Techs:Seymour Duncan STC-3a Question Help me

rdhbass · #1 11-05-2007, 08:42 AM

Okay I just bought from ebay a seymour duncan stc 3a preamp that I just found out is made for "active Pickups". It has the 100K ohm pots. Okay what pickups can I use besides the $150 basslines pickups. I am trying to use jazz pickups. Will 100 K pots run passive pickups?

elpelotero · #2 11-05-2007, 08:56 AM

you need to get the 250k pot for passive pickups. I have one here at home. You can also just call Seymour Duncan and they send it to you for free in about a week.

rdhbass · #3 11-05-2007, 09:04 AM

Is it just one pot I need or all of them?

elpelotero · #4 11-05-2007, 03:46 PM

just one....if you look at the schematic online, it says at the top "use 100k blend pot for active, and 250k for passive"

knuckle_head · #5 11-05-2007, 08:14 PM

Huge difference here - what elpelotero is suggesting as recommended is for a completely different preamp.

The 250K pot is meant for the STC-3P which is a preamp specifically intended for passive pickups. If you have the STC3A and active pickups you ought not use a 250K pot.

Most active pickups will perform just fine with this pre - but it needs the kind of pickup that gets a 9v (or 18v) feed.

elpelotero · #6 11-05-2007, 09:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knuckle_head

Huge difference here - what elpelotero is suggesting as recommended is for a completely different preamp.

The 250K pot is meant for the STC-3P which is a preamp specifically intended for passive pickups. If you have the STC3A and active pickups you ought not use a 250K pot.

Most active pickups will perform just fine with this pre - but it needs the kind of pickup that gets a 9v (or 18v) feed.

he's right. I noticed this right now when I looked at the paper on my desk, but you beat me to it.

Use the 100k for the STC3A and 250k for STC3P. A is for active, P for passive.

DavidRavenMoon · #7 11-06-2007, 09:18 AM

It's the exact same preamp. It ships with different pots which is why it has two different part numbers.

You can use the active preamp with 250K pots.

I actually had a customer who used my active pickups with that preamp, but decided he liked the 250K pots better. He went with 250K because he was using a 250K pan pot.

rdhbass · #8 11-06-2007, 01:09 PM

DAvidraven moon is right, i just called seymour duncan company and they confirmed it. And the Tech guy said all you had to do is use the 250K Blend/Balance pot and you are set.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DavidRavenMoon

It's the exact same preamp. It ships with different pots which is why it has two different part numbers.

You can use the active preamp with 250K pots.

I actually had a customer who used my active pickups with that preamp, but decided he liked the 250K pots better. He went with 250K because he was using a 250K pan pot.

knuckle_head · #9 11-06-2007, 01:27 PM

Is it all-r-nuthin' or can you mix and match?

I'd think you'd want consistent behavior, but ...

rdhbass · #10 11-06-2007, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knuckle_head

Is it all-r-nuthin' or can you mix and match?

I'd think you'd want consistent behavior, but ...

Of what I understand all that matters on your overall setup is changing the Blend/balance pot to 250K and then you are set for Passive pickups. Besides SD sends the pot to people who buy a new stc-sa who want to go with passive pickups. So..who knows. He said you COULD use the STOCK 100K blend pot with a PASSIVE PU but it would sound darker..

DavidRavenMoon · #11 11-06-2007, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knuckle_head

Is it all-r-nuthin' or can you mix and match?

I'd think you'd want consistent behavior, but ...

Go with the highest pot value for both.