorious for breaking down. The manner in which they treated me makes me never want to purchase anything from them again
 
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#17
jazznut said:
Fender won't sell those preamps. They are reserved strictly for warranties. If I could get an exact replacement for my MIM MM (made in 2013, purchased used in 2014) this thread wouldn't be here

Another reason for not wanting to purchase another preamp from Fender is that the original proved s unreliable. Fender preamps are notorious for breaking down. The manner in which they treated me makes me never want to purchase anything from them again
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Why don't you start a wanted thread? There has to be someone out there with one they want to get rid of?
 
#18
testing1two said:
John East makes the ultimate Marcus Miller preamp if you don't mind shelling out the extra $.

MARCUS RETRO - J STYLE BASSES - BASS
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The original MM bass was modded by Sadowski using a 2 band preamp made by Bartolini with center frequencies of 40hz & 10khz.

What Fender did was attempt to reproduce the bass using its own reproduction of the old Bartolini preamp (no longer available). I hear the MIJs active electronics were lean & terrible, but my MIM MM has active electronics that set in flat, sound about the same as passive (not that good active preamps should necessarily sound as pure as passive) but the unit gets me close enough to the MM sound--but it's anyone's guess what the original Bartolini preamp would sound like in there. (You see mixed reviews on the worth of the MIM's MM preamp in this thread: 2 favorable, & one scathing!

The problem with the preamp in this link (besides being too costly) is that it is 3 band, & departs from the original 2 band cocept. Its not really a reproduction of the Bartolini, & I want to appropriate the MM sound closely. (
Listen to 'the Sun Don't lie' CD & see what a beautiful silvery ping his bass gets. (Using Hi or Fatbeams back then?) Yeah his hands are a factor, but the sound is quite scooped & open! (My hesitancy to buy another Aguilar alone is partly because of 10khz vs. 6.5khz treble difference.
 
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#19
For what it's worth, I had the same Squier DAJ, but 5-string. I put an OBO-3 in it thinking that it would make it sound even better than it already did. The OBP-3 lasted about 10 minutes in that bass and was sold. I just didn't like how clean and sharp it sounded. I actually prefer Bartolini preamps for their inherent grit. Don't get me wrong, the Aggies sound great for a purpose and are super powerful, just not my cup of tea.

Ever think about getting a Bart preamp for the MM, it might sound more like the original than anything else without spending a lot.

I put a generic 2-band preamp into my Squier VMJV (actually came out of a Korean-made Dean Sledgehammer bass)...it's probably the most transparent pre I have ever heard. When flat, it sounds exactly the same active or passive, only with perhaps +2dB boost.
 
#20
eastcoasteddie said:
For what it's worth, I had the same Squier DAJ, but 5-string. I put an OBO-3 in it thinking that it would make it sound even better than it already did. The OBP-3 lasted about 10 minutes in that bass and was sold. I just didn't like how clean and sharp it sounded. I actually prefer Bartolini preamps for their inherent grit. Don't get me wrong, the Aggies sound great for a purpose and are super powerful, just not my cup of tea.

Ever think about getting a Bart preamp for the MM, it might sound more like the original than anything else without spending a lot.

I put a generic 2-band preamp into my Squier VMJV (actually came out of a Korean-made Dean Sledgehammer bass)...it's probably the most transparent pre I have ever heard. When flat, it sounds exactly the same active or passive, only with perhaps +2dB boost.
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The type of Bartolini he had isn't made anymore. I am not sure what IS available. I know Bart's are expensive & last time I looked, not a great variety available on eBay. Also pricey
 
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