Well, some backstory...
Back in 2000 or 2001, I bought an '81 G&L L-2000E. The bass had one of the nicest necks I had ever touched, so I bought it as a project, because the onboard electronics were shot.
I had owned a newer L-2000 previously, so I was familiar with the electronics scheme in the basses, I just wasn't a huge fan.
And once I heard the MFD pickups straight into my amp, I knew I wanted a passive setup in that bass.
So, I started brainstorming about how to fill all the holes in the control plate.
I ended up with series/parallel switches for each pickup, and a "kill switch" to mute the bass.
Controls were blend, a disconnected volume, and tone (in that order because I always used the blend, never used the volume, and rarely used the tone).
That bass became my "go to" bass due to the incredible flexibility of that setup.
A couple years later, I got my first Dingwall and the G&L stopped being my #1, but I always had that electronics scheme in my head as ideal for me (probably not enough EQ control for most).
Fast forward to a year ago, and I was between jobs and had medical bills to pay -- so I sold my beautiful AB2 to cover the medical bills and give me $$ to buy Christmas presents for my daughter.
Once I got my tax return I "splurged" and got a used Lakland Skyline 55-01. It was a VERY nice bass and that came with coil-tapped Nordstrand DC's, a blend pot, and a Bartolini NTMB preamp.
Between the blend and the coil tapping switches, I never felt the need to touch any of the EQ knobs. And it reminded me of my old L-2000E.
Most recently, I got a really good job, found a beautiful AB 1.5 for sale, sold the Lakland (to fund the AB1.5) and have been getting reaquainted with my Dingwall addiction!
But I play loud, noisy rock music and find that the parallel-wired FD-3 neck pickup (either soloed or in the parallel blend) is too polite and mid-scooped sounding for my taste.
I just want a simple setup with big sound; I'm seriously debating installing a P-Tone, removing the preamp and just having the blend pot and a Tone Styler tone -- I don't see a need to boost the lows or highs on the bass and a passive tone control would give me what I need.
Am I crazy?