Installing Sustainiac in conjunction with Active/Passive PU toggle switch

[Hapijoel]

Hi there,

I'm looking to buy a new bass, and seriously considering the Fender American Deluxe P-Bass, mainly to have something a little punchier than my Jazz but also because of the Bridge mounted J-PU.

My plan is to eventually install a Sustainiac Stealth Pro into it as well, but I'm not the brightest wiring expert and need some help.

My main concern is that the American Deluxe's Active/ Passive toggle switch may be incompatible with the Stealth PRO, would anyone be able shed any light on this?

Many thanks in advance!

p.s I am aware there will be need to carve holes for 18v battery compartments, rewiring and a 9 pin jack etc

[khutch]

I am not sure what you mean by incompatible. The active/passive switches on Fender basses are DPDT and all the contacts are dedicated to the active/passive function. You will need to add another switch for the sustainer do-dad if that is what you are asking. The active/passive switch connects the pickup signals from the pickup blend pot to either the preamp input or the passive tone and volume controls and at the same time it connects the output jack to either the preamp output or the passive tone/volume controls. In one position the signal flows through the preamp, in the other it bypasses the preamp and gives you passive tone and volume controls. I don't have enough interest to read through the mish-mash of documentation for this device but I think the Fender electronics will be compatible with it. You will just have to wire it in ahead of the input connections to the active/passive switch, and probably ahead of the pickup blend pot. I did not notice any four string bass drivers for this system so good luck, you are being either Don Quixote or Stephen Hawking here, I can't tell which!!

Ken