I’m tempted to repeat what my guitar tech told me when we were discussing such matters... so I will. He told of how he and a colleague were debating nuances of different basses when an old and bold bass player walked past and said: “Lads, nobody other than us cares about such things. Just stand at the back, go thump, thump, thump, and get ‘em dancing!” 😂😂😂
Love it , at some point all this info is doing is confusing the H out of me as to what to buy and THEN on top of that, what to do with it afterwards!!!?? Makes me want to just get a Tim Commerford for 3 grand and get it over with!😵💫🤣🤣🤣 hey maybe MMsets these shows up to get us to do just that!! All kidding aside it’s great info on how to mod for better sound BUT can I EVER now just settle for “stock?” I may have been ruined for life!😵💫
Great content, my wife hates me watching your channel, because it gives me to many “costly” ideas. I tried to explain they are investments in my happiness but she doesn’t buy it. Keep them coming Lobster!
Your cats are darling and they sure seem to like you a lot. I must say, the bass sounds fantastic and I’m not sure how it could be any better. I love that warm-yet-punchy tone!
one of my favorite UA-cam channels, thank you for the awesome content, Lobster! Aguilar's preamps are really big sounding, especially in the low end. From the moment you started playing the OBP's character was super evident. It's not my thing personally, but it definitely sounded nice with the drum track. Just going to throw out some guesses, but I think the John East config will sound most "old school", the EMG config will sound the most like an EMG and least like a Stingray, and the Nordstrand will be somewhere between Aguilar and John East. These videos are fantastic
I installed this exact preamp on my squier active V and it really made the thing come alive. No need to upgrade the pup's now. It seems to have done wonders for the sub as well.
Thanks James! I'm very impressed with this preamp overall, a bit heavy handed but still very focused. Is that the contemporary you're talking about? I've seen some awesome mods on those!
@@LowEndLobster not the contemporary series. It is from 2012ish. 19mm spacing, enbonal fretboard, and a stock 3 band eq. I wasnt the biggest fao of the tone and it was suggested to me that the obp 3 was a great choice. And i'd have to agree, i added an active/passive switch in place of the existing tone eq switch.
Got my sub4 left today. Just like you said lobster the stock pickup just gets louder but it aint sound good. 75% is ok but thats it. Will also get a new pre amp it will be fun. Thanks for all your reviews and expertise you are the man.
Just picked up a slightly used sub ray4 for $235 on consignment. Gonna have some fun upgrading a bit at a time. First move is to put in the aguilar pup based on this and your other vid. Sadly prices have gone up since you posted this, but I got the bass cheap, so....
Cool demo. the aguilar preamp and pickup sounded pretty good. aguilar makes really good electronics. I originally was gonna install an aguilar preamp on my ibanez bass, but due to certain complications on the process, ended up getting a bartolini preamp and it worked out for the bass. my ibanez bass sounded more versatile than before. now I am looking to get a set of bartolini pickups for that bass. since I was inspired by youtube bassists like mrexcane and zlatoyar bass. they use bartolini stuff for their basses and it sounds incredible. it especially sounds killer with distortion pedals. other than that, aguilar electronics has good versatility. their preamps sounds amazing with bartolini pickups based on a clip from public peace. and their own pickups sound good with their preamps. you can't really go wrong with either one.
Quite good, looking forward to the rest! Ironically I just ordered an Aguilar preamp for my Ray24(OB-1 w/Bass Treble stack and an in-line passive tone for high frequency roll-off).
In the works of compiling my own stingray build, & this preamp is in the rotation (vs an audere 4 band classic). What i like about this obp-3 is that aguilar's wiring diagram offers different cap values to choose if you wish to lower the mid frequency shift point (still keeping the 800hz as the max hi mids, you could select the lo mids with a select capacitor value to be in the 200hz register, rather than 400hz of stock). Which i find pretty cool, my debate between this & the audere is if i wish to have independent flex between both lo & hi mids, or have both on a single boost/cut knob with the push pull switching between both frequency points. Overall, i'd be happy with either i think, though the edge is leaning on this one due to the volume being push pull for active/passive switching, which is always nice to have if ever the battery is low. Love the channel, the demos, & time you take to showcase each "tonal" variations to be had in all demos. cheers from Montreal, Canada!
@LowEndLobster I just saw the video of an upgrade you did to a Musicman adding the Tone capsule and I think I like the final result better. It would be nice to have a video comparing preamps in a Musicman, like the one you did for Jazz basses. Keep rocking hard!
Nice video! Not my first choice of bass, but luckyly you already made a video about the Ibanez EHB 1005ms, now I have an absolute crush on that Bass with the Aguilar Pickups😍
Another great video, plus it gives some great options to those who can't afford the USA made EB basses. I have done this modification on several basses, with one exception. I drilled a 7/8" hole in the lower bout and used all 4 positions on the control plate. I still used a stacked bass/treble pot, but added a passive tone control which I like to have if needed. The combo is pure dynamite!
Wow! Good job man! 💙 This is probably one of the greatest combo that I've ever heard The slap tone sounds gorgeous, it reminds me that Louis Johnson signature sound👍💪😍
Put a Aguilar OBP-3 pre-amp in my 1994 five string F-Bass which was originally passive with a bypass switch. The original owner had installed a pre-amp don't know the brand. Bass has more presence, the low B rumbles!
Thanks (this isn't permanent ;P) You did! There's a SUB for most of the big names back there. EMG, Bartolini, Aguilar, Nordstrand, Seymour Duncan, and a few others ;). Uncharted waters here!
First preamp demo... It sounded really good can't wait to see the other ones! Have you ever tried Audere Classic preamp? I'm thinking of installing one in my bass, thanks in advance LowEndLobster!!!
