Warwick Streamer $$

[polluxmdq]

Hello,

I just swapped the stokc MEC mics and 2 band preamp from my warwick streamer $$ with a SMB-4A on the neck, a SMB-4D on the bridge, and an STC-3P 3 band tone control.

Everything works fine and sounds great, better than stock to my taste, but I have a few questions regarding impedances and pot values.

The impedances on the mics are:
4A: 4.18K each coil (so this would be 8.36k in series, and 2.09k in parallel IIUC)
4D: 2.6k each coil (so this would be 5.2k in series, and 1.3k in parallel IIUC)

If I compare these to standard double mic setups, the higher impedance mic is on the bridge and the lower one on the neck. Is there any specific reason to this? (thus, would it work better with the 4D on the neck and the 4A on the bridge?)

Now the pots... Since the $$ configuration is not very common, I presume the prewired STC-3P is not stock tailored for this setup. The STC 3P has a 250K blend and a 10k vol pot. Are these values still ok for a double-MM setup? (if I compare these to, for example, passive jazz mics, the impedances are much higher on the jazz)

Thank you for your help!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Warwick Streamer $$

Welcome to the forum.

The STC-3P system includes a balance pot. It is designed to work with two pickups. The electronics should work with any two pickups so long as both are passive.

It would be conventional to position the higher output pickup of two nearer to the bridge. The reason for this is so that the higher pickup inductance compensates for the lower degree of string excursion close to the bridge.

 

[polluxmdq]

Re: Warwick Streamer $$

Hi,

Thank you for your reply.

Welcome to the forum.

The STC-3P system includes a balance pot. It is designed to work with two pickups. The electronics should work with any two pickups so long as both are passive.

Even though the impedance variations between different passive mics can reach a factor of 10 or more?

It would be conventional to position the higher output pickup of two nearer to the bridge. The reason for this is so that the higher pickup inductance compensates for the lower degree of string excursion close to the bridge.

It's clearer now, thank you. Since one is alnico (warmer) and the other one ceramic (brighter), and they are both high output, I set the brighter one on the bridge and the warmer one on the neck. Output level sounds similar on both mics. Could it be that the impedance difference compensates for the different materials of the magnets, therefore producing a similar output level (actually a bit higher on the ceramic)?

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Warwick Streamer $$

That is pretty much correct. Enjoy your bass guitar.