convert mm active to passive?

[staurosjohn]

I did a search and couldn't find the exact (simple) answer I was looking for... I recently acquired a Sterling Ray 34ca-... I love the 'look and feel'- but am not crazy about active electronics... I might look to trade or sell. It has a Nordstrand mm4.2 pickup...

My question is: can I use this pickup and wire it for passive? Or would I need a different pickup?

 

[David Jayne]

You can certainly wire it passive, no issue at all. Couple of things though: The Music Man sound is largely a result of the very unique electronics they come with. If you want 'that' sound, you need the preamp. Next, it's been said that the stock MM pickup is superior to any aftermarket pickup. Not speaking from experience, just what I've read here.

 

[staurosjohn]

Thx... yea- its a Sterling which came with the Nordstrand...I know it may sound silly... I just love the look... don't care much for the MM sound... just a preference thing! I have other basses I mainly use... this is just a 'project'...

Thanks again for your help!

 

[depalm]

I'd install a Nord preamp on it.
But if you really want it passive, go for it.
Speaking from experience, Nord MM pups sounds as good as a vintage MM. One of the best replacements pups around.

 

[walterw]

wire the nordie pickup series instead of typical MM parallel and it'll be strong enough to run passive.

 

[bezo420]

I do it with all my basses. I gut all the active circuitry and run them passive. As long as the pickups themselves aren't active, you can do it.

 

[nad]

I converted my Stingray to passive...

...it still sounds like a Stingray really.

 

[maturanesa]

I think you would need a hotter pup to run passive. Active MM pickups are about 3k wired in parallel or 6k in series or less, really weak, with the intention of match with the preamp. I got a passive MM pup on my bass and it reads about 11K and sounds pretty balanced. With the active MM running passive it would produce a thin trebly tone IMO