Active Bass pre-amps: STC3A vs. STC3M4

[elpelotero]

Hello all...my first post here.

I'm a big fan of the crunchy bass tones had by Dirk Lance of Incubus and PNUT of 311. I play modern alt. rock similar to their styles and I have a Warwick Streamer Stage2 5 string. Right now the stock MEC's are really not cutting it as far as aggressiveness goes. I truly believe the fundamental sound these two guys get from their basses not only comes from the Warwick itself, obviously, but the pickups because they help to best translate the wood's vibrations and tap tones.

So I'm probably going to buy the AJB-5's, but I don't know the differences between the STC-3A and STC-3M4. PNUT uses the former and Incubus the latter.

What are the main differences between these two preamps? My bass has two active jazz pickups and the following 4 knobs: (a)Stacked-volume, pan, slap (b) bass (c) mid (d) treble.

Please be as thorough as you can, or at least explain what the website techinical descriptions actually mean. I want to get all the info I can.
Thanks!

 

[John Wymore]

Re: Active Bass pre-amps: STC3A vs. STC3M4

The STC-3M4 is designed for the 4-Knob MM bass which has a single pickup. The 4-knob setup would work for your bass but the single pickup harness would not. No blend control.

The STC-3A has a harness designed for dual pickups which is what you need and also has a 4-knob setup. Blend/volume stacked plus the bass, mid and treble EQ.

My understanding is that the preamps are voiced a little differently and the dual pickup harness, of course, includes a blend control. The slap control is incorporated as a push/pull switch in one of the knobs. Make sure you specify you have active pickups when ordering so you get the proper pot values in the wiring harness.

 

[elpelotero]

Re: Active Bass pre-amps: STC3A vs. STC3M4

GREAT POST!!! thanks so much for that info.

If anyone can now tell me how the two are voiced differently, that'd be the icing on the cake. Thanks.

 

[elpelotero]

Re: Active Bass pre-amps: STC3A vs. STC3M4

bump