Mixing Active with passive pickups

[Cron]

I want to try mixing an EMG 81 or 89 in the bridge with something like a SD Jazz or Alnico 2 Pro in the neck ....

Have any of you ever tried this?

Where could i get a wiring diagram for something like this?

How can i compensate for the difference in output between active and passive? (either some kind of gain booster on the passive one or something that makes the volume of the active pickup softer without cleaning the sound up like a normal volume pot)

Thanx

 

[jeremy]

Re: Mixing Active with passive pickups

yes i have tried it. it can work but there is always a volume difference.

you need to use a seperate signal path for each pup. 500k volume/tone for the passive, 50k volume/tone for the actives.

what type of guitar is this?

 

[Cron]

Re: Mixing Active with passive pickups

Well its a self made Les Paul leaning towards being a PRS Singlecut.

Very thick maple cap, thick mohogany back and neck....and bolivian rosewood fretboard... If that helps

 

[Cron]

Re: Mixing Active with passive pickups

Oh and its got a 5-way megaswitch and 3 holes for volume or tone pots....which i can change to my liking.

 

[Zerberus]

Re: Mixing Active with passive pickups

From http://www.emgpickups.com/text/faq.html#WQ5

Can I mix EMG's with passive pickups?

It is possible to mix EMG's with passive pickups. There are three possible wiring configurations; one is better than the other two.

Use the high impedance (250K-500K) volume and tone controls. The problem is that the high impedance controls act more like a switch to the EMG's. The passive pickups, however, will work fine. If you have a guitar with two pickups and two volume pots, with a three-way switch, there is another alternative. Use the 25K pots for the EMG, and the 250K pots for the passive pickup. This way you can use one or the other with no adverse affects, but with the switch in the middle position the passive pickup will have reduced gain and response.

Use the low-impedance (25K) volume and tone controls provided with the EMG's. The problem here is that the passive pickups will suffer a reduction in gain and loss of high-frequency response.

This is the best alternative. Install an EMG-PA-2 on the passive pickups. There are two benefits to doing this. With the trimpot on the PA-2, you can adjust the gain of the passive pickups to match the EMG's. The PA-2 acts as an impedance matching device so you can use the low-impedance EMG controls (25K) without affecting the tone of the passive pickups. You will also be able to use other EMG accessory circuits such as the SPC, RPC, EXB, EXG, etc. For this application, we recommend ordering the PA-2 without the switch for easy installation on the inside of a guitar.