EMG BTS/BTC/BTQ System ued with passive pickups?

[gnr_her]

Hi guys!

I've been told that if you change the 25k Master pot to a 500K one you can run the BTS or BTC System with any passive pickup...

Would this be true?

Does anyone know the answer or tried that?

[Von Felgenhauer]

i would like to know also

["T"]

http://www.emginc.com/content/wiring...G-BTseries.pdf

According to these diagrams, it doesn't seem like a big deal.

I'm right in the middle of changing from active EMG's W/BTC to passive pickups on a PJ Fretless. (Still waiting on a pickup order) I might as well give this a try? I'll post afterwards. Maybe next week.

[Noseferatu]

I didnt think it could be used with passive systems. I thought I read that on EMG's website, actually. Who knows.

["T"]

Originally Posted by Noseferatu

I didnt think it could be used with passive systems. I thought I read that on EMG's website, actually. Who knows.

You may be correct. After looking again, in the General Installation Notes, it say that the BTS and BTC systems are for EMG pickups only. Perhaps a more knowledgable person than myself could answer why this is.

I hadn't originally planned on using my old BTC with the new passive pickups I ordered, (Nordstand NJ4SE for the bridge and 62' Fender RI's for the neck) but I'm interested in the possibility of trying it out unless there is any sort of problem involved. Again, I'm not sure if there is much of an upside to having a BTC with the pickups I've chosen anyways, but hopefully there will be more info to follow.

[walterw]

the same question was just addressed here.

the "systems" include volume and blend controls which will not work with passive pickups.

the EMG "controls" are the preamps from the systems by themselves, and they will work with passive pickups. (they work great with passives, actually; the EQ is smooth and tasteful, and when i've wired them with bypass switches to go back to straight passive, the pickups sound just about the same passive as they do active with the controls flat.)

[SGD Lutherie]

What Walter said. I had a few BTC Systems laying around and just swapped the blend and volume controls for passive pickups and they work great.

I just installed one into a customer's Jazz bass this week.

["T"]

Very cool to know! Thanks! I'll give it a try.