Great comparison ! Wish all reviw/comparison video's concerning bass guitars/electronics were this usefull ... Very well done and thanks for sharing this !

Very nice demonstration and comparison of the two preamps. Thanks for your time and effort!

Damn!!!! I find myself smiling every time you engage that OBP-3... I’m definitely installing one soon!!!!!

Awesome video. You really helped me decide to pull the trigger on getting the OBP-3

Interesting video. I wish I could find more onboard preamp comparison videos. I had the Aguilar OBP3 installed on my Spector NS5 bass and I absolutely love it. Adds more depth and it thickened the rich tonal qualities of the bass itself.

Thank you for doing this. This is exactly what I'm looking at with my Streamer Stage II. Great to hear what it'll sound like before I put the Aguilar in.

Wonderful job, thank you!

Great video, thanks for making this.

@CombinatorMusic

Жыл бұрын

Glad it helped!

@ha-jd7wl

Жыл бұрын

@@CombinatorMusic It kind of confirmed a theory I had for a while. The Warwick sound is really in the preamp.

Way to go, very useful review

Thanks for doing this comparison, it was really helpful as I'm in the midst of deciding on the OBP-3 for my 2006 passive Corvette. I'd like to suggest that you cut out explanation with the long pauses between the sound samples and just replace with text at the bottom so folks can get a back to back comparison without the voice over in between. A little creative editing, maybe? :-)

@CombinatorMusic

8 жыл бұрын

+Nam Trab, thanks Nam, I'm glad you enjoyed it! This is an old video at this point, and while I'd like to edit it, I probably won't get around to it. But I agree with you!

Nice Vid! Extremely enjoyed to see. I have 88Thumb, So, I should think about changing to obp-3!

ok, thanks for the answer! I was wondering about that since it's not common for guitarists to have an onboard preamp. But a lot of guitarist tend to use preamps/boost-pedals like the bb preamp. very cool of you to share videos like this!

great review! thanks!

Pickups are active and sound amazing, sound great without any preamp.

I actually prefer the mec. Thanks for the great comparison/review vid.

@bRaKK0 My pleasure! I think with a little bit of soldering, which would be required for installing any preamp anyway, you wouldn't have a problem. Active single coil pickups will only ever have 3 wires at most I think; hot, ground, and battery power, so you'd just need to figure out which is which and solder accordingly.

@bajomerengue Thanks a lot for the compliment and for commenting! I agree with your assertions about the OBP. Cheers!

thanks. Good demo

Hello! Yes, the gold MECs are active, and require power from the battery to work at all. I don't have the schematic handy at the moment, but essentially, they have 3 wires each where most single coil-style pickups would have 2 (the signal and the ground), so the extra wire, which I think is red, is the +9V line. Just attach these wires to some place in your circuit where there's a direct +9V (i use 18 in mine and the pickups have no problems with it) source, but check a schem for the ground wire

Thanks for the video :)

great info. thanks much man. I wish I could kep my SSI 6, and I would have installed and aguilar OBP3. it really brings punch to the bass even on flat eq. great comparison, the finger style on aguilar with bass/treble boosted sounds incredible. cheers.

Very Nice, Thanks!

@bRaKK0 Thanks for your comment! As far as what configuration to go with, that should just depend on how many holes you have already drilled through your bass - go with your favorite configuration, as they all sound the same! The pickups are the stock MEC ones. I like the MEC pickups with the OBP preamp, but would also try EMG.

I totally agree with you,because of it I would love to equalize my bass after each song.

Thanks for putting up this video, very well done. Have you tried this comparison with other pickups or just the MECs? I have EMGs on my Corvette and don't think it pairs very well with MEC preamp, the highs are too trebly and lack warmth. MEC active pups + MEC pre was a better combination. But the Aguilar sounds like it fills out the tone more so this might work better with EMGs. Any thoughts?

Thanks that was a big help :)

@bRaKK0 I've used both voltages, but I'm using 18v now. I actually can't tell the difference between the two, and there's no appreciable output/volume difference, but I'm told you have more headroom before distortion when using 18v.

