Converting active to passive - What would you do with the extra controls?

[Shizzean]

I did it to my Spector Rebop 5.
Just left the other pots in place.
I just bypassed the preamp. The pickups were passive EMG-Hz's.
That way the person I eventually sold it to could easily just rewire if he wanted the preamp...

 

[dwizum]

5 holes is easy!

Personally, I would do vol-vol-tone (or vol-blend-tone) and a split switch for each pickup. I like splitting humbuckers more than putting them in parallel most times.

If the split coil is noisy, shield the pickup cavities. Or split it into a low value resistor (something in the 6-8k range) which leaves the second coil "kinda" in the circuit - you get very close to a single coil tone but the pickup remains mostly humbucking.

 

[Skip Chucker]

I would be looking to change the pickups out anyway, not a huge fan of the EMGs it comes with. Everything else on the bass fits what I am looking for, though.
QUOTE]

That doesn't preclude keeping it simple with the push-pull active/passive volume knob....

 

[2F/2F]

Assuming you are talking about a two pickup bass, and you have five control holes:

1: 3-way pickup selector switch
2: neck volume
3: bridge volume
4. neck passive treble/bass, stacked pot
5. bridge passive treble/bass, stacked pot

 

[iiipopes]

Plugs?…

View attachment 4163910

That's what I did.

 

[sleepingEB0]

Which Schecter?

 

[Dincrest]

I had something similar done. I had a bass "de-active-ated" (active EMG soapbars replaced with passive Duncan soapbars) and the tone improved by leaps and bounds (to my ears, at least.)

I have Vol/Vol/Tone (regular sized knobs) and two dummy knobs (smaller ones). I'm planning to get three decorative knobs for the main controls (that both look cool and function well) and maybe get a couple of skull ones for the two dummy knobs, since they won't have to do anything besides look cool. Accessorize, baby, yeah!

 

[bassbrad]

Two volumes, two tones & 3 way switch two versions.

 

[fourstr00]

A practical use of a former pot hole is a second output jack (both jacks wired in parallel). If you have connection issues with the main one (it happens), you have a backup, and it takes a couple seconds to switch.

That is a fantastic idea I had never considered and will now immediately do.

I’ve just left open holes. Hanging on my shoulder won’t make it pretty anyway.

 

[MIMike]

I vote VVTT with a coil tap switch.
I like to mix a different tone setting for each pickup on my concentric knob Jazz Bass.
You’ve got options...use all the holes!

 

[Zoffy]

I converted my Spector to passive with Geezer Butler pickups. I prefer front-mounted jacks so I capped off the side-mount hole and used the extra front hole for the input jack. This is my main gigging bass and I've had zero problems or issues with making this minor mod.

 

[devnulljp]

Lasers and a smoke machine

 

[dwagner]

Vol-Vol-Tone-Tone-Series/Parallel

 

[xn34]

I have an ibby gio205 2 soapbars 5 string, don't like the preamp in it, so I rewired it passive VBT and put an empty pot with knob in the 4th hole.

 

[BlueTalon]

For one hole, you should at least consider a Turnstyle switch. The one on my main player is a six position rotary switch that in one position gives me manual control over my three pickups, and the other five positions gives me voice presets. I'm getting ready to order another one for another bass that's currently being built.

Each position on the switch can be used for whatever you want. I chose alternate voices for my bass because selecting pickups just didn't seem nearly as interesting.

 

[BassChap]

Has the Villex Passive ToneBooster been suggested for one of the holes already?

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I am looking at getting a dual soapbar five string, but the model I am into comes with a 3 band preamp, and I don't like active electronics. Just a preference thing, I prefer passive. I'm planning to replace the pickups with Nordstrands, but I am wondering what to do with the control holes that are left.

I'm not against bypassing them and just leaving dummy knobs that don't do anything, but that seems like a waste. Tone control is an easy add, but that leaves 2 slots for knobs or switches. What would you suggest to fill in those slots on an all-passive bass?

4 holes?
Option 1) VVT (VBT) + 3 way pickup selector switch
Option 2) VVT (VBT) + 5 way rotary switch (Neck single, neck hb, Both HB, Bridge HB, Bridge Single.)
Option 3) VVT (VBT) + HPF (PTC Ala G&L)
Option 4) VVT (VBT) + "producer" switch
Option 5) VVT (VBT) + series / parallel switch
Option 6) VVT (VBT) + Master Volume + VVT

5 holes?
VVT (VBT) + series/parallel switch each pickup (or 3 way, coil select - options)
VVT (VBT) + 5 way rotary switch (Neck single, neck hb, Both HB, Bridge HB, Bridge Single) + Series Parallel switch
VVT (VBT) + 5 way rotary switch (Neck single, neck hb, Both HB, Bridge HB, Bridge Single) + Tone Styler

 

[/\/\3phist0]

I vote VVTT with a coil tap switch.
I like to mix a different tone setting for each pickup on my concentric knob Jazz Bass.
You’ve got options...use all the holes!

VVTT does not work "well" as expected, the tones interact and to counteract the effect involves a resister, and losing signal strength. I know- Les Paul "style" notwithstanding it's a finicky configuration.

 

[Bodeeni]

On my jazz basses I just went with the classic setup and added the jack to the plate. I usually go VVT with a push pull series parallel option. For the 4 knob stingray I did split coils VVT with a separate push pull pot for series parallel.

 

[ChrisBowsman]

If you do coil splits, look up the wiring schematic PRS uses on their guitars. Their split has a resistor, which keeps the second coil partially in the circuit. You end up with a noise free single coil sound that doesn’t lose as much volume.