I know I can make any bass sound like anything with enough electronics tweaking, but here's my question - how to SUB basses feel to hold and play? Is the hardware super cheap that I'll need to swap it out within 3 years? Are the necks standard or do they have some weird feeling to them? Just asking cause I've been playing budget basses my entire life and these are the common things that bother me about them. You're someone who owns everything from the cheapest to the most expensive musicman models, so your experience means a lot
Great question! The tuners are on the cheap side but not terrible (Sire V3 tuners are terrible). Necks are more similar in profile to a USA Sterling as opposed to a Stingray, with a 38mm nut width as opposed to a 41.3mm for the USA Rays. The Ray34 has the same neck profile as the USA Ray however. Honestly, they feel solid and like a regular bass. The bodies aren't too light where they feel cheap, and the neck wood and fret work are solid. I've owned about 10x SUBs thus far, and only one needed some minor fret poke correction (very easy to do). I like modding the SUBs for the very reason that they're pretty well rounded outside of the stock electronics, and they're relatively easy to mod as the electronics all just mount to the control plate and you can drop it right in (some preamps may need a little bit of cavity modding). They also can fit standard Stingray stuff like necks, bridges, pickguards, etc. which makes them awesome for modding. I don't feel right modding my USA Rays, but SUBS make modding OK! :)
Any chance we could get a review of this bass with the newer Aguilar DCB-M4 ceramic? Would love to see a comparison between the two on the same bass with the same preamp, and get your thoughts on both!
Great idea Matt! I don't have this bass anymore, but I do have a couple of the new DCB M4 pickups (and a PJ set too!). I think the comparison idea between the AGM4 and DCBM4 is excellent, I think I'll do it :). We will have a separate pickup test video series coming in the future using a new designated pickup tester bass (routed for all sorts of configs with pickguards to match!)
Hey Lobster! I like your vids man :) Question: What pickup has impressed you the most so far? (Aguilar? Nordstrand? Etc.) I have a music man stingray classic 2011 and despite an awesome tone overall, i’m having a bit of unpleasant trouble with pickup clipping/saturation on the E string. So i’m thinking of changing the pickup but there’s little info on youtube and forums but you seem to have tried them all! Thx for your input man :)
Hi Pier! The Aguilar and Nordstrand ones were the most authentic sounding in terms of getting the classic stingray sound, but the EMG and Bartolini also impressed me with their awesome sounds. I just got the Aguilar DCB MM in, excited to try that out!
Funny. Always like the Aguilar pickups, but not the preamps. The OP3 preamp sounds great on the SUB; especially combined with the MM pickup. I like the Nordstrand; but Aguilar got it nailed pretty good.🤨🎶👍🏾
Funny you say that, I was in the same boat but have never tried the OBP3. The OBP2 in my Spector Eurobolt doesn't really do much for me honestly, but I was very impressed with the features and versatility of the OBP3 in this config. Nordstrand vid dropping this afternoon at 4 PM EST :)
Love the content. Just found your channel the other day, and on my way to picking up the new Ray5HH because of your video. My question is if you could install two of these pickups with the OBP3 into the Ray5HH and still incorporate the selector switch. I'm new to modding so forgive me if this in an ignorant question.
Hey JD! Thank you! Great question, short answer - sort of but not really. These Aguilar pickups are hardwired in parallel, meaning you only get one hot and one ground wire and don't have access to the individual coils without heavy modification to the pickup (which I wouldn't recommend). You could have two of these pickups and install a 3- way switch in place of the 5 (similar to what I did in Project Code Red, but those EMGs had a push pull for each pickup's coil selection). The preamp choice would work though. Essentially the selector switch has one hot and ground coming out of it, which goes into the input of the preamp. This allows you to use any preamps suited for a single pickup. If you want the ability to utilize the stock 5-way switch or customize the bass with individual coil selection, your best bet would be the Nordstrand or Seymour Duncan pickups - both have two leads and two grounds, one for each 'single coil' in the dual coil pickup
Thanks Kristi! I got the kit from Best Bass Gear, though it still requires some soldering. You can save a lot by getting the OBP-3SK/P kit vs the kit from BBG (though I love those folks and they do a GREAT job)
That sounded fantastic! So, we're roughly talking cost of bass plus pickup and preamp in the $500 to $600 range, right? This is in the same range as a Sterling Ray24. I'd be interested in a head to head between this modded SUB and a stock Ray24. I suspect the modded SUB would come out on top and be the better value.
Indeed! SUBs can be had new from $220-300 depending on sales and stuff, so you could definitely get this for $500 all in if you're vigilant with sales. This is hands down a better setup than the stock Ray24, also unfortunately our Ray24 is no longer stock either ;)... or is it fortunately... we'll see hahaha
Thanks Alex! The unmodded pickup is just... bad. I've done other videos on the SUB in the past, but didn't want to spend more time looking at the stock electronics.
@@LowEndLobster it is? That Julia playing all those covers plays a SUB and she sounds pretty good imo. She told me it's just a regular one, so I guess it's stock
@@darkgladiator27 shes a great musician. . Everything sounds great in her hands. For me the stock ray4 is absolutely fine. Ive owned a bunch of real stingrays but the stock ray4 is a lot of stingray sound for the money. I love modding though so i like these vids of this channel a lot.
Looking for a vid that is explains the complexities of maybe putting an East preamp in a sterling stingray HH.. just wondered if that was possible with the 5 way Switch and 2 pups
Great question! OBP3 stacks had no issues fitting on the stock control plate. The Harley Benton control plate uses thinner holes and mini-pots, but the SUB Ray4 uses full sized ones
Lobster this is an odd question I suppose. I have never owned a Stingray or a Sterling. Do you think the tone would be appropriate for Jazz Standards? At the moment I am playing either a Fender Jazz or Precision bass with my band. Thanks and love your channel... Dan
Hey nice video! I installed the obp3 preamp in my modulus flea and i have a sissing noise when I boost the treble all the way... Do you have the same issue in your bass.... I tried everything with wiring diagram. Thanks
@@LowEndLobster yes I did make copper on the inside and connect the back of the pots to the ground 2. But do you don't have that sissing sound when you boost the treble all the way up?
Curious to hear some of the other offerings, this one gives me hope that you can really get close to a $2k MM sound at a quarter of the price... Then again, I'm not a reseller so I don't mind mucking with instruments, others want to keep it pristine on the hope that they can resell...
Thanks Kirt! All the offerings are really neat with the Aggie and Nordy IMO being very close to one another in controls and goals (very oldschool 'Ray sounding) but with slightly different approaches to the controls (the Nordy leans a bit more on the mid control where the Aggie is a bit more evenly distributed). The EMG, Bartolini and Minty with the Delano/Darkglass combo go in a bit of a different direction but still sound excellent. It's really cool to be able to explore all of these side by side.