Thank you, Heikkisor! I have had basses with Bartolini pickups and preamps before, my old Streamer Stage I 6 string among them. It originally came with Bartolini pickups and preamp, but I swapped them both out. In my opinion, Bartolini pickups are much too dark and traditional sounding, and even when paired with a modern preamp like the Aguilar, I could never coax the right hi-fi sound out of them. They're not what I would describe as hi-fi in any way. For some players, though, that is optimal.

Now, that was a comparison very well done (empirical, I would say), thank you! To me, Aguilar sounded nicer with tasty mids. Have you had Bartolini pickups or preamps in Warwicks, and what do you think about them?

It is quite a tone! Thanks for your comment.

@F0untain I haven't had any experience at all with EMG pickups, actually, but I imagine they're similar in nature from what I've heard to the MECs. Active pickups + active electronics always seems to get pretty trebly when you started boosting that treble knob, but that said, I think the highs on the MEC are voiced so high that it can sound harsh with active PUs, so I prefer the Aggie sound with just slight treble boost, which also seems to allow more mids through by default.

Nice video Thank you mister

Hello a few questions 1. Have you used your set up MECpups/OBP3 pream in a live setting? Such as bass-DI Box- House PA? If so what were the results? Did your sound sit well in the mix on stage? 2. Did the 18V system fit nicely in the control cavity? Any routing of the wood? 3. Would this preamp be focused and growly but can also be transparent and have a nice slap tone? Thank you I've been considering this preamp along with a Bart pre as well but this vid sold me on the OBP3... I will be using

Hey mate, nice review! I'm looking at putting an OBP-3 in my Streamer Stage II, but was wondering exactly which model is installed in yours? I'm keen to keep the volume/pick up push/pull... Cheers in advance!

@CombinatorMusic

7 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Well the model of preamp I used was in fact the OBP-3, but I think you're referring to which sub type I went with in regards to what pots are included. I don't recall that, but it also doesn't much matter - with this preamp's architecture, you can choose to keep your fancy MEC volume/balance/switch as I did and just use Aguilar's wiring schematics to integrate those pots instead of any that might come with it. In fact, as volume and blend pots are normally considered more native to the pickups and not the preamp, they may not have versions that come with them at all. But with Aguilar's great schematics on their site and Warwick's own schematics, you can figure out what goes where without too much difficulty. I believe I've posted about this in forums in the past, too - either on Talkbass or the Warwick Forum (Bass Arena). Thanks again, and good luck!

thanks a lot for your reply and subscription!! another question: EMG pickups are really tempting me.. but, i've seen that new p.u are coming whit a prewired contact that will fit into and EMG preamp.. do you know if there's the possibility to dismount that prewired contact and connect it to the stock MEC Vol/balance Pot? thank you again!

I am actually swapping an aguilar obp-3 that came with a custom thumb 5 NT , for a MEC 3-way that should had came stock. Can't seem to find my tone on the aguilar for me. The highs ( I would say all above 1khz ) are very different between the 2 preamps. I would like to hear how the Seymour bassline stc-3a compares to the other ones...

Excellent.

hi, thumbs up great detailed video, i been readin lots of possible upgrades for my washburn taurus T25, do you think i t would help to get an aguilar obp3 with a bartolini 9cbjs pick ups? do you have any recomendation regarding pick ups as well ? thanks for reading?

@gioboye Hi! To answer your questions: -Yes, I've used that combo many, many times on stage, but not with the OBP in a pedal ; it's in my bass! Sounds great. Due to it not having as large a mid-cut right off the bast as the MEC, it's very present in a live setting. -18v fits in there just fine, no routing. A little tight, but it all fits. -As for the sound, you'll have to infer from the video. I think it does both those things well! -Cool! Thanks for your comment!

Thanks Sean for an interesting and informative comparative evaluation. The Aguilar OBP clearly sounded better to me, especially on finger style. Do you have any opinions on how the 4-band Audere preamp would compare?

@CombinatorMusic

9 жыл бұрын

Jim Nesta, funny you should ask! Just about 3 days ago I installed an Audere Classic 4-band preamp into my SSII. I really like it so far - not so much because it's really noticeably different from the Aguilar (although there are differences), but just in that having 4 bands of adjustable EQ on board is really handy. For this bass, I like how the treble control on the Audere is a shelving control, and I can boost that while cutting the high mids separately - all while not having to choose high mid control over low mid control, as I can boost or cut that one independently, too :) Both are great preamps though.

