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Help me grasp this...please!!

JACink

JACink

Mar 9, 2011
5,271
7,363
Spain
#1
Cutting a long story short:

I would like to upgrade p'up's when I refinish an Active P/J. It has 4 pots, currently vol for each p'up, overall tone and overall vol.

My questions are these (I have searched/googled...but still not clear :( )

Is it better to get a J/P set (such as EMG) or can I mix and match?

Is it possible to mix active P and passive J?

If I "mixed", can I wire each with separate tone and vol, no overall?

Can any p'up be used as active/passive?



Thanks for the :help: !!!!
 
#2
I don't know all the answers to all your questions, but to start don't get confused between active pickups and passive pickups with an active preamp. If you do a separate volume and tone for each pickup, you might be able to mix something like one active EMG pickup with a passive pickup, but you might have a hard time matching it up so that you have similar volumes out of each. I would guess you would kind of isolate the "circuit" of each pickup from each other and the only thing they would share is the output jack. Now there might be issues with that so don't quote me! You can mix and match on passive pickups all day. It's just up to if they will have similar outputs, and even if they don't, you might be able to use pickup height to get them level or at least get a tone that you like. It is so subjective to what you want to hear out of it, that you can do a lot with them! I'm sure there are guys with much more experience and great insight that will chime in here. Very good topic for everyone to see.
 
#5
The volume of the active pup will dround out the passive. Your better off with a p/j active set imo. You have better opts with the active set. Or do a passive set with an active preamp. You can still do vol x2 + treb x2, or vol/blend/bass/treb, or any combo of stacked knobs as well. Stick with one or the other for an active or passive pickup combo though.
 
#6
randysmojo said:
I'm not sure I understand the having separate tones is useless statement. Doesn't a Gibson Les Paul have separate tone knobs for each pickup that both work when the switch is in the middle position?
Click to expand...

Nope. Turn both volumes up and then roll down one of the tones. You'll see that both become masters, because both pickups and both tones all run parallel with no resistance between any of them.
 
#8
right, it isn't the volume, but the "activeness" of the active pickup that will make it totally shut out the other pickup when they're both on at the same time.
 
#10
randysmojo said:
I did notice on a Les Paul that when you roll down one volume it acts as if a master so it only makes since that the tone works that way too. Thanks for the explanation. I learn almost every day on this forum!
Click to expand...

There are two methods of wiring a Les Paul, actually. Both have their fans.

You can use the volume pots' wiper terminals as inputs to give you independent volume controls, or, you can use them as outputs to provide a constant load against the pickups, while the resistance of the pot varies against the output.
 
#11
Thanks for the info guys!!!

The reason for all these questions is that I actually like the sound from my VM fretless, with the passive Duncan designed pickups.

However, as I plan to get another VM-J with frets, I would like the P/J to have a something different about it (hence the P :D ). I originally thought about going for an EMG set of actives, but I´m not sure about the active J, as the only experience I have with active J's is the cheapo P/J as it is.

So, in your opinion (and to make things easier ;) )...

Active EMG´s, passive Duncans, or another combination?

(Please consider the fact that I have limited selection of pickups available here, more or less limited to Duncan, EMG and Fender!!)

Also, what 4 control´s would you recommend?

All opinions are much appreciated!!
 
#12
line6man said:
There are two methods of wiring a Les Paul, actually. Both have their fans.

You can use the volume pots' wiper terminals as inputs to give you independent volume controls, or, you can use them as outputs to provide a constant load against the pickups, while the resistance of the pot varies against the output.
Click to expand...
actually, most of us les paul players hate the "independent wiring" scheme (which is why gibson never uses it).

you lose a lot in terms of tone and control taper for the dubious benefit of turning one volume all the way off with the switch in the middle and still getting sound. also, with a bunch of gain on the amp, turning the volume all the way down leaves some residual noise happening (something you wouldn't notice on a jazz bass into a normal bass rig).
 
#13
randysmojo said:
I did notice on a Les Paul that when you roll down one volume it acts as if a master so it only makes since that the tone works that way too. Thanks for the explanation. I learn almost every day on this forum!
Click to expand...
actually, the volumes don't act that way.

turning one down very much only affects the one pickup.

it's only when you turn one of them all the way off that it kills the entire signal. anything above that and you're getting independent levels from the two pickups.

the tones do act on the entire signal, though.
 
#14
walterw said:
actually, most of us les paul players hate the "independent wiring" scheme (which is why gibson never uses it).

you lose a lot in terms of tone and control taper for the dubious benefit of turning one volume all the way off with the switch in the middle and still getting sound. also, with a bunch of gain on the amp, turning the volume all the way down leaves some residual noise happening (something you wouldn't notice on a jazz bass into a normal bass rig).
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm guessing it's just like having guitars with a million switches. You try it once, thinking it will be the best thing ever, and then you realize it is useless.:hyper:
 

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