Hi, Lobster. I installed the AG4M pickup which was a large improvement, and ordered the OBP-3SK/PP preamp, which I received yesterday. All that was in the box was a code to the Aguilar site, and none of the diagrams seem to show the 3-knob and wiring. Where did you find your wiring diagram? I am no stranger to soldering so that is not an issue. Thanks.
Hey Fernando! Great question. Lace makes a Man-o-war pickup that is compatible, but they do not make a compatible Alumitone pickup for MM. They have the P, J, DC35, DC40, and DC45 sized pickups for that model.
@@fernandoruiz813 I will grab the Man-o-war! I'm going to be doing a lot more pickup testing now that I have a designated pickup tester bass! Stay tuned :)
Hey! I would love to know some more about this mod if you can help with a few questions, i'm considering the same for my ray25! Which pots did you use? I haven't done a mod like this before. I saw the wiring diagram requires 50k linear pots, but I've been recommended CTS and can't seem to find any that are that spec. It also says 2x9V batteries, is that just for...headroom? Battery life? Are you running with 1 9V here and how does it perform? LOVE your content!
Thanks Richard! I used the included pots. The EQ pots are B50k, no need to replace them with CTS (if you got the model that's prewired, Aguilar sells a bunch of different kits for different knob configs. I'm using a single 9V battery here with no issues, it sounds great!
@@LowEndLobster Oh I see. I asked a company and they said it was just the preamp, so assumed they were always separate. I was looking for the stacked bass/treb and push/pull mid one. Will do some more digging and find out, thanks again for the super fast reply! I'll be putting the DCB M5 into it, will let you know how it sounds :)
Check out best bass gear. They will sell you a prewired Aguilar preamp. I think the Aguilar kits from Aguilar directly can come with pots (they also sell the module alone).
@@LowEndLobster Sadly I'm based in the UK and BBG aren't authorised to sell Aguilar outside of US/CA. I've found a seller on reverb and am asking them if it has pots included. Cheers!
I think the Aggie will sound a bit more truer to the original classic stingray tone, but the Ray24 pickup is no slouch. You'll hear it paired with the John East :)
In another video you were getting distortion if the bass volume was tuned up high. Before buying a new pick up did you try lowering the factory pick up?
I have a question i hope you can answer. I am a lefty and always wanted a stingray but the only available models are the SUBs. Now i dont know much about modding as i have never done this myself but this combo sounds really nice. So my question is how difficult was it to mod the SUB with these? And do you recommend these mods as a first timer? i just dont want to spend a lot of money just to have a failed project.
Here you go!- www.amazon.com/Aguilar-OBP-3SK-PP-Onboard-Preamp/dp/B0018TCSHA or full prewire: www.bestbassgear.com/prewire-aguilar-preamp-obp-3-1-pickup-3-knob-vpp-mpp-t-bstack.htm
Waiting for a Sterling BMM Bongo... What’s the real difference between a Sterling by MM and a Music Man? I’ve been playing basses under 500€ that are really good. Even better than 2000€ basses... Is there any video to watch how to make this customisation?
Great question Juan! Sterling By Music Man is a separate company that licenses the Ernie Ball Music Man designs for the Stingray (and briefly the Sterling USA). The Ernie Ball Music Man is the 'real' stingray, and there's a LOT of different variants, but they often cost well over $2k new, and over $1k used. The Sterling by Music Man basses are a much more affordable (and honestly pretty solid quality) Stingrays priced between $300-900 brand new. In regards to the video, YES - I did film a video detailing the mod process. Going to edit and drop that at some point :)
I have a butter scotch classic. I have seen the mods for that. Do you think this would be a good mod for it? I feel yes. I love your playing btw. Are you in a band? Do you give lessons? I greatly appreciate what you do.✌
Does your bass really sound better after the switch to the Aguilar pickup and preamp? In other words: was it worth the money? This bass with the original pickup and preamp does sound pretty good if you ask me.
Great question Wtje. Yes, it sounds better for sure. The overly hot ceramic is the weak point of the SUB. Even the Aguilar with the stock preamp is a big improvement IMO.
1. YES :) 2. I like some more than others. Big fan of the DCB series! 3. Great idea, never heard of them but will check them out. 4. YES. YES. YES. It's an awesome bass. I haven't gotten around to the video but it's already planned ;).
@@LowEndLobster I had one and still miss it. Overall, I think Japanese basses from late 70s/early 80s were absolutely awesome. A pal of mine lend me his Aria Pro II SB-700 bass for about a month - I returned it yesterday and it was a sad day for me. Not the most comfortable bass I've played (the body isn't contoured too well) but sound-wise... OH MAN. It's THE Duran Duran sound (John Taylor had one, so duh). I want one badly. The Japanese also made great "lawsuit copies" of popular American designs - I have an ash/maple Founder Jazz and tonally, it's right up there with good MIA ones! I'm waiting patiently for that RS 924 review :-)
I have a MM Stringray 5 with OBP-3 (stock pickup). I'm hesitating because I want to replace it with a stock preamp to make it more original, but that's very expensive and rare, while Aguilar is not a bad preamp at all and I believe the Stingray tone is still there. If I can get a stock preamp one day, would you consider it an upgrade (make it sound "more like Stingray") or should I be happy with Aguilar?
The OBP3 has more bells and whistles than the stock preamp, but a swap back and forth should be easy. You can find a stock EBMM preamp on ebay or reverb. That being said, I don't think the stock preamp will sound drastically different
IMO It's a good preamp, but a focused preamp. It colors the tone heavily with 'Darkglass' character, which you cannot really escape. It's not a one trick pony, but it's not the most flexible preamp either. They're not super expensive and are relatively easy to install. I hope that helps :)
Great question! I used some random ones I found on Amazon I believe. Here's a link- www.amazon.com/Concentric-Stacked-Control-Electric-Guitar/dp/B07216CSGS/
I bought a used ray24 and put a SD mm pickup and tone monster preamp in it. Knowing what i know now, I should’ve just gotten the ray4 and saved some money, especially since my bass came with a pretty big ding in it smh. I like what it sounds like, but i have a ESP 5 string that i put Aguilars in w a tone monster as well, but i think it deserves the obp3. I wanted to keep a little difference in the tones. In your opinion, should i further mod my ray24 or keep it and get a ray34?
