I just purchased a used Spector buy a Spector NS2000/Q5 that has EMG HZ pickups

EMG

 

Why would you like to replace them?
I would add a second 9V Battery first, and then upgrade to a EMG DC40

 

Do you truly believe everything you read?
I can understand you wanting to get some better pickups than the HZ´s, but they are not bad.

But in the other hand, did you know that Bartolinis, and Lane Poors are passive?
And according to many people, THEY DO have a lot of frequency range.

The difference in an active pickup is possibly less magnetic pull and the added preamp that resides INSIDE the pickups, and thus are designed to alter the natural response of the magnets/coils and boost the signal.

 

The Carvin has Passive Pickups and Active Electronics.

The woods are extremely different, but in that case I suggest again the EMG´s DC40
Basswood will always sound different than Maple.
But I believe that some NS2000Q are actually made of alder.
I sold a NS2000Q4 recently and it didnt sound like basswood at all.

I agree.

 

In my 6-month old catalog from Spector, it says that the bodies on the Q models are made of basswood, but I have seen different sources, retailers and such claiming it's alder in there. Perhaps there's just some misunderstanding that spread, or there's something behind it. Who knows?

 

But it seems to me that you're confusing active pickups and active basses. If you want active replacement pickups, there is one and only one brand to consider: EMG. I'm afraid I know too little about the CS and DC models to point out a specific pickup, though.

 

Besides EMG, Seymour Duncan´s "Basslines" Phase I and Phase II pickups are also active.

CS models have a steel bar below the coil and are a little warmer than their DC counterparts.

And I just remembered, You will need to replace the 500K or 250K Pots for the Volume/Blend, because Active Pickups use 25K Pots.
So there is actually NO-DIRECT replacement on the Active department.

Now, you could buy a complete EMG or Basslines System for replacement.

 

Basslines, huh? I must have missed that. Thanks!

 

You won't have to replace the pots, etc., because you have an active EMG preamp in the bass already that will work with active EMG's. I am a fan of EMG, I think it's a really high class outfit. I've had EMG's in a couple of basses, and they are really fine pups. I just ordered a Fender JP-90, and I will probably put an EMG P-J set in it as well.

If you had passive electronics, you would need to change the pots to 25k Ohm, which is not a big deal. However, I'm pretty sure that the preamp in the Spector you mention is EMG, so no compatibility problems.

I have an EMG-P in my Precision with passive controls, and it can go from glassy-bright to thunderous, or do both simultaneously.