@videomaniac108

9 жыл бұрын

spfairchild Thank you so much on that; I had pretty much the same ideas on the Audere. I'm going to go with it when I get my SSII from Warwick. I think that the Audere also offers impedance matching options that I'm really excited about having. Keep up the good work!

@CombinatorMusic

9 жыл бұрын

Jim Nesta, you're welcome! The Audere does feature active mixing, but if you stick with the already active MECs, there's no benefit. In fact, you'll need to order or install their active pickup option, which is just one little capacitor that goes between each pickup hot lead and that pickups input to the preamp. It only adds $2. Have fun!

forgot to ask you the last thing! i swear! XD how did you powered your aguilar preamp, with 9 or 18v? which sound differences there are between the two options?

Thank you! To be honest about the Bart, I don´t know. I have decided that I´m not the biggest fan of Barts myself, due to the sounds I like to get, but many love them. They don´t have enough of a modern treble presence and bite for me. But, the OBP-3 seems to be very versatile, and I think it would be an upgrade in almost every situation. Good luck with the Washburn!

hey there im just wondering about the wiring. are your pickups active? i mean the Gold MEC are active right? so how do you wire the 9 or 18 volts for the aguilar and the pickups? sorry im not an wiring genius :)

Thank you for posting! I have an active rockbass. Is it possible to put a Aguilar OBP-3 preamp on my bass? Would it have a good sound?

@CombinatorMusic

10 жыл бұрын

Hi Ana Paula, You should be able to put some configuration of that preamp or most others into pretty much any bass, so I would say yes! As to whether or not it would sound good, only you can be the judge of that :) But if you don't like it, you can always change back.

Hi Oystein, Essentially yes - it would be roughly the same, if your bass was passive or had a truly passive mode. You might get a little more loss of high end due to the capacitance of the guitar cord between the bass' jack and the pedal's input, but it's essentially the same thing and many people prefer preamp pedals to onboard preamps.

I am thinking of changing my Fender MM5 to the Aquilar what's your take on that and which one would work for Fender MM5

could you show me how you added the MEC preamp into the pedal? im trying to do that with a preamp I took out of my bass and I cant make heads or tails of it!

@CombinatorMusic

Жыл бұрын

Yes, but not through text. If you like we can schedule a Zoom session at the regular lesson rate to go over what's needed and how to lay it out! Please see seanfairchild.com for more info.

Yeah, the Aguilar is the clear winner!!!

I have a rockbass corvette $$ 5 string....which preamp would you suggest ...as i was using ibanez Sr 505 with aguilar obp 3 and it was really awsome sound...more warmer tone to it...got this warwick bass weeks back...need some advice

@CombinatorMusic

5 жыл бұрын

I like virtually any preamp more than the stock MEC ones on active Warwicks, although the new version they made a couple years back is a big improvement. I'd suggest Noll, Bartolini, Aguilar from personal experience. That said, unless you use heavy onboard EQ, you'll find more of a tonal difference from changing your pickups to a different coil configuration or material.

Thank you for watching!

Hello again, Few questions about the Aguilar Aguilar OBP-3 preamp. Are the volume and blend pots are parts of the preamp system? Is the preamp fit for using both single battery and 2 batteries or I need to specify with how many batteries It gonna be use with? The bypass switch, which one of the 4 OBP-3 models has that? I would like to get that one. Thanks again for This video :)

@CombinatorMusic

9 жыл бұрын

Smart Halayla, hey! The volume and blend pots are separate from the preamp - they recommend using the values your pickups want. In the case of Warwicks, that's great because you can still use that awesome stacked volume/blend pot. You can use the Aguilar preamps with either 9 or 18 Volts, and it doesn't matter how it's configured if you can make your own 18V battery clip by connecting two battery clips (from Radio Shack or wherever) together, red wire to black wire, and then connect those two wires to a third battery clip. You can find info about this online. Then you put two batteries in the first two clips I mentioned, and use the third to connect to the preamp's built in battery connector. A bypass switch can be installed in any configuration of the OBP-3; they have that info in their wiring diagrams on the Aguilar site.

@smarthalayla1549

9 жыл бұрын

spfairchild Thanks for the fast replay :)

man have you ever tried an u-retro in warwick basses ?

