Onboard EQ vs Pedal EQ for JC-esq sound

[JT Foster]

I’ve wanted a dual MM humbucker bass for awhile now, and I was thinking about buying a Squire Affinity Jaguar (32 scale) and routing an extra pickup in the bridge position. The problem is that this bass would require a lot of work to make active. The control plate only has room for two knobs, and the control pattern would have to be redesigned.

I’ve also considered just getting the new SS4 stingray (30 scale) so I could just throw in a single multicoil pickup or a Nordstrand Bigblademan to get a similar tone. However, this is another passive bass.

I would’ve been willing to shell out the cash for a Darkglass Tone Capsule or a LFP preamp, but I think huge routing and redoing control patterns is above my skill level.

Can I buy a pedal to get a similar sound to an onboard LFP preamp to achieve the same tone?

I’m not looking for an EXACT Tool tone, it’s just a good example of the type of tone that I like. Typically it’s found in dual humbucker basses, but I have included an example of one of the best tones I’ve ever heard from a single humbucker music man. My PJ can get something kinda similar, but it’s just not possible to get a humbucker crunch out of single coils lol.
https://www.reddit.com/r/ToolBand/s/hrLGTevGBl

Any tips on preamp pedals? Also, if anyone has thoughts on Bigblademan vs Herrick Multicoils, I’d appreciate the input.

 

[JT Foster]

*NFP, not LFP

 

[sunbeast]

I doubt the pickup in that guy's bass is vital to the tone he has. The Lusithand NFP preamp is a simple low-pass filter with a resonance at the filter cutoff frequency that gives that distinctive sharp "honky" quality to the midrange that you hear in the end of the video and imparts a large part of the vibe. If you run a preamp like that into a pedal preamp like a Sansamp as he does where you can scoop the mids a bit and add some drive then I'd guess you can get a similar vibe out of your PJ bass just by adjusting the pickup blend, filter cutoff, and EQ/drive on the Sansamp. I've built a few onboard filter preamps into pedal boxes, including a Lusithand NFP preamp, and it is super easy to do and pairs well with just about any bass you plug into it. The closest thing I've found in an existing pedal form is a Broughton RFP (resonant filter preamp), which has both a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter with their own adjustable resonance as well as a semi-parametric midrange control. The Broughton can definitely get into the same ballpark of the Lusithand though the character of their filters is a bit different.

 

[JT Foster]

I doubt the pickup in that guy's bass is vital to the tone he has. The Lusithand NFP preamp is a simple low-pass filter with a resonance at the filter cutoff frequency that gives that distinctive sharp "honky" quality to the midrange that you hear in the end of the video and imparts a large part of the vibe. If you run a preamp like that into a pedal preamp like a Sansamp as he does where you can scoop the mids a bit and add some drive then I'd guess you can get a similar vibe out of your PJ bass just by adjusting the pickup blend, filter cutoff, and EQ/drive on the Sansamp. I've built a few onboard filter preamps into pedal boxes, including a Lusithand NFP preamp, and it is super easy to do and pairs well with just about any bass you plug into it. The closest thing I've found in an existing pedal form is a Broughton RFP (resonant filter preamp), which has both a low-pass filter and a high-pass filter with their own adjustable resonance as well as a semi-parametric midrange control. The Broughton can definitely get into the same ballpark of the Lusithand though the character of their filters is a bit different.

Thanks for the education, buddy!

I like the NFP, but they are so damn expensive. That guy on Reddit actually makes a JC type distortion pedal with a filter. I may just start with that, and then go from there.

I’ll probably just go with the short scale stingray for my next bass as well because I’ve wanted one for YEARS, and I think it would sound awesome with a Bigblademan. I’ve never heard a passive multicoil, but the blademan sounds killer passive.

 

[sunbeast]

Thanks for the education, buddy!

I like the NFP, but they are so damn expensive. That guy on Reddit actually makes a JC type distortion pedal with a filter. I may just start with that, and then go from there.

I’ll probably just go with the short scale stingray for my next bass as well because I’ve wanted one for YEARS, and I think it would sound awesome with a Bigblademan. I’ve never heard a passive multicoil, but the blademan sounds killer passive.

