man, what a difference! (passive vs. active electronics)

eastcoasteddie · #1 12-04-2009, 06:56 PM

I've been strictly playing my passive Squier Jazz with MM humbuckers in it for about a month now. Although it sounded good as it was for a passive bass, the pickups made a huge difference.

But I started hating the tone. I actually started to think that my amp and cab set up had a crappy sound.

I wanted to try an active preamp in that bass, just to see how it would sound. I ordered a $40 korean-made preamp from ebay, with the idea that if it doesn't sound good, no big loss for $40.

I got the preamp and hooked it up temporarily to hear it. I have to move the input jack to the side of the bass for everything to fit in the stock cavity. I think I can fit the module and battery in there, albeit tightly.

I have to say, that the sound of this bass with a preamp blew me away. It thumps more than I could have imagined. And the preamp is very transparent, it still has the same mid-tones as it did whilst passive, but I can now boost the bass & treble.

I knew a long time ago that I only like active basses, and this just reinforces that notion.

Sorry if this seems like a dumb post, but I just had to share.

If there is any interest, I can post pics of the bass with the preamp in it, once I'm done with the minor modifications I need to make to both the bass and the control circuit for everything to fit.

jworrellbass · #2 12-04-2009, 07:00 PM

What pre did you use?

eastcoasteddie · #3 12-04-2009, 07:11 PM

Got this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Band-Active-Pa...item439ba8e9cd

I chose this one for the better pots it comes with. However, I think the pre is meant to fit in a bass with a reat cavity route, and not so much a Jazz bass. The bass & treble pot wires are really short, but it's not a huge issue, I can get it to work. I had to eliminate the active/passive switch volume pot and use a standard pot. The a/p pot is a bit too long for my application since I'm trying to fit the battery in the stock cavity, I don't feel like routing for a battery box. The a/p vol pot is a standard 250K audio taper, I just swapped in the CTS pot from my passive controls.

Perhaps this preamp:
http://cgi.ebay.com/2-Band-Active-Ba...item5634bb2c46

would have fit much better with longer wires and the module is also smaller, but it has cheaper pots. Since the stock squier pots fell apart on my, I don't trust crap....

eastcoasteddie · #4 12-04-2009, 09:44 PM

OK, made all my necessary adjustments to the wiring in order for the preamp to fit in the cavity with a battery. It's tight, but it fits!

My vol pot is a standard CTS 250K audio, then there's a blend, treble & bass.

Switches are as they were, parallel/single coil for each pickup.

Home made stainless steel side input jack plate. Yes, I said home-made; 1/8" thick.

I'll work on getting some updated sound clips on Monday perhaps.

Jjango · #5 12-05-2009, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eastcoasteddie

That's a freakin' hot looking bass!

Rumblefisher · #6 12-05-2009, 09:44 AM

Glad to hear you like the sound coming out of what might be the best looking Sqiuer ever.

I feel like you are enjoying the active sound more b/c:
1. That bass originally was designed with active electronics
2. Basswood bodies, although nice, are soft and produce a sound reflective of that characteristic (look at Bongos...they have a powerful preamp and neodymium pickups, which, paired with a harder wood, would be way too crisp
3. MM pickups are "supposed" to be paired with active stuff... they sound really dark without it.

Again, great that you prefer your sound with the mod.

eastcoasteddie · #7 12-05-2009, 11:33 AM

I think this one is made of Alder, the Affinity Jazz V. I believe the Basswood Squier is the Deluxe Active Jazz V

Perhaps you're right that these pickups are better suited for active electronics...I haven't seen any bass with these type set up as passive.

M0ses · #8 12-05-2009, 07:38 PM

That jack plate is really cool. Just wanted you to know.

ChrisBowsman · #9 12-06-2009, 08:14 AM

That's a great looking bass. Makes me want to try out a preamp.

eastcoasteddie · #10 12-07-2009, 07:17 PM

Well, I was messing around with series/parallel/split coils being that the bass is active now. I decided that I was going to go series/parallel and just do away with the single coil.

So I did up the swiring, but needed one more switch to send the 2 coils' parallel (-) wires to ground for parallel mode. So I got a 3rd switch to do that.

By doing so, I inadvertently enabled 2 single coil modes, depending if the pickups are in series or parallel...If I'm in series mode, I'll flip the ground switch to get outer coils. If I'm in Parallel, hit the switch the other way and I'll get inner coils.

I don't think I can fit any more crap into this stock control cavity, it's already super tight as it is. I probably should have gotten an Aggie OBP-2 to boot, it would have cost me more than twice as much up front, but I'll probably have a bit more space in there for the jumble of spaghetti wires.

eastcoasteddie · #11 12-20-2009, 03:37 PM

After cramming all that crap in the stock control cavity, I felt that all that tightness mut not be good for the wiring in the long run. I figured I might as well make a bettery compartment, which will aleviate some room and make it easier to change the battery.
So I took a que from my Stingray and copied the battery compartment cover; made it out of a piece of 14 gauge sheet metal. Picked a good spot for the compartment and did some more routing. Here are the results.

Yeah, the lines are a bit chewy, but i didn't use a template. Free-hand routing.

shrigg · #12 12-20-2009, 04:10 PM

I like it! Way to make the Squier work for you. I did a similar mod to my 1981 G&L L-1000, I added a single Music Man pickup in the bridge position. Loved the sound of both the G&L and the MM pickups on together. Never heard the end of it from the TB'ers for modding a vintage instrument however

Ended up trading it off...

blendermassacre · #13 12-20-2009, 05:05 PM

Dude, I bet that thing is gnarley. It looks like it could kill you.... this is giving me a little too much inspiration for my mim jazz.

eastcoasteddie · #14 12-20-2009, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shrigg

I like it! Way to make the Squier work for you. I did a similar mod to my 1981 G&L L-1000, I added a single Music Man pickup in the bridge position. Loved the sound of both the G&L and the MM pickups on together. Never heard the end of it from the TB'ers for modding a vintage instrument however

Ended up trading it off...

they gave you crap about the pickup and yet they were willing to take it off your hands...

eastcoasteddie · #15 12-20-2009, 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blendermassacre

Dude, I bet that thing is gnarley. It looks like it could kill you.... this is giving me a little too much inspiration for my mim jazz.

It does sound pretty wicked...

I got rid of the blend knob and did a Vol-Vol-Treb-Bass setup. I also installed one more toggle switch (total of 3 now) to control series/parallel/split coil of the bridge pickup. The neck pickup is only parallel/split coil. I found that the neck pickup is series is just too out-of-control. Too much bass with the bass rolled all the way off even (boost-only preamp).

By installing 2 switches for the bridge pickup wiring, not only do I have series/parallel/split coil, but I can also split the coils north or south; came as a serendipitous benefit.

I also realized that I never recorded any sound clips...I will eventually, I promise.