Modding my vette

SurrenderMonkey

SurrenderMonkey

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As an experiment, I intend to mod my vette, without drilling that lovely wood :)

- Wizard pickups.
- preamp (would go for 3 band with mid sweep).

Ffor the pre, I'm not entirely sure. I would like to find a 3 band eq pre, but with only three knobs, it's gonna be a stretch. I would see the configuration as 3 stacked knobs. bass/trebble, mid/mid freq, and volume/pan. I am not sure if they make push-pull stacked potentiometers, but I think it will have to be something like that.

I kinda fancy a u-retro. Expensive though... Any thoughts? THe switches will have to be inside the control cavity.
 
I think you should absolutely go for it. Especially since it's not necessarily a permanent mod. If you don't like the results, you switch back.

I'm going to throw Bartolini's in my NT. Although I'm stuck waiting because my wife insists that's my Christmas gift... :lol:
 
EVOLVEBASS said:
I think you should absolutely go for it. Especially since it's not necessarily a permanent mod. If you don't like the results, you switch back.

I'm going to throw Bartolini's in my NT. Although I'm stuck waiting because my wife insists that's my Christmas gift... :lol:
Click to expand...

If you do that - PLEEEASE give us soundclips.
I own the $$ myself and for the moment I'm totally happy with it - but I always had problems imagining those different explanations of PU sounds. So the same bass + different PUs could help me a lot ;)
 
EVOLVEBASS said:
I think you should absolutely go for it. Especially since it's not necessarily a permanent mod. If you don't like the results, you switch back.

I'm going to throw Bartolini's in my NT. Although I'm stuck waiting because my wife insists that's my Christmas gift... :lol:
Click to expand...

If she paid for them you have to wait, or so I've just been told. :idea: Maybe you can sneak em out,or is that in? while she isnt looking.
btw if ya get caught,we never met. :lol:
 
SurrenderMonkey said:
..I am not sure if they make push-pull stacked potentiometers, but I think it will have to be something like that.
...
Click to expand...

Yes, MEC makes a stacked knob with the push/pull.
Ain't cheep, but it does exist!
 
The U-Retro has one for the bright function. Yeah, they look like nice pieces of electronics :)

Note that it's not something I did in a long time. I do have a degree in electronics, but it's been 10 years since I last held a soldering iron :) I'm ashamed to say I forgot pretty much everything. However, the schematics of the U-retro are really simple, so it should not be a problem.

Is there a pickups and electronics section? I think I'll document my progress, and it will be a better place. I'll have to take pictures anyway to remember the original schematics.

I think vintage would be the way. I'm looking for a more 'tactile' sound.
 
Oh yeah, Is it possible to order a Warwick back plate, and will it fit in the old faithful? It's one that clips rightinto position, and looked very similar to the one I had on my $$.
 
BART has a three hole three way preamp.I think the part# is HR 3.4 918. It has stacked treb/bass mid with push/pull freq set and a vol/vol pot.If i remember correct you can run it 9v or 18v.and it comes prewired. :)
 
boebl said:
If you do that - PLEEEASE give us soundclips.
I own the $$ myself and for the moment I'm totally happy with it - but I always had problems imagining those different explanations of PU sounds. So the same bass + different PUs could help me a lot ;)
Click to expand...

You got it. It will be the MMC model, and I'm leaving the MEC preamp. Malk is doing the same thing to his Custom Shop $$, but installing a brighter model (MMX, I think).

Oh and Greg, no worries brother. She knows the day that box arrives, it might as well be Christmas because it's gonna get opened... :twisted:
 
Hello.
I modded a passive 4 standard before I became a dealer, 4/06. I swapped it with active thumb setup. When I swapped it, it cost me $300 for parts, and I had a ton of problems with it. Mostly with the new parts not working. After several emails with tech guy Rob at Warwick in California, he had me ship him the bass, and he installed a brand new system at no charge to me. That bass was incredible afterwards.

Rob was awesome. I'd highly recommend his advice if you have any problems. He does all the bass setups for me at Dana B.

Mike
 
EVOLVEBASS said:
boebl said:
If you do that - PLEEEASE give us soundclips.
I own the $$ myself and for the moment I'm totally happy with it - but I always had problems imagining those different explanations of PU sounds. So the same bass + different PUs could help me a lot ;)
Click to expand...

You got it. It will be the MMC model, and I'm leaving the MEC preamp. Malk is doing the same thing to his Custom Shop $$, but installing a brighter model (MMX, I think).

Oh and Greg, no worries brother. She knows the day that box arrives, it might as well be Christmas because it's gonna get opened... :twisted:
Click to expand...

exactly, there will be two MMXs in my $$ soon :wink:
now the question is, will the switches continue to work? :?
 
MikesChopShop said:
Hello.
I modded a passive 4 standard before I became a dealer, 4/06. I swapped it with active thumb setup. When I swapped it, it cost me $300 for parts, and I had a ton of problems with it. Mostly with the new parts not working. After several emails with tech guy Rob at Warwick in California, he had me ship him the bass, and he installed a brand new system at no charge to me. That bass was incredible afterwards.

Rob was awesome. I'd highly recommend his advice if you have any problems. He does all the bass setups for me at Dana B.

Mike
Click to expand...

Cool thanks :)

I've order the small bits from the Warwick shop. I have a spare control plate, if I want to add access to the switches later on (and possibly fix the pre board on the control cavity itself, but we'll see). I even got a owner manual and the proper trussrod cover!

I will be going with the U-Retro. I still have to order that bit :)
 
The pre is on its way. I'm gonna take pics of the current control cavity tonight for record purposes.
 

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I've just received the pre this morning. Impeccable timing, just before I was leaving for work. Now I have the whole week to do the installation and document it. It seems that everything will fit in the cavity (the PCB is relatively large).

I'm still unsure about the switches, or how I will arrange them in the control cavity.

I'm not quite sure about the Warwick input jack wiring either (the pre comes it's own jack socket, but it's Fender style so no good), but I should be able to work it out. Everything looks straight forward really!
 
slightly after.

Need more tools :) And I will drill for the swtches now.
 

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Good luck with that dude. I know this has been said before, but pleeease post soundclips when done! I'd like to hear the difference

p.s that is a rather lovely chunk of bubinga :D
 
man that looks like a really well built piece of circuitboard :shock:
 
catworm said:
Good luck with that dude. I know this has been said before, but pleeease post soundclips when done! I'd like to hear the difference

p.s that is a rather lovely chunk of bubinga :D
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