HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Zacker

New member
What you need: 2 Pickups, 2 4PDT switches, a guitar that can hold 4 pots, 2 pup switches and 2 normal switches
EXTRA DIAGRAM NEEDED : The 2hb1vol1t diagram, and the Blackout preamp 2hb1vol1t diagram. Both can be found on http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/
Sorry for the crummy drawing, it was just to pass time. And it's not like the order of which the wires go into which lug is important, as long as it uses IT'S OWN LUG(pretty much common sense) and you KNOW WHICH LUG CORRESPONDS TO WHICH WIRE, it's fine.
Yes, I cropped out the pups really bad XD

blackout bypass.png
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Yup, almost there. You're missing two other key points that have to be routed.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

You made this way more complex than need be. First of all, you need to understand that if you're going to solder the pup wires to a switch, (or anything, for that matter), you've defeated the purpose of the Liberator system. No need to use it. So, you just solder the red/white wires of each pup together and insulate them. Greens and bares all go to ground. Now, a single DPDT switch will route the black wires only, to either the preamp or the regular wiring. Plus you'll need to switch the output routing too. So a 3PDT. That's probably what orpheo was eluding to.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

@ArtieToo

I'm sorry but you're wrong. The Blackout Modular Preamp needs to process the signals of each coil individually. You can't ignore the other wires or something like that. You 'need' the 4 conductor wires. No way around that.

And I was eluding at something else. Yes, you can reroute the pickup signal this way, but you need MORE rerouting if you want to make it work. Took me a while to figure it out exactly, especially if you wanna use 2 pickups. Oh and you may (or may not) need to use a different kind of switch. A 4 pole simply won't cut it. especially if you want to keep on using the standard switchcraft 3 way toggle.

The way the BMP is right now, it's unsuited for rerouting unless you're willing to source a special kind of switch and really dig into the inner workings of the BMP if you wanna switch it.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Not willing to share your info with us? Is there a particular reason you are holding your cards this close to your chest?

You've mentioned it a few times that you've got it figured out but you are always pretty vague with the info. Why?
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Because I have been asked to not be specific. I can drop hints but that's kinda about it. I have made a clip showing I managed to do it, but I can't say how.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Could you give us a link to tour clip Orpheo? And the other "two key points that have to be rerouted", are they in the BMP?
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Yeah, you have to select the voltage. Thats the second hint. already gave the first one.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Maybe this is a stupid question, but why would one want to bypass the preamp of the Blackouts? Does that make them passive?
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Maybe this is a stupid question, but why would one want to bypass the preamp of the Blackouts? Does that make them passive?

Hes not talking so much about the Blackout pickups, hes talking about the BMP1 the modular preamp. Its added to passive pickups to make them active. Forever people have tried to make it switchable so you could have both the active and passive options.

In theory you could probably do the same with a blackout pickup but with it all being circuit boards encased in epoxy would be nigh impossible to do.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Because I have been asked to not be specific. I can drop hints but that's kinda about it. I have made a clip showing I managed to do it, but I can't say how.

Who told you to not be specific? Are you under a NDA with Seymour Duncan? If you cant say how why are you allowed to make hints?
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Hes not talking so much about the Blackout pickups, hes talking about the BMP1 the modular preamp. Its added to passive pickups to make them active. Forever people have tried to make it switchable so you could have both the active and passive options.

In theory you could probably do the same with a blackout pickup but with it all being circuit boards encased in epoxy would be nigh impossible to do.
Ahhhhhhhh, I got ya. Thanks for clearing that up for me.:)
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

Who told you to not be specific? Are you under a NDA with Seymour Duncan? If you cant say how why are you allowed to make hints?

To explain that would put me in a difficult position. Please, just accept my explanation. If in a year nothing has changed, I'd be more inclined to spill the beans.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

I would be more inclined to buy a few if I could switch between passive and active easily. active pickups are something I never use so I don't have any guitars with them installed, but it would be cool to have actives with a flick of a switch, rather than dedicating a whole guitar that I would rarely use.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

I would be more inclined to buy a few if I could switch between passive and active easily. .

This is the whole problem... even with this supposed solution. Its anything but easy. But then again the BMP1 was never designed for it either.

As it stands EMG has add on boosts etc that you can install easily and use. Not sure why they arent more popular with the i want active and passive crowd.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

To explain that would put me in a difficult position. Please, just accept my explanation. If in a year nothing has changed, I'd be more inclined to spill the beans.

I'm gonna hold you to this... Please no icemanning. If you iceman ill tell hazeem to flick a booger in your kebab the next time you go in there.
 
Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

As it stands EMG has add on boosts etc that you can install easily and use. Not sure why they arent more popular with the i want active and passive crowd.

lots of people have hum problems with EMGs. The addition of the booster would only make the ones who didn't have hum problems with EMG to actually have.
In fact, SD has correctly based their advertising on the blackouts as being more noise-free than the "other" active brand. I love the 81/60 set, but not the hum. I would try the blackouts some day (the regular ones not the metal)
 
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Re: HOW TO: Bypass the Blackouts Preamp

lots of people have hum problems with EMGs. The addition of the booster would only make the ones who didn't have hum problems with EMG to actually have.

We arent talking about EMG's. We are talking about passives and be able to go from active to passive.

Not sure what thread you are reading but this isnt applicable to whats being said here at all.
 
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