The single NFP pre (which is what you'd want in pedal form) is only 75 pounds, which is just under $100 plus shipping from the UK ( single-nfp ). There is also the J-Tex Distiller (distiller ) which is an Alembic-style filter pre for about the same price in US dollars but probably cheaper than the Lusithand with shipping if you are in the US. I think those are the cheapest onboard options these days, and don't seem expensive to me compared to buying a new bass ($600) and/or boutique pickup (each of the pickups you mention are twice the price of one of these filters!). I have both and think they'd both do what that Reddit vid sounds like when run into a good drive pedal or preamp.

I found the demo of the "Raezor" pedal, and it sounds pretty high-gain/fuzzy compared to the Reddit clip. I'm curious how well it cleans up with the gain lowered. I generally prefer a more modular approach to this kinda thing personally, so I can play around with order and different types of EQ and drive. Having the resonant filter after the drive as in that pedal seems likely to create a very different kind of sound than what I am used to, but I am intrigued!

Good luck!

 

[JT Foster]

The single NFP pre (which is what you'd want in pedal form) is only 75 pounds, which is just under $100 plus shipping from the UK ( single-nfp ). There is also the J-Tex Distiller (distiller ) which is an Alembic-style filter pre for about the same price in US dollars but probably cheaper than the Lusithand with shipping if you are in the US. I think those are the cheapest onboard options these days, and don't seem expensive to me compared to buying a new bass ($600) and/or boutique pickup (each of the pickups you mention are twice the price of one of these filters!). I have both and think they'd both do what that Reddit vid sounds like when run into a good drive pedal or preamp.

I found the demo of the "Raezor" pedal, and it sounds pretty high-gain/fuzzy compared to the Reddit clip. I'm curious how well it cleans up with the gain lowered. I generally prefer a more modular approach to this kinda thing personally, so I can play around with order and different types of EQ and drive. Having the resonant filter after the drive as in that pedal seems likely to create a very different kind of sound than what I am used to, but I am intrigued!

Good luck!

Well, that’s not very expensive at all! I was thinking $300 like the NFP double preamp.

That would still require an active circuit with a battery, correct? Forgive me, I’m not very well versed with electronics as I mainly use a passive bass.

Just wondering how that would work with a passive stingray

 

[sunbeast]

Well, that’s not very expensive at all! I was thinking $300 like the NFP double preamp.

That would still require an active circuit with a battery, correct? Forgive me, I’m not very well versed with electronics as I mainly use a passive bass.

Just wondering how that would work with a passive stingray

Double NFP is only for two pickup basses where you want a separate filter per pickup- you can also use a single NFP with dual pickups, its just less versatile.

Yes, all of these will require 9V or 18V (I'm pretty sure the Lusithand can take at least 18V for higher headroom). Ideally with a battery, but in a pedal you can also wire them with 9V external pedal power as well (though in theory this could result in higher noise floor than a battery, in my experience with quality power supplies there is no obvious noise).

Wiring into a bass if you'd prefer is also easy, and with a Lusithand doesn't even require soldering as it uses screw terminals for the connections- you just have to make sure you have space for a battery somewhere in the control cavity.

 

[RasJay]

@JT Foster
I am experimenting as well. I have a zebrawood Spector Rebop that I installed a Lusithand Double NFP and Nordstrand's new PolyVox multicoil pickups. And I have the Lusithand Ground & Pound pedal. I run it all into a HX Stomp and GK MB500 head.

The closest JC tone I found with the NFP is balance 50/50, neck pickup 100% (not pulled out), and the bridge pickup (not pulled out) at maybe 85% which in my bass, gives it more mids.

For the Ground and Pound, volume to taste, mix at maybe 30%, EQZ 50%, and DIS all the way down (there is still a bit of gain at minimum. JC uses very little)

I ran it 24v and it drained the battery quick. Nuno stated most likely from a higher amp draw. So 9v it is. I never heard a difference anyways. I have not decided if I am going to keep this setup, or sell the NFP, PolyVox, Ground & Pound and return the bass back to stock.

 

[RasJay]

[QUOTE="Also, if anyone has thoughts on Bigblademan vs Herrick Multicoils, I’d appreciate the input."[/QUOTE]

I spoke to Herrick about his new 35DC size for my Spector. They are very thick and the pickup cavity would have needed to be routed 4mm deeper. Nordstrand just happen to email me back about their PolyVox 4 that were not yet listed, so I went with them.

Just know with Herrick, you may need to route the cavity deeper.