Last week I bought a brand new Ibanez GSR200 specifically as a mod testbed. Yesterday I ordered a set of EMG Geezer Butler signature PJ PUPs. Yesterday I also bought a set of Ernie Ball Slinky flatwounds. I plan on recording a number of demos during the process- bone stock, stock PUPs w/flatwounds, new PUPs w/stock stings, new PUPs w/flatwound strings. All with the exact same mic/cable/cab/amp/etc. In the future I might continue on and swap on-board preamps, nuts, bridges, etc. Why? Boredom I guess. Anyway- Small hurdle I was hoping someone on TB might be able to help with. The stock GSR200 has an on-board "Phat II" module, which according to our forums, is nothing more than a re-branded EMG EXB (EMG Pickups / EXB / Tone Controls / For Bass / Accessories / Electric Guitar Pickups, Bass Guitar Pickups, Acoustic Guitar Pickups). The sticky bit is that the EMG kit is all solderless and the stock Ibanez stuff isn't. It's all a pretty straight-forward swap *EXCEPT* for the "Phat II" (aka EXB) tone control knob, which 1) doesn't show on any of the EMG wiring diagrams and 2) isn't solderless in its stock form factor. Do any of you know how/where to join the on-board preamp/tone-thingy into the EMG solderless setup? Diagram of stock GSM200 wiring: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lMIH1zFZHxk/TyBBPdbXuZI/AAAAAAAAAwM/cp5OHai1vMc/s1600/GSR205_Stock_WD.jpg PDF installation instructions for GZR pickups from EMG: http://www.emgpickups.com/media/productfile/g/z/gzr_pj-hz_gzr_0230-0281rd.pdf What irks me a bit is that I sent an email in to EMG about this a couple of [business] days ago and still haven't heard a response. Thanks!
The EMG Geezer PJ set up is pretty sweet all by it self, and IMHO, no need for any type of additional tone circuit. I'd just throw in the Geezers and forget about ever changing a battery in that bass ever again
Look at diagram 1 here http://www.emgpickups.com/media/productfile/e/x/exb_0230-0165rc.pdf From top down it is pickup input, ground, ground, pickup output, voltage. So match that to your GSR diagram and you get Your pickup goes to GSR: IN and GND Output (to your jack) is GSR: GND and OUT and your battery positive connects to GSR: VCC Your battery ground goes to the jack like in the GSR wiring diag. Hope that helps. I am not familiar with either system, just trying to read all the diagrams.
Don't wait on an email response from them, just call them and speak with Allison who will put you in touch with a tech who will talk you through your install. I called them Monday and was assisted immediately.
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