Heyo! My basses usually sell within 24-72 hrs of posting. I have a link to my reverb shop page at the bottom of my page. Feel free to join our discord too, I usually give a heads up on stuff that I'll be putting up for sale before posting on Reverb.
Thanks Martin! Yup! Though this one had some minor impact with treble in play with the mid center, but the nordy one operates exactly like you describe (you'll see later today).
Sounds real good but not like the classic 2band sound of the 70’s Ray.. but for a basically a total of $500.00 bucks with the upgrades it’s a solid instrument.
Thanks Jason! They're VERY different preamps with the DG providing a lot more of their signature coloring, where the aggie IMO is a bit more neutral (but still sounds awesome when paired with this pickup). Minty vid with the darkglass coming on Thurs I think :)
@@LowEndLobster That's my dilemma. I have yet to hear an Aggie product that doesn't deliver however, the DG has caught my attention. the high mid control instead of the treble is intriguing to me.
HELL YEAH!! i did exactly the same mods on my S.U.B. Ray5. I just added a graphite nut by Partsplanet. It sound soooo sweet. For those who are interested i did a short video where i compare it to a Fender Jazz Bass American Deluxe 5. I've bought it and all its parts (exept for the nut and the preamp) used : a 400 € Sterling that does not miss a beat VS a 2000€+ Fender? WOW ua-cam.com/video/BDH4lt5bq8s/v-deo.html
I’m tempted to repeat what my guitar tech told me when we were discussing such matters... so I will. He told of how he and a colleague were debating nuances of different basses when an old and bold bass player walked past and said: “Lads, nobody other than us cares about such things. Just stand at the back, go thump, thump, thump, and get ‘em dancing!” 😂😂😂
LOL! Well said, thanks Rev :P
Love it , at some point all this info is doing is confusing the H out of me as to what to buy and THEN on top of that, what to do with it afterwards!!!?? Makes me want to just get a Tim Commerford
for 3 grand and get it over with!😵💫🤣🤣🤣 hey maybe MMsets these shows up to get us to do just that!! All kidding aside it’s great info on how to mod for better sound BUT can I EVER now just settle for “stock?” I may have been ruined for life!😵💫
My new favorite youtube channel!
Thank you :)
Totally agree!!!!!
Totally agree. And I’m a guitar player and only play a bit of bass in the studio.
This sounds great!!!
Same here. Quality Content!
This series will be SO helpful to (hopefully) so many people. Thank you Mr. Lobster
Thanks Alex! I hope so :)
Great content, my wife hates me watching your channel, because it gives me to many “costly” ideas. I tried to explain they are investments in my happiness but she doesn’t buy it. Keep them coming Lobster!
Thanks Andrew :)
1:35
Cat: "Who is he talking to, more importantly why did he stop petting me?" 😤
LOL She does this all the time. Like walking by her, she'll always point her head up in anticipation of a pet ;P. We have to comply.
Mrs. Lobster not being able to hold back cracked me up too.
XD
I put the Aguilar pickup and OBP-2 preamp in my Ray24 and it’s a beast. The power that preamp has is impressive. It improved the bass so much...
Awesome! Did you keep the stock pickup? If so, did you wire in series or parallel?
No, I put in the Aguilar. Stock pickup was good, but I wanted classic sizzle
@@degeest5571 NICE!
Your cats are darling and they sure seem to like you a lot. I must say, the bass sounds fantastic and I’m not sure how it could be any better. I love that warm-yet-punchy tone!
Thanks Sam :) they are
one of my favorite UA-cam channels, thank you for the awesome content, Lobster!
Aguilar's preamps are really big sounding, especially in the low end. From the moment you started playing the OBP's character was super evident. It's not my thing personally, but it definitely sounded nice with the drum track.
Just going to throw out some guesses, but I think the John East config will sound most "old school", the EMG config will sound the most like an EMG and least like a Stingray, and the Nordstrand will be somewhere between Aguilar and John East.
These videos are fantastic
Thanks Taconeko! So glad you're enjoying them :)
And BeBe is right there for this EPIC series!!!!...HEY BeBe!!!!
She will decide the best bass ;P
@@LowEndLobster she hears all the basses that come through there....she will be well informed at least!!!....hahahaha
Nice bass, good mods... But the charisma is unbelivable! By far "my" best bass channel!
Thank you Bruno :) that means a lot!
Discovered your channel today! Subscribed after watching a single video!
Welcome! :)
6:13 love that tone
For my ears The best mod with Aquilar.Thx Lobster.
I installed this exact preamp on my squier active V and it really made the thing come alive. No need to upgrade the pup's now.
It seems to have done wonders for the sub as well.
Thanks James! I'm very impressed with this preamp overall, a bit heavy handed but still very focused. Is that the contemporary you're talking about? I've seen some awesome mods on those!
@@LowEndLobster not the contemporary series. It is from 2012ish. 19mm spacing, enbonal fretboard, and a stock 3 band eq. I wasnt the biggest fao of the tone and it was suggested to me that the obp 3 was a great choice. And i'd have to agree, i added an active/passive switch in place of the existing tone eq switch.
@@LowEndLobster media.musiciansfriend.com/is/image/MMGS7/Deluxe-Jazz-Bass-Active-V-5-String-Electric-Bass-Guitar-3-Color-Sunburst/512618000064000-00-500x500.jpg
Got my sub4 left today. Just like you said lobster the stock pickup just gets louder but it aint sound good. 75% is ok but thats it. Will also get a new pre amp it will be fun. Thanks for all your reviews and expertise you are the man.
Thanks J! Congrats on your bass and happy modding!
Just picked up a slightly used sub ray4 for $235 on consignment. Gonna have some fun upgrading a bit at a time. First move is to put in the aguilar pup based on this and your other vid. Sadly prices have gone up since you posted this, but I got the bass cheap, so....
Great sound. I'm sold! If I need to replace the pickup and preamp in a stingray, I'd pick this combo.
Thank you Delilah! This was one of my favorite combos too
I just bought the Aguilar MM pickup and OBP -2 to put in my Ray24. I hope it sounds as good as it does in your Ray4
Enjoy! Post some pics on the discord channel!
