A Quick Wiring Query

[stevie_bees]

I have a set of active Bassline pickups that I'm looking to put in an Ibby bass. The current set up is passive pickups with an active preamp. Can I just directly swap the actives for the passives as long as I hook them up to the battery too? I've never used active pickups in either a guitar or bass before.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

What exact control circuitry does the bass have at the moment?

You might get away with substituting just the Balance pot. 250-500k out. 25-100k in.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

I'm not entirely sure as the latest diagram on the Ibanez website is 2008 and mine is newer than that. It looks like it has a master volume, a blend pot and an active 3 band EQ (2 big knobs and 3 smaller knobs below them).

The second big knob has a centre detent which makes me think it's a blender, as do the 3 smaller knobs which may be B/M/T boost/cut.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

That control format resembles any number of models from the SR and SRX ranges.

At the absolute minimum, you need to change the Balance pot to something in the 10 to 100k Ohm range, splice the +9v power supply to the two new pickups into the feed to the EQ and connect the two active pickups to the new balance pot.

Make a sketch of how the Balance pot connections have been made. Some of those Cort-assembled harnesses do things in an unconventional - though entirely logical - way.

If the stock wiring harness employs block connectors on the PCB, you need to find a way to introduce the pickup power cables with enough slack so that you can still pull out the block from the PCB without destroying anything.

From a soldering perspective, it would actually be quicker to remove the entire Ibanez electronics except the jack socket and fit an STC-3A. The downside would be needing to ream out the pot shaft holes. Then, of course, those cute li'l EQ knobs wouldn't fit any more.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

Considerably more tricky than I thought!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

It depends on the PCB.

Does the bass have a small PCB for the EQ and a bunch of flying leads between the pots or are all five pots are mounted on a single slab of plastic?

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

I'll get a pic of it.


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[stevie_bees]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

Sent from my Tardis using Timey-wimey talk!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

The three block connectors are Signal from volume pot to EQ PCB, PCB to EQ pots + shared ground, PCB to battery compartment.

Are your SD pickups Lightnin' Rods, Pro Active or the old Active EQ "switch" type?

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

Phase I active soapbars

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

The output cable will be the same for all of the possible SD active bass pickups.

I asked about the pickup type because it might have a bearing on what EQ is best suited. Hopefully, the existing EQ is already tweaked to suit a five string.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

Assuming that you propose to modify an SR305 or 505, what is the string to string spacing above the neck position pickup?

The ASB-5 has an asymmetric split blade polepiece design. It would be annoying if the fourth string aligned with the gap. http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass-pickups/soapbars/5string/asb5_asb6_activ/

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

The EQ seems to work well currently, I'm intrigued to hear how it would combine with the pickups.

I'll have to double check the string spacing on Friday as it's been left with the rest of the gear for a gig then...

Edit: Around 67mm seems to ring a bell

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: A Quick Wiring Query

Pic is of an ASB-5 pair on a Warwick Streamer Pro Stage 1 with the widest nut option. MEC pot values are 100k for the EQ and a combined 25/500k push-pull monstrosity covering Volume, Balance and EQ Bypass.

SD website product info illustrates maximum string sensing window width but is vague about the narrowest.