Can I switch active pickups from other brands but use the same preamp ?

[mb94952]

I wish I understood electronics more than I do.

I know with passive instruments I can use replacement pickups of any brand.

Does the same go for active pups ? For example, can I drop Peavey pickups right into a Yamaha active bass and use the existing preamp ? Does the same apply with high end electronics, too ?

[mmbongo]

I dropped active Seymour Duncans in my Peavey Millennium with no problem so it should work, but I've never used Yamaha pickups. You should have three wires...power, signal +, and signal -. If you have that you should be good.

[mb94952]

Thanks ! That helps.

I just bought a set of Alembic P/J pups and I want to drop them into a Yamaha BB (I like the feel of those basses). Can I add a preamp to the now passive bass ?

I read the thread here on TB and the advice was either ACG or Glockenlang.

Any other ideas ?

- Mike B.

[Chasarms]

It all depends on the set up. There are many different types of "active" setups. There is the:

1. Passive - Passive. Think Fender jazz. Passive pickups. Passive tone control.

2. Passive - Active. The most common. Bartonili, most stock tone circuits. The PUs themselves are passive, but are being used with an active preamp/tone control.

3. Active - Passive. Think EMG without an additional preamp/EQ. The PUs themselves are activity powered with battery voltage but the tone is tweaked with a regular passive pot.

4. Active - Active. Think EMG with the additional active tone control options. Both the PU and the preamp require voltage.

So, in general, you may or may not be able to use different stuff together. It depends on the above considerations as well as the impedence of the various parts, the design of the preamp, etc. It's just hard to know.