Cool demo. the aguilar preamp and pickup sounded pretty good. aguilar makes really good electronics. I originally was gonna install an aguilar preamp on my ibanez bass, but due to certain complications on the process, ended up getting a bartolini preamp and it worked out for the bass. my ibanez bass sounded more versatile than before. now I am looking to get a set of bartolini pickups for that bass. since I was inspired by youtube bassists like mrexcane and zlatoyar bass. they use bartolini stuff for their basses and it sounds incredible. it especially sounds killer with distortion pedals. other than that, aguilar electronics has good versatility. their preamps sounds amazing with bartolini pickups based on a clip from public peace. and their own pickups sound good with their preamps. you can't really go wrong with either one.
Awesome! Thanks Alex! Great comment.
@@LowEndLobster thanks.
Quite good, looking forward to the rest!
Ironically I just ordered an Aguilar preamp for my Ray24(OB-1 w/Bass Treble stack and an in-line passive tone for high frequency roll-off).
Thank you! Awesome! I love a nice two band with a passive tone. One of my favorite preamp combinations!
In the works of compiling my own stingray build, & this preamp is in the rotation (vs an audere 4 band classic). What i like about this obp-3 is that aguilar's wiring diagram offers different cap values to choose if you wish to lower the mid frequency shift point (still keeping the 800hz as the max hi mids, you could select the lo mids with a select capacitor value to be in the 200hz register, rather than 400hz of stock). Which i find pretty cool, my debate between this & the audere is if i wish to have independent flex between both lo & hi mids, or have both on a single boost/cut knob with the push pull switching between both frequency points. Overall, i'd be happy with either i think, though the edge is leaning on this one due to the volume being push pull for active/passive switching, which is always nice to have if ever the battery is low.
Love the channel, the demos, & time you take to showcase each "tonal" variations to be had in all demos. cheers from Montreal, Canada!
Smoking combo🔥
Thanks Sam!
Hi. I just got a ray4, so this was a pleasure to find. Thanks
@LowEndLobster I just saw the video of an upgrade you did to a Musicman adding the Tone capsule and I think I like the final result better. It would be nice to have a video comparing preamps in a Musicman, like the one you did for Jazz basses. Keep rocking hard!
Nice video! Not my first choice of bass, but luckyly you already made a video about the Ibanez EHB 1005ms, now I have an absolute crush on that Bass with the Aguilar Pickups😍
Thanks Til! Aguilar has been hitting it out of the park with their pickups. I have a MM DCB on order, but those are hard to get!
You knew that thing was going to slap!
:)
Great sound. Well done Lobster!
Thanks Andy!
Another great video, plus it gives some great options to those who can't afford the USA made EB basses. I have done this modification on several basses, with one exception. I drilled a 7/8" hole in the lower bout and used all 4 positions on the control plate. I still used a stacked bass/treble pot, but added a passive tone control which I like to have if needed. The combo is pure dynamite!
Awesome! Great comment :)
Ok you are a madman. I thought you would swap these pickups out in the same bass.... :O
That's how we roll! ;P
Fantastic as always!!!
Thanks Lobster 😎
btw-The bass sounds awesome!!!
Thank you! :)
I'm watching so many of your videos that I have your licks as an earworm.
:)
Wow! Good job man! 💙
This is probably one of the greatest combo that I've ever heard
The slap tone sounds gorgeous, it reminds me that Louis Johnson signature sound👍💪😍
Thanks! I think the Aguilar really nails the oldschool ray tone.
@@LowEndLobster infact I'm still thinking which one should I buy between Ray 4 Sub or the Ray 24
They both sound good and pretty interesting
I really like this, it was well done!
Thanks Ryan!
Holy Crapolla! It sounds just like a Music Man.
Put a Aguilar OBP-3 pre-amp in my 1994 five string F-Bass which was originally passive with a bypass switch. The original owner had installed a pre-amp don't know the brand. Bass has more presence, the low B rumbles!
Awesome! Love F-basses
Your new wall of Stingrays looks great! Did I spot a SUB with an EMG pickup right behind you?
Thanks (this isn't permanent ;P) You did! There's a SUB for most of the big names back there. EMG, Bartolini, Aguilar, Nordstrand, Seymour Duncan, and a few others ;). Uncharted waters here!
@@LowEndLobster Well, now I'm excited! :-)
First preamp demo... It sounded really good can't wait to see the other ones! Have you ever tried Audere Classic preamp? I'm thinking of installing one in my bass, thanks in advance LowEndLobster!!!
Thanks Guy! I have not looked at any Auderes yet, but I will :)
I know I can make any bass sound like anything with enough electronics tweaking, but here's my question - how to SUB basses feel to hold and play? Is the hardware super cheap that I'll need to swap it out within 3 years? Are the necks standard or do they have some weird feeling to them?
Just asking cause I've been playing budget basses my entire life and these are the common things that bother me about them. You're someone who owns everything from the cheapest to the most expensive musicman models, so your experience means a lot
Great question! The tuners are on the cheap side but not terrible (Sire V3 tuners are terrible). Necks are more similar in profile to a USA Sterling as opposed to a Stingray, with a 38mm nut width as opposed to a 41.3mm for the USA Rays. The Ray34 has the same neck profile as the USA Ray however. Honestly, they feel solid and like a regular bass. The bodies aren't too light where they feel cheap, and the neck wood and fret work are solid. I've owned about 10x SUBs thus far, and only one needed some minor fret poke correction (very easy to do). I like modding the SUBs for the very reason that they're pretty well rounded outside of the stock electronics, and they're relatively easy to mod as the electronics all just mount to the control plate and you can drop it right in (some preamps may need a little bit of cavity modding). They also can fit standard Stingray stuff like necks, bridges, pickguards, etc. which makes them awesome for modding. I don't feel right modding my USA Rays, but SUBS make modding OK! :)
@@LowEndLobster well damn, that thinner nut width is now making me want to get one
@@ileutur6863 that’s why I got the Ray24ca.
hopefully getting one of these for christmas. :)
:)
It's going to be interesting to see all the flavors you got. I'm hoping the one I end up liking the most isn't the most expensive lol.
:) Thanks Skank!
Any chance we could get a review of this bass with the newer Aguilar DCB-M4 ceramic? Would love to see a comparison between the two on the same bass with the same preamp, and get your thoughts on both!
Great idea Matt! I don't have this bass anymore, but I do have a couple of the new DCB M4 pickups (and a PJ set too!). I think the comparison idea between the AGM4 and DCBM4 is excellent, I think I'll do it :). We will have a separate pickup test video series coming in the future using a new designated pickup tester bass (routed for all sorts of configs with pickguards to match!)
