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12-02-2010, 07:50 AM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lexington, KY | | | bart pre with EMG passive pups? LONGSHOT QUESTION
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I have an old Steinberger XP2 with EMG passive pickups from the factory. I also have a Bartolini 2 band active preamp I'm considering installing. New Bartolini pups for a Steinberger are CRAZY expensive. I know this is like dropping a Chevy small block in a Ford Mustang, but I wanna know if anyone else has had success mixing 2 brands like this. |
12-02-2010, 11:52 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Chicago, IL | | | If the pickups are passive, you can use any preamp. I've seen EMGs with Bart and Aguilar preamps installed.
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12-02-2010, 11:58 AM
|  | quid verum atque decens
Builder: Rickett Customs | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern Maryland | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffbass  I know this is like dropping a Chevy small block in a Ford Mustang, but I wanna know if anyone else has had success mixing 2 brands like this. | Actually, it's more like changing brands of Tubes in a tube amp......
The thing with Passive EMG's (are they HZ's by chance?) is the fact that you will be able to utilize the bart preamp........ however, if the pre was designed for Active EMG's, the same could not be said for it working very well, due to the value of the pots used...
Good luck. |
12-02-2010, 12:03 PM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Close to Los Angeles, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Rickett Customs however, if the pre was designed for Active EMG's, the same could not be said for it working very well, due to the value of the pots used... | If the preamp has a high impedance input, it doesn't care if your pickups are active or passive.
As far as the pot values, actives use low value (25K, 50K, 100K) pots and passives use higher value pots (250K, 500K.) Choose the appropriate pot values and you will be fine.
As far as how the two will actually sound together, I have no idea.
They might compliment each other, or they might sound terrible. |
12-02-2010, 01:41 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lexington, KY | | | nah- the pre was designed for passive pups. these aren't HZ's either, just passive humbuckers from 1985. I'm hoping it'll sound good- I'm pretty sure it'll work though. Thanks for the tips fellas! |
12-02-2010, 01:50 PM
| | Registered User
Endorsing Artist: J.C. Basses | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Phoenix, Arizona 85029 | | | Not to hi-jack, but volume pots aside, if a preamp is designed for use with active pickups and one were to use passive pickups, would that affect the EQ pots functionality as well?
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Originally Posted by McThumpenstein I don't think the wife would buy the "I need to take off this knob and put a whole new bass under it" story. |
Last edited by FunkMetalBass : 12-02-2010 at 01:53 PM.
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12-02-2010, 02:12 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2001 Location: St. Louis, MO USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass Not to hi-jack, but volume pots aside, if a preamp is designed for use with active pickups and one were to use passive pickups, would that affect the EQ pots functionality as well? | It totally depends on the design of the circuit. There is no universal. It may not matter, or it may not work at all. |
12-02-2010, 02:20 PM
| | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Close to Los Angeles, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by jeffbass nah- the pre was designed for passive pups. | What does that mean?
The preamp has a high impedance input, so it doesn't matter at all if the output impedance of your pickups are lower. That would actually be preferred.
The only difference between active and passive pickups is the output impedance. |
12-02-2010, 06:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lexington, KY | | | the preamp was in a Jazz bass with bart passive pickups and it worked great. all bart pickups are passive. these emg's are definitely passive- no battery in the bass and the EMG is in the middle of the pickup (to the side, of course), not in the corner. |
12-02-2010, 06:22 PM
|  | Registered User
Owner/Builder: HJC Customs USA, The Cool Lute, C G O | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Southwest Michigan | | Hey Jeff you could have saved all this time by just sending the pre with the pickups....LMAO
BTW, the bart pre will work fine with the EMG passives, and you may be surprised at how good the combo is, I have one of my first personal builds from 82 that has the old EMG select P/j set-up with a bart pre, and sounds great. I think you'll like it.  |
12-03-2010, 06:29 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lexington, KY | | | thanks for the encouragement, bro. I think it'll work too. I even thought about keeping the Barts I sold you and installing them on my Steinberger. This would have involved cutting some of the wood away inside the cavity and I don't wanna do that. I'm gonna customize the bass, but with the ability to go back to stock with no problems.
Thanks again to all for their input. Now if I can just get that custom pickguard delivered soon.... I can slap it (no pun intended) all together! | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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