Help wanted for restoring this Ibanez MC 824!

[Jeroenslowend]

I stumbled upon this bass on the local second hand site, and decided to buy it for the review of it are positive.
It is a 1980's Ibanez MC824 with serial G804328
The body is in good condition, as well as the fret board and frets.
The knobs are not original, but are still for sale I see.

The Electronics are not original, as an active bridge pick-up is installed. The other pick-up seems to be original.
I tried searching for an Electronic schematics of this bass, as well as the original pick-up setup, but could not find it.
Can someone help me with this? I'd like to restore it to the original setup, unless there are very good reasons not to do So, or to keep the actieve pick-up (FGI)

 

[claudel]

Those are nice basses. Worth fixing up.

I had a similar dilemma with an old Aria Pro II that had been modified by someone else.

Has the wood been disturbed? Pickup routs enlarged?

If not, then it might be worthwhile to search for originals or have the ones in it rewound or repaird

If so, then anything's game, IMO

 

[Jeroenslowend]

Just opened up the active pick-up case, but There was no modification to the wood fortunately
The gaps are 99x42mm

 

[Jeroenslowend]

The current schematics is this.
What I find peculiar is that the tone only works on the active pick-up coil.
The switch is used to select the passive pick-up Or active pick-up OR both pick-ups in parallel

 

[Standalone]

I have one of these, an ‘81. It looks like there was no routing done to the bass — I would guess that a little patient searching will net you a replacement pickup.

However, as much as I love these basses, I don’t think the pickups are necessarily a strong point and - because I’m a fan of player grade vintage Ibanez - I’d consider finding a more visually appealing passive replacement that is sized for this rout. That may be a tall order, but I feel like I’ve seen threads about this…
I look forward to hearing about your progress!

 

[tindrum]

I know there’s a company that makes reproductions of the stock pickups. They are sold on Reverb.

 

[Jeroenslowend]

I ordered remakes of the pick-ups on Reverb (Greg's)
They look the same and are supposed to have almost the same tonal qualities, are humbuckers, so they should be much more silent and less RF reception sensitive.
I'll keep you posted on the progress

 

[coy garcia]

I used to own a 8st version of this bass back on the 80's. I remember it having a active/passive switch. No tone control in passive.

 

[Abner]

I used to own a 8st version of this bass back on the 80's. I remember it having a active/passive switch. No tone control in passive.

Well, either it was modified, defective, or — most likely — your memory of something over forty years ago is not what you think it was. The MC-980 used the two-band preamp found in the active Roadsters of the time rather than the three-band the other active Musicians used. They also had a master volume and tone, both passive that worked whether in active or passive mode. The RS-940 Roadster in my avatar is my main player, and I still have an MC-980.

 

[mikeswals]

So this is a July 1980 Musician.
An MC824 would be a passive bass.

800= 22 fret passive
824= 24 fret passive
900=22 fret active
924= 24 fret active

Thread '1981 Ibanez Musician MC824 - NBD'

Feb 10, 2018

I have wanted one of these for quite a long while.

• Standalone
• 1981 ibanez ibanez musician musician nbd
• Replies: 27
• Forum: Basses [BG]

• 

Maybe see if this owner can snap a pic of the wiring in this one?

 

[coy garcia]

your memory of something over forty years ago is not what you think it was

Probably this. Mine was a un-modified 8st that weighed a ton. I tried to use it in many bands but it never worked for me. Finding strings and tuning it sucked! I finally sold it on consignment at a local music store for 700. I only miss it for bragging rights.