@@LowEndLobster Great to hear! Looking forward to it!
@@LowEndLobster Lobster help us... Im Just waiting for this aggies AGM and DCB pickups comparison !!!
Hey Lobster! I like your vids man :) Question: What pickup has impressed you the most so far? (Aguilar? Nordstrand? Etc.) I have a music man stingray classic 2011 and despite an awesome tone overall, i’m having a bit of unpleasant trouble with pickup clipping/saturation on the E string. So i’m thinking of changing the pickup but there’s little info on youtube and forums but you seem to have tried them all! Thx for your input man :)
Hi Pier! The Aguilar and Nordstrand ones were the most authentic sounding in terms of getting the classic stingray sound, but the EMG and Bartolini also impressed me with their awesome sounds. I just got the Aguilar DCB MM in, excited to try that out!
@@LowEndLobsterthx for your reply my dude! Keep on the good vids! :)
Funny. Always like the Aguilar pickups, but not the preamps. The OP3 preamp sounds great on the SUB; especially combined with the MM pickup. I like the Nordstrand; but Aguilar got it nailed pretty good.🤨🎶👍🏾
Funny you say that, I was in the same boat but have never tried the OBP3. The OBP2 in my Spector Eurobolt doesn't really do much for me honestly, but I was very impressed with the features and versatility of the OBP3 in this config. Nordstrand vid dropping this afternoon at 4 PM EST :)
@@LowEndLobster YES!😌👍🏾
IMO, a bit more 600 ish Hz mids on this setup than a regular Singray, but it sounds really good.
Thanks Flipper!
LobsterMan bass super hero 🤗
Love the content. Just found your channel the other day, and on my way to picking up the new Ray5HH because of your video. My question is if you could install two of these pickups with the OBP3 into the Ray5HH and still incorporate the selector switch. I'm new to modding so forgive me if this in an ignorant question.
Hey JD! Thank you! Great question, short answer - sort of but not really. These Aguilar pickups are hardwired in parallel, meaning you only get one hot and one ground wire and don't have access to the individual coils without heavy modification to the pickup (which I wouldn't recommend). You could have two of these pickups and install a 3- way switch in place of the 5 (similar to what I did in Project Code Red, but those EMGs had a push pull for each pickup's coil selection). The preamp choice would work though. Essentially the selector switch has one hot and ground coming out of it, which goes into the input of the preamp. This allows you to use any preamps suited for a single pickup. If you want the ability to utilize the stock 5-way switch or customize the bass with individual coil selection, your best bet would be the Nordstrand or Seymour Duncan pickups - both have two leads and two grounds, one for each 'single coil' in the dual coil pickup
@@LowEndLobster Outstanding. I'm off to watch that video.
Hey, lobster. Love the kitties!!! Where did you get a prewired kit for the preamp?
Thanks Kristi! I got the kit from Best Bass Gear, though it still requires some soldering. You can save a lot by getting the OBP-3SK/P kit vs the kit from BBG (though I love those folks and they do a GREAT job)
Hey lobster! Ive recently swapped out the stock pickups from my ray5 sub with the aguilar dcb. How will the obp pre amp improve the tone of the bass?
great video brother, I have a question, is the Aguilar pickups active or passive?
Thank you! The pickup is passive
That sounded fantastic! So, we're roughly talking cost of bass plus pickup and preamp in the $500 to $600 range, right? This is in the same range as a Sterling Ray24. I'd be interested in a head to head between this modded SUB and a stock Ray24. I suspect the modded SUB would come out on top and be the better value.
Indeed! SUBs can be had new from $220-300 depending on sales and stuff, so you could definitely get this for $500 all in if you're vigilant with sales. This is hands down a better setup than the stock Ray24, also unfortunately our Ray24 is no longer stock either ;)... or is it fortunately... we'll see hahaha
Ray25CA $379.99
www.musiciansfriend.com/bass/sterling-by-music-man-stingray-classic-electric-bass/l00152000001001?cntry=US&cur=USD&source=3WWRWXGS&gclid=CjwKCAiArIH_BRB2EiwALfbH1ARe4QCRL7NLwEcz6kdrEI5H1etMEF06wAJ5cb7LYYWjh1a5zHCszRoCIIkQAvD_BwE
It would be nice to hear it side by side with unmodified sterling
Thanks Alex! The unmodded pickup is just... bad. I've done other videos on the SUB in the past, but didn't want to spend more time looking at the stock electronics.
@@LowEndLobster it is? That Julia playing all those covers plays a SUB and she sounds pretty good imo. She told me it's just a regular one, so I guess it's stock
@@darkgladiator27 shes a great musician. . Everything sounds great in her hands. For me the stock ray4 is absolutely fine. Ive owned a bunch of real stingrays but the stock ray4 is a lot of stingray sound for the money. I love modding though so i like these vids of this channel a lot.
Looking for a vid that is explains the complexities of maybe putting an East preamp in a sterling stingray HH.. just wondered if that was possible with the 5 way Switch and 2 pups
Yes, the 'out' of the 6 way has a single hot and ground that will go into the east preamp
@@LowEndLobster thank you much LEL!!
what size of stack knob did you put on? Did it matter what mm shaft size it was?
Great question! OBP3 stacks had no issues fitting on the stock control plate. The Harley Benton control plate uses thinner holes and mini-pots, but the SUB Ray4 uses full sized ones
@@MckinleyDjents Yes, the holes on the stock control plate are wide enough for stacks.
What strings do you think bring out that characteristic Stingray sound? And thanks for yet another great video!!
As my cat would say "scratch that!' I see in a previous video you use MJC Ironworks Nickel Plated Stainless Steel 45-105. Thanks again!
I'm partial to MJC Ironworks (I'm an MJC Artist), great sound and long life are what I am looking for and they deliver :)
@@LowEndLobster Thanks, and Merry Christmas!
Lobster this is an odd question I suppose. I have never owned a Stingray or a Sterling. Do you think the tone would be appropriate for Jazz Standards? At the moment I am playing either a Fender Jazz or Precision bass with my band. Thanks and love your channel... Dan
Hi Daniel, you can definitely play jazz standards on a Ray though I'd recommend flats and a nice mid scoop
Hey nice video!
