Midrange Scoop Control

[Claymore]

Has anyone wired the Kent Armstrong® Tone Choke Resistance Coil into their bass? I'm trying to create a mid-cut for a scooped sound on a particular bass but I haven't decided how to do it yet. I know the Gibson Ripper employed some kind of tone choke switch and then I saw the Kent Armstrong. I'm leaning towards the idea of having a push/pull switch that scoops the mids instantly for a slap tone but I haven't ruled out the idea entirely of just having another internal trim pot with a "slightly scooped" setting that's just on all the time. I have a formerly 5 knob bass that I reduced to 1 knob (blend pot) but now even that gets left in the same sweet spot position 95% of the time so I'm ready to move that into the body cavity as well. I'm thinking my 1 knob should just be a mid scoop since I have the bass and treble sounding exactly how I like them and never want to adjust them... only the mids. Let me know your thoughts and specifically if anyone has successfully employed that Kent Armstrong choke. Thanks!

 

[Warpeg]

You may want to take a look at the Artec EXP for a simple (and bypass-able) scoop solution or the EMG VMC to dial-in the specific frequency range and cut of mids you're looking for.

 

[Crater]

I'm pretty sure the choke coil needs to be paired with an appropriate value of capacitor to implement the mid-scoop. Since it's passive, it will cause a reduction in volume when it's turned on, not sure how much.

 

[byacey]

It's very difficult to get sufficient filter Q using passive components in a single pole filter in audio frequencies, especially the frequencies we are dealing with in bass guitar. You really need to be looking at an active filter circuit utilizing an opamp.

 

[Jefenator]

My old passive Dingwall has the "Blue Cube" circuit, which doesn't yield the most dramatic "scoop" you'll ever encounter but it does tame the harshness of the mids and make the response more palatable for slapping. Might be worth looking in to. (Folks have been known to uninstall theirs & sell them.)
If I need more than that, I invested in a Sadowsky pedal which boosts lows & highs. You can back the volume down to match the bypassed level or leave it cranked for a nice boost. (I normally dislike using pedals, but I have to admit, for some occasions it is a real solution to a problem. And I can use it with all my passive basses!)

 

[Claymore]

You may want to take a look at the Artec EXP for a simple (and bypass-able) scoop solution or the EMG VMC to dial-in the specific frequency range and cut of mids you're looking for.

Thanks so much for the feedback. Will definitely check those out.

 

[Claymore]

I'm pretty sure the choke coil needs to be paired with an appropriate value of capacitor to implement the mid-scoop. Since it's passive, it will cause a reduction in volume when it's turned on, not sure how much.

I'm specifically looking to cut around 500Hz. You don't happen to know what value cap that would require, do you?

 

[MrMoonlight]

I've used the EMG VMC (Variable Midrange Control) in one of my own bass builds and I personally think it's great piece of kit. It's a simple and elegant solution that offers lots of flexibility and doesn't cost a fortune. I'm betting you'd be more than satisfied with the result.

 

[micguy]

It's very difficult to get sufficient filter Q using passive components in a single pole filter in audio frequencies, especially the frequencies we are dealing with in bass guitar. You really need to be looking at an active filter circuit utilizing an opamp.

You can do dips with the right parts, but buying a dipper off the rack, if it hasn't been designed to work with the impedance of the pickups and other electronics you have (not the DC resistance, it's more complicated than that), is at best a crapshoot.

 

[micguy]

I'm specifically looking to cut around 500Hz. You don't happen to know what value cap that would require, do you?

Wait - you have a two pickup bass. Doesn't it sound scooped enough with both pickups on?

 

[bigtone23]

I used a Wilde/Lawrence 3 Henry Q Filter with a T40 pickup, a 500K pot, a .033uF cap and 4.7K resistor to tune it right around 350hz. Small adjustments from there can get you in the 500Hz zone.

 

[fermata]

More on the Wilde Q filter here (there's a bass-specific model):
Filter
Q-filter

 

[Claymore]

Wait - you have a two pickup bass. Doesn't it sound scooped enough with both pickups on?

Would like it with just a bit more scoop. That's all.

 

[Claymore]

Okay, what about this?... Crater made a good point that since it's a passive system, when the cut is engaged, there will be a volume drop, right? What if I wired it so that when the mid cut is NOT engaged, the pickups are only outputting at 80% or so (maybe with treble bleeds, so the tone isn't impacted)... Then when the mid cut IS engaged, both pickups will be bumped up to 100%, compensating for the lost mids. The overall volume on the bass will be slightly lower, but the mid cut/non-mid cut volumes will be the about the same after tweaking. Any thoughts?

 

[sikamikanico]

You could try that, but I'm not sure treble bleed would help. Maybe you could tweak it enough to work ok in a switchable circuit?

I like your idea of just having a blend control... are you sure you cannot get the rest of the way with technique adjustment? maybe a little different strings?

 

[N4860]

I'd look at just getting an eq pedal and using that to turn on your scoop sound. That way you can scoop the mids, add a little highs and lows if necessary, and adjust the output for unity volume all at once rather than having to fiddle with multiple knobs. This is assuming you'd be going to the slap sound mid song though.

 

[40Hz]

The previously mentioned Wilde Q-filter is the circuit found in the Gibson Ripper. I’ve used it in a few basses and was happy with the results. (I also own a Ripper.)

 

[fermata]

The previously mentioned Wilde Q-filter is the circuit found in the Gibson Ripper. I’ve used it in a few basses and was happy with the results. (I also own a Ripper.)

My assumption has been that the Q-filter is more effective with humbuckers than with single coils...is there any truth to that?

 

[40Hz]

My assumption has been that the Q-filter is more effective with humbuckers than with single coils...is there any truth to that?

Wouldn’t know. I’ve just used it with standard humbucker and sidewinder pickups. I like the sound of single coils the way they are so a standard tone control and some pickup switching games is all I’ve done with singles.

 

[Hounddog409]

View attachment 3594690 View attachment 3594657 Has anyone wired the Kent Armstrong® Tone Choke Resistance Coil into their bass? I'm trying to create a mid-cut for a scooped sound on a particular bass but I haven't decided how to do it yet. I know the Gibson Ripper employed some kind of tone choke switch and then I saw the Kent Armstrong. I'm leaning towards the idea of having a push/pull switch that scoops the mids instantly for a slap tone but I haven't ruled out the idea entirely of just having another internal trim pot with a "slightly scooped" setting that's just on all the time. I have a formerly 5 knob bass that I reduced to 1 knob (blend pot) but now even that gets left in the same sweet spot position 95% of the time so I'm ready to move that into the body cavity as well. I'm thinking my 1 knob should just be a mid scoop since I have the bass and treble sounding exactly how I like them and never want to adjust them... only the mids. Let me know your thoughts and specifically if anyone has successfully employed that Kent Armstrong choke. Thanks!

Um. Turn down mids on amp?? Why does this have to be difficult?