Install EMG on a Musicman Bass

[Les_james]

Hi all, I'm going to replace the original pickup of my Musicman Stingray, I decide to replace with the EMG-MMTW-X, but I'm wondering about the installation of the EMG pickup, as because there is 4 knobs on the Musicman Stingray, 1 is master volume, the other 3 is for tone setting, my question is how to connect those tone knobs to the EMG pickup, I have read the instruction but still can't figure it out, so please, is there anyone who are experienced in this case? Thanks.

 

[mmbongo]

Disclaimer: I've never done this exact thing, so I might not know what I'm talking about.

But I'm pretty sure you'll have to replace the preamp as well, since the EMG is an active pickup. Again, I'm not sure how the Stingray preamp is laid out so I could be wrong.

If I'm right, and you don't want to fool with all that, I'll trade you a Bartolini that WILL work for that EMG I want that exact pickup to put in my Warwick.

 

[Les_james]

Thanks for reply mmbongo, the package is comes with 2 knobs,1 is for volume and the push/pull function, another is for the active tone, so I think I should install both knobs, but I'm wondering how can use 1 active tone knob to control the 3 band E.Q.

 

[SGD Lutherie]

You can use the MM preamp with the EMG. I had someone with EMGs use one of my MM preamps.

You will have to replace the 25k master volume from the MM preamp with the 25k push/pull from the EMG. Just wire it up the same as it is on the MM preamp (not as the EMG instructions show).

Then wire the push/pull switch up as the EMG instructions show. The output from the push/pull will go to the input on the MM preamp, which is where the MM pickup went originally.

 

[Les_james]

Thanks so much for your help! once I finished the installation, I'll post the updated pics here.

 

[Les_james]

And one more question, is that I just can use either the original preamp of MM or the active tone from EMG in this case?

 

[SGD Lutherie]

And one more question, is that I just can use either the original preamp of MM or the active tone from EMG in this case?

The EMG active tone control is because the passive tone controls they used to supply with their pickups wont work with the low impedance output of the X series. The older EMG pickups have a fairly high output impedance so that they would work with a passive tone control. Even then, the control never worked very well.

The X series has a new preamp and lower output impedance, so they needed the active tone control.

So you would be replacing the EMG active tone control with the MM preamp.