I installed the obp3 preamp in my modulus flea and i have a sissing noise when I boost the treble all the way... Do you have the same issue in your bass.... I tried everything with wiring diagram.
Thanks
I would look into shielding the bass with copper and connecting the two cavities. That may help.
@@LowEndLobster yes I did make copper on the inside and connect the back of the pots to the ground 2. But do you don't have that sissing sound when you boost the treble all the way up?
Please try the new DCB pickup for MM. 🙏🏼
Try it on that bass if you can.
Thank you Athos! I have one of them here (two actually hahah), we'll definitely be testing em out though on a different bass :)
If you can, put it on the same bass. It's more easy to see the diference. Please!
Awesome video Lobster, thank you! Could you please send the link for the knobs you used or tell us the model and where to find it?🦞
Curious to hear some of the other offerings, this one gives me hope that you can really get close to a $2k MM sound at a quarter of the price... Then again, I'm not a reseller so I don't mind mucking with instruments, others want to keep it pristine on the hope that they can resell...
Thanks Kirt! All the offerings are really neat with the Aggie and Nordy IMO being very close to one another in controls and goals (very oldschool 'Ray sounding) but with slightly different approaches to the controls (the Nordy leans a bit more on the mid control where the Aggie is a bit more evenly distributed). The EMG, Bartolini and Minty with the Delano/Darkglass combo go in a bit of a different direction but still sound excellent. It's really cool to be able to explore all of these side by side.
Hi, Lobster. I installed the AG4M pickup which was a large improvement, and ordered the OBP-3SK/PP preamp, which I received yesterday. All that was in the box was a code to the Aguilar site, and none of the diagrams seem to show the 3-knob and wiring. Where did you find your wiring diagram? I am no stranger to soldering so that is not an issue. Thanks.
Been waiting for a cpl months on this big bad SHOWDOWN!!!!!...in the immortal words of Marvin Gaye ....LETS GET IT ON!!!!!
WOOO!
Mr. Lobster: So as far as Pickups, do you think the more Classic sound was from the Aguilar pickup or Seymour Duncan?
IMO Aguilar but not by much.
Greetings Mr. Lobster! Is the Lace Alumitone bass bar comaptible for modification?
Hey Fernando! Great question. Lace makes a Man-o-war pickup that is compatible, but they do not make a compatible Alumitone pickup for MM. They have the P, J, DC35, DC40, and DC45 sized pickups for that model.
@@LowEndLobster I can’t decide between the Man-O-War MM or the Aguilar Ag 4m 😓
@@fernandoruiz813 I will grab the Man-o-war! I'm going to be doing a lot more pickup testing now that I have a designated pickup tester bass! Stay tuned :)
Hey!
I would love to know some more about this mod if you can help with a few questions, i'm considering the same for my ray25!
Which pots did you use? I haven't done a mod like this before. I saw the wiring diagram requires 50k linear pots, but I've been recommended CTS and can't seem to find any that are that spec.
It also says 2x9V batteries, is that just for...headroom? Battery life? Are you running with 1 9V here and how does it perform? LOVE your content!
Thanks Richard! I used the included pots. The EQ pots are B50k, no need to replace them with CTS (if you got the model that's prewired, Aguilar sells a bunch of different kits for different knob configs. I'm using a single 9V battery here with no issues, it sounds great!
@@LowEndLobster Oh I see. I asked a company and they said it was just the preamp, so assumed they were always separate. I was looking for the stacked bass/treb and push/pull mid one. Will do some more digging and find out, thanks again for the super fast reply! I'll be putting the DCB M5 into it, will let you know how it sounds :)
Check out best bass gear. They will sell you a prewired Aguilar preamp. I think the Aguilar kits from Aguilar directly can come with pots (they also sell the module alone).
@@LowEndLobster Sadly I'm based in the UK and BBG aren't authorised to sell Aguilar outside of US/CA. I've found a seller on reverb and am asking them if it has pots included. Cheers!
Could you tag the knobs did you buy?
Here you go!- www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BFXSVDD/
@@LowEndLobster thanks pal
Sounds great, how do think this preamp would sound in combination with the stock Ray 24 pickup?
Probably GREAT!
I think the Aggie will sound a bit more truer to the original classic stingray tone, but the Ray24 pickup is no slouch. You'll hear it paired with the John East :)
In another video you were getting distortion if the bass volume was tuned up high. Before buying a new pick up did you try lowering the factory pick up?
I have a question i hope you can answer.
I am a lefty and always wanted a stingray but the only available models are the SUBs. Now i dont know much about modding as i have never done this myself but this combo sounds really nice. So my question is how difficult was it to mod the SUB with these? And do you recommend these mods as a first timer? i just dont want to spend a lot of money just to have a failed project.
Hi, by chance do you know if Bartolini MM pickup will fit in the bass?
Yes, I did a video with the Bart. It's great
Can you provide the link for the stack knob? Thanks
Here you go!- www.amazon.com/Aguilar-OBP-3SK-PP-Onboard-Preamp/dp/B0018TCSHA or full prewire: www.bestbassgear.com/prewire-aguilar-preamp-obp-3-1-pickup-3-knob-vpp-mpp-t-bstack.htm
Waiting for a Sterling BMM Bongo...
What’s the real difference between a Sterling by MM and a Music Man? I’ve been playing basses under 500€ that are really good. Even better than 2000€ basses...
Is there any video to watch how to make this customisation?
Great question Juan! Sterling By Music Man is a separate company that licenses the Ernie Ball Music Man designs for the Stingray (and briefly the Sterling USA). The Ernie Ball Music Man is the 'real' stingray, and there's a LOT of different variants, but they often cost well over $2k new, and over $1k used. The Sterling by Music Man basses are a much more affordable (and honestly pretty solid quality) Stingrays priced between $300-900 brand new.
In regards to the video, YES - I did film a video detailing the mod process. Going to edit and drop that at some point :)
@@LowEndLobster I hope Santa bring us that video. Happy Xmas Lobster!
Can you do a comparison with the 9v US made Stringray as a baseline for all these tones?
Thanks David! I will be including the USA Stingray in the finale vid on friday that will have side by side clips of everything :). I got you covered!
I know that this is an old thread but would you recommend an OBP3 or a Darkglass tone capsule? I have an active Jazz Bass.