@spfairchild I meant to say "right off the bat";)

Did you have to change the volume pot? how many k and your warwick potentiometer, I'm in trouble this with aguilar and volume of 500k, and it is ditorcendo a lot I was told it is 25k, can you tell me if this is it? thanks for the attention, and sorry for the english

@CombinatorMusic

3 жыл бұрын

Since I didn't change the pickups and the blend and volume pot values are determined by those usually, I didn't have to change those pots. And in this kind of Warwick it's a single stacked pot. Easy! Active pickups generally want 25k volume and blend pots. Passive want 250k or 500k. So in other words the blend and vol pot don't relate to the preamp but to the pickups.

@phillipsoares

3 жыл бұрын

@@CombinatorMusic thank you very much for the answer, here in Brazil and very difficult to find 25k, the normal here and 50k, I will buy, and remove the 500k, this should already solve my problem

@CombinatorMusic

3 жыл бұрын

@@phillipsoares então, boa sorte!

It's a fair criticism. However, there is some E string action going on after 8:19. You're right though - no B string action. Didn't even think about it while I was recording. It could be argued that it's actually easier to hear the difference in timbre on higher strings, but you're right - I should have paid more attention to playing the full range of the instrument. I wanted to keep the same riff in all examples so it would really be comparing similar things as much as possible.

No Preamp > MEC > Aguilar That Warwick tone man.. loved it!

@candelariocardenas8783

6 жыл бұрын

Pablo Cavallo hell no.

Hey, Charles! You know, I have 0 experience with the preamp in the Marcus Miller basses, so I don't know anything about its specs or how well it's suited to that bass. But, as I've said in other comments here, I feel like the Aggie is pretty versatile. It's hard to tell man, you might just have to try it! Also, ask other owners of MM basses on Talkbass.com!

I'm sure if one was to be subjected to a blind test he or she would not be able to tell a difference. I am of the opinion that the sound characteristics of any bass derrive from the woods, namely, size and the individual quality of those woods. I had several basses one of which was a BO thumb 5 which I experimented on with different pups and preamps. I had a friend of mine record some before and after samples in the studio and I was not able to tell the dofference from one another. Its all in the woods and fingers is what I say. Cheers.

thank you very much for whis video, is there any video about the mid select option ? 400 or 800 hz ... thank you

@CombinatorMusic

9 жыл бұрын

Serhat Bektimur, you're welcome! I don't think I've played much with the mid frequency settings in any of my videos, but in practice I use the two frequencies very often, and for different things. The lower one is great for adding some fullness and mids/depth when using the bridge pickup more, and the higher mid setting is good to cut at for a more scooped, modern tone.

@serhatbektimur1856

9 жыл бұрын

my warwick is is a fortress and, i think pickups are active, but electronic system is so compicated... (terrible) i think i have to change the volume buttun, becouse there are a lot of output :)

@CombinatorMusic

9 жыл бұрын

Serhat Bektimur if you see a red wire going to each pickup, they're active. All the MEC gold pickups are active, whereas the Dynamic Correction ones are passive. It's not hard to replace a volume pot, but if your Warwick uses the volume/blend/switch combo pot that mine do, those are expensive and hard to find! Good luck ☺

@serhatbektimur1856

9 жыл бұрын

spfairchild thank you very much, i hope that, i can find :)

recomiendas el cambio de aguilar por el mec de fabrica a tu gusto? yo los encontre muy similares pero no es lo mismo escuchar un video que probarlos en vivo.

@CombinatorMusic

4 жыл бұрын

I recommend Bartolini, Aguilar, or Noll preamps over the stock MEC one. I like most of the MEC pickups but not the preamps.

@camilohernandezInostroza

4 жыл бұрын

SeanOnBass genial muchas gracias.

@CombinatorMusic

4 жыл бұрын

@@camilohernandezInostroza de nada amigo!

Excuse me. What do you use your strings? 0.40 or 0.45?

@CombinatorMusic

9 жыл бұрын

Jésus, I'm not sure what I used in this video, but I most often use lighter strings: .040, .060, .080, .100, .130. I prefer steel strings by SIT or D'addario. Thanks for watching!

Wow the Aguilar has a nice growl !!!

Thank you you just sold an OBP-3

Aguilar sounds as what's been fashioned in R&B productions.

Thanks.

