New for 2025: The LHZ-04 Preamp

The LHZ-04 preamp is a physical re-design of our current LHZ-03 model. It is the same circuit, same components, and same sound. Improvements for 2025 were driven by a significant number of clients using the LHZ in non-Spector basses with very confined control cavities. With smaller board dimensions and extremely…

LBCA-02 Active Blend Owners Guide

The LBCA-02 is an Active Balance Control designed to be used with Active pickups using modular DuPont-compatible cable connectors. The LBCA-02 works well with both the classic and X-series pickups from EMG™ as well as active pickups from most other manufacturers. The LHZ Preamp installation manual contains wiring diagrams for…

Spector® Bass Setup Procedures

INTRODUCTION The majority of these notes were written by Jim Eppard who is responsible for setting up USA Spector® basses in the NY workshop. He created these notes in response to requests from owners on the proper factory setup, and they’ve been my gold standard for maintaining my own Spector®…

LHZ History

I thought I’d take a few minutes to go through the progression of updates to the LHZ preamp since it’s inception in 2022. I laughingly tell people that I’ve “accidently started a business.” It’s framed as a joke, but the reality is exactly that: this was a personal project and…

HL-1 HAZard LAMPS Pedal by LHZ Preamps

Today we take a look at the HL-1 HAZard LAMPS Pedal, which is designed to give you that classic “Haz” tone on the floor. This pedal was designed for players using Spector® basses (with EQ dimed) who need to use a passive bass for a few songs. The HL-1 allows…

LHZ FAQ 02: What’s in the box?

In this we will go through a few of the most common questions regarding the LHZ-03 bass preamp: What’s in the box? Will it fit in my bass? How do I take the liner off the 3M VHB tape? One of the joys of this project is talking to players…

Barrel Jack Pin Identification and Wiring

One of the more common questions we receive are about how to solder the barrel jack. This can feel like a daunting task to players who’ve never soldered before or have limited electronics experience. Thankfully, it is not hard to do! This video walks through a couple concepts to make…

Battery Drain Diagnostics

In this video we take a look at two of the most common reasons for rapid battery drain in a bass with an LHZ preamp. A 9 volt battery should last 6-8 months of normal use. However, certain wiring issues can cause an active preamp and pickups to always be…

HL-1 HAZard LAMPS Available in Store

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 5/2/2024 Today we are happy to announce that the HL-1 HAZard LAMPS pedal is now available from the LHZ Store! Bass Direct UK is now stocking both the HL-1 HAZard LAMPS Pedal and the LHZ-03 Preamp, which gives customers in the US and European Union a local…