I have a butter scotch classic. I have seen the mods for that. Do you think this would be a good mod for it? I feel yes. I love your playing btw. Are you in a band? Do you give lessons? I greatly appreciate what you do.✌
Does your bass really sound better after the switch to the Aguilar pickup and preamp? In other words: was it worth the money? This bass with the original pickup and preamp does sound pretty good if you ask me.
Great question Wtje. Yes, it sounds better for sure. The overly hot ceramic is the weak point of the SUB. Even the Aguilar with the stock preamp is a big improvement IMO.
1. Black + maple =
1. YES :)
2. I like some more than others. Big fan of the DCB series!
3. Great idea, never heard of them but will check them out.
4. YES. YES. YES. It's an awesome bass. I haven't gotten around to the video but it's already planned ;).
@@LowEndLobster I had one and still miss it. Overall, I think Japanese basses from late 70s/early 80s were absolutely awesome. A pal of mine lend me his Aria Pro II SB-700 bass for about a month - I returned it yesterday and it was a sad day for me. Not the most comfortable bass I've played (the body isn't contoured too well) but sound-wise... OH MAN. It's THE Duran Duran sound (John Taylor had one, so duh). I want one badly. The Japanese also made great "lawsuit copies" of popular American designs - I have an ash/maple Founder Jazz and tonally, it's right up there with good MIA ones!
I'm waiting patiently for that RS 924 review :-)
which is your fauvorite combination of pickup + preamp on stingray? thanks in advance.
Thanks David! Great question, I liked the EMG combo as well as the Bartolini + John East (no vid yet ;P)
@@LowEndLobster thanks a lot, Have you had a chance to test lace o´war mm4 by lace sensor?
I have a MM Stringray 5 with OBP-3 (stock pickup). I'm hesitating because I want to replace it with a stock preamp to make it more original, but that's very expensive and rare, while Aguilar is not a bad preamp at all and I believe the Stingray tone is still there. If I can get a stock preamp one day, would you consider it an upgrade (make it sound "more like Stingray") or should I be happy with Aguilar?
The OBP3 has more bells and whistles than the stock preamp, but a swap back and forth should be easy. You can find a stock EBMM preamp on ebay or reverb. That being said, I don't think the stock preamp will sound drastically different
Been thinking about using this pickup in a passive bass. How do passive and active sounds compare?
Is the tone capsule that good, if i juge so, it Will go in my streamer jazzman
IMO It's a good preamp, but a focused preamp. It colors the tone heavily with 'Darkglass' character, which you cannot really escape. It's not a one trick pony, but it's not the most flexible preamp either. They're not super expensive and are relatively easy to install. I hope that helps :)
I love you car so much
Thanks Nathan :)
@@LowEndLobster I was ment to say cat!🤣
What knobs did you use on this build ?
Great question! I used some random ones I found on Amazon I believe. Here's a link- www.amazon.com/Concentric-Stacked-Control-Electric-Guitar/dp/B07216CSGS/
I bought a used ray24 and put a SD mm pickup and tone monster preamp in it. Knowing what i know now, I should’ve just gotten the ray4 and saved some money, especially since my bass came with a pretty big ding in it smh. I like what it sounds like, but i have a ESP 5 string that i put Aguilars in w a tone monster as well, but i think it deserves the obp3. I wanted to keep a little difference in the tones. In your opinion, should i further mod my ray24 or keep it and get a ray34?
Ok I subsc finally you have me with all the MMs lol
Welcome :)
What drum machine do you use?
Are you selling this bass??? Your Reverb link doesn’t go to your page. It’s sending me to the homepage. Thanks.
Heyo! My basses usually sell within 24-72 hrs of posting. I have a link to my reverb shop page at the bottom of my page. Feel free to join our discord too, I usually give a heads up on stuff that I'll be putting up for sale before posting on Reverb.
The push pull 400/800Hz mid control does nothing unless you cut or boost the frequency!
Thanks Martin! Yup! Though this one had some minor impact with treble in play with the mid center, but the nordy one operates exactly like you describe (you'll see later today).
@@LowEndLobster Fantastic mod! Big thumbs up 👍
Can we make this ray4 parallel?
This particular one stock was hard wired series, but my most recent one had the ability to. The AG4M is hard wired parallel
Thanks lobster you are the best im about to buy a ray34 and im wondering which will sound more stingray ish the Seymour or aguilar? Thaanks
Sounds real good but not like the classic 2band sound of the 70’s Ray.. but for a basically a total of
$500.00 bucks with the upgrades it’s a solid instrument.
Broke 5k subs (not the music man kind 😂)
LOL Thank you Captain!
That combo sounds great dude. I'm considering the obp3 or the darkglass tone capsule for my ray 34pb.
Thanks Jason! They're VERY different preamps with the DG providing a lot more of their signature coloring, where the aggie IMO is a bit more neutral (but still sounds awesome when paired with this pickup). Minty vid with the darkglass coming on Thurs I think :)
@@LowEndLobster That's my dilemma. I have yet to hear an Aggie product that doesn't deliver however, the DG has caught my attention. the high mid control instead of the treble is intriguing to me.
Go full everything I want to hear headroom. You could have volume down to 10% for all I know.
0:43 wow look who likes black stingrays
;P
Is it me or the sound is little high mid heavy ... good for slaps maybe but may not sit with mix when with fingers
Indeed, mids are very in-yo-face
There is a lot of power on tap. Easy to use too much Eq here. 800 hz seems too high for me
Thanks James!
BEEFY!!!!.....and a FIRST on the channel....your GF chiming in!!!!...
Thanks dude! Check out the SRF700 vid from yesterday ;P that was the first and not the last!
@@LowEndLobster haha okie doke!!!...you know me and fretless basses ...so i havent watched it ...but now i MUST...hahaha
HELL YEAH!! i did exactly the same mods on my S.U.B. Ray5. I just added a graphite nut by Partsplanet. It sound soooo sweet. For those who are interested i did a short video where i compare it to a Fender Jazz Bass American Deluxe 5. I've bought it and all its parts (exept for the nut and the preamp) used : a 400 € Sterling that does not miss a beat VS a 2000€+ Fender? WOW
ua-cam.com/video/BDH4lt5bq8s/v-deo.html
This one didn’t excite me. I’m saving all my spoot for Minty
Saving the best for last ;P