I have a question, would a boost/preamp pedal do the same job as a preamp built into the bass?

@dannyshutes169

4 жыл бұрын

No it want the sound isnt the same I had a preamp installed in one of my bass .an I have a preamp paddle an the one installed in my bass sounds way better it's a killer.

You didn't play any notes on the E or B strings. Can't get a full preamp detail playing higher notes only.

No, I sure haven't. I haven't played any basses with that preamp in fact, let alone seen a bass with one in person. But it would be cool for someone who has one in a 'Wick to make a response video!

Mec wins!

can you do one more video just finger stile please

Hi! i'm gonna switch the MEC preamp with an Aguilar OBP3-TK/PP, would you recommend me that configuration? i got the same Warwick SS2 5 strings. and, have you switched the pickups too? if you did, which pickups did you installed? or what p.u would you recommend me to work with the OBP3? thank you so much for your vids!

Aguilar OBP3 preamp in Warwick Corvette

yes . l like aguilar !!

Are the pus active or passive ?

@CombinatorMusic

3 жыл бұрын

Those are active MEC pickups.

@J-Cardozo

3 жыл бұрын

@@CombinatorMusic theres something on my active pickups Corvette i dont like... Im trying to decide what to Change Pickups or pre

@CombinatorMusic

3 жыл бұрын

@@J-Cardozo changing a preamp generally won't change the voice of the instrument, just how that voice is EQ'd. Changing the pickups can change the actual voice, if the pickup is significantly different from what's in there now.

@J-Cardozo

3 жыл бұрын

@@CombinatorMusic thanks... I feel the need of more bass in my tone ...maybe the preamp could work

To me it just proves that preamps simply colour the tone of the bass and the real sound comes from the bass guitar and its combination of the wood and pickups.

AG all day

I have always though Warwick does a real disservice to their basses by using mec electronics, the aguilar sounded so much better.

same opinion here =]

Pretty good review. Would have been nice if it wasn't all slapping but the review is pretty good.

Aggie is prefer for me.

Slap for a pre amp review ??????

@CombinatorMusic

3 жыл бұрын

Absolutely.

The treble in Warwick is too harsh

Bec III it´s more natural, more organic for me, the Aguilar it´s exaggerated power, at first it may impress you, over time get tired of it

OBP-3 hands down, trash anything MEC related IMO. My only knock on Wicks are the MEC stuff...all comes down to preference of course.

@CombinatorMusic

8 жыл бұрын

+David Swope, thanks for contributing your point of view :) So, I have a custom order Warwick in production right now that will feature their brand new preamp, which boasts the first rechargeable lithium batteries built in, a much lower noise floor, an actual truly passive bypass, and slightly modified frequency centers. While I've preferred Aguilar and Audere preamps in the past in my Warwicks, I'm eager to see what I think about this one! And FWIW, I actually quite like many of the MEC pickups, specifically their soapbars used in the SSI and Thumb 6 strings, which are more mellow sounding, offset split coils rather than stacked coils like their Js.

@dswope79

8 жыл бұрын

spfairchild That sounds cool, post up a sample once she arrives. : )

@Big_Boi23

6 жыл бұрын

How does the new MEC preamp compare to the Aguilar?

@kimseniorb

5 жыл бұрын

MEC are the best pickups for the warwick sound everyone loves.

nice demo, bass tone is so subjective, goes way beyond the preamp! even more so then guitar. everything comes in to play with bass tone. from chioce of strings right down to the speaker configuration will change the sound. playing live to recording, its enough to drive a bass player crazy!!!!! LOL

Dudu you talk too much. Cut the talk and make graphics instead :-)

Lol are you in a boy band?

Won't ever own another Warwick. They don't stand behind their products and if you ever need help they'll leave you high and dry.

@CombinatorMusic

7 жыл бұрын

Jaxon Starke yikes! Sounds like you had a lousy experience. Sorry to hear it. They've done pretty well by me. If you're in the US by chance, drop a line to Jon Giroux in the Nashville store - he will help any way he can, I'm sure.

@jaxonstarke535

7 жыл бұрын

Does he happen to have an email address? I saw his phone # on the Framus/Warwick site but no email.

@CombinatorMusic

7 жыл бұрын

Jaxon Starke he sure does! j.giroux@warwick.de