Installing the Darkglass Tone Capsule in Ibanez SR675

[Damien McLean]

So I just got my hands on a DGTC and I'm currently trying to install it in my Ibanez to see what type of difference it has on the stock BH2 pickups. I'm a novice at wiring so I was curious to see if someone out there could help guide me on this journey so I don't potentially fry the electronics.

I'm naturally assuming I attach the white wire from the volume pot to the audio in on the chip, and the white wire from the input jack to the audio out. Now where I fall a bit confused is the extra 9v (red) wire and extra ground (black). Do I just combine them in the same spots on the chip or should I solder them elsewhere? I've attached a few images to help better illustrate what I'm talking about. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanx!

 

[96tbird]

You want to run the batteries in series to net 18v.

starting at the negative board lug, run to negative on the first battery clip, from the positive on the first clip to the negative on the second clip and from the positive on the second clip to the positive on the board.

the way you asked it should be done is parallel, would result in 9v but double the battery capacity in milli-amp hours resulting in a longer time before the batteries drain.

The diagram they provided shows both options (the dotted battery lines) however, 18v seems to me the best starting point with a pre that is designed to run on both voltages only because people have had distortion issues running on 9v. Not particularly with a Darkglass, but with other makes. If you find it is delivering too hot of a signal to your head, you can switch to 9v.

 

[Damien McLean]

You want to run the batteries in series to net 18v.

starting at the negative board lug, run to negative on the first battery clip, from the positive on the first clip to the negative on the second clip and from the positive on the second clip to the positive on the board.
View attachment 4372401

the way you asked it should be done is parallel, would result in 9v but double the battery capacity in milli-amp hours resulting in a longer time before the batteries drain.

The diagram they provided shows both options (the dotted battery lines) however, 18v seems to me the best starting point with a pre that is designed to run on both voltages only because people have had distortion issues running on 9v. Not particularly with a Darkglass, but with other makes. If you find it is delivering too hot of a signal to your head, you can switch to 9v.

Sorry, I should have been a bit more clear in my wording. I was referring to the wires in the bass not the diagram. In one of the images I've drawn connection lines to where I assume the wires go, but I'm not 100% sure.

 

[RenderBroken]

So I just got my hands on a DGTC and I'm currently trying to install it in my Ibanez to see what type of difference it has on the stock BH2 pickups. I'm a novice at wiring so I was curious to see if someone out there could help guide me on this journey so I don't potentially fry the electronics.

I'm naturally assuming I attach the white wire from the volume pot to the audio in on the chip, and the white wire from the input jack to the audio out. Now where I fall a bit confused is the extra 9v (red) wire and extra ground (black). Do I just combine them in the same spots on the chip or should I solder them elsewhere? I've attached a few images to help better illustrate what I'm talking about. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Thanx!

Did you ever get this figured out? I can't seem to get this to work with my BTB805MS. Thanks!

 

[BQFS]

I have installed three Tone Capsules and have a long background as an electronics tech. The Tone Capsule is ONLY a tone control system, no volume. It doesn't matter if you have one pickup or two. It is entirely up to you how to wire the volume controls. The easiest way to do it is to use your existing volume control circuitry.

First, remove the tone control circuitry. Next, decide (if you have dual pickups) if you want to set them up as one volume for each pickup or a master volume with a blend (balance or pan) control. I advise AGAINST using a passive blend control as you will likely lose signal. I prefer to get an EMG ABC (active balance control) and one of their 25K volume controls. No soldering required and no signal loss through the balance control.

Regardless of what you use for volume control, the output of the volume control(s) go to the input of the TC. You attach up to 18v to the 9V in terminal. You run a ground (common) wire to the ground terminal. Finally, you run the output of the TC to the output pin of the jack. Simple as can be.

If you have any further questions, let me know.

 

[Grindspine]

I am running into this same issue with my BTB845v and my SR1825. The Ibanez stock electronics have an extra red and extra black wire coming off of the volume control. Not having these connected results in some pretty terrible ground hum. The black wire connected to ground gets rid of the ground hum. The red wire disconnected is no sound. The red wire connected to the 9+ input on the DGTC also gets no sound. I am at a loss and feel like I just ruined two of my basses.

 

[ajiverson16]

I have installed three Tone Capsules and have a long background as an electronics tech. The Tone Capsule is ONLY a tone control system, no volume. It doesn't matter if you have one pickup or two. It is entirely up to you how to wire the volume controls. The easiest way to do it is to use your existing volume control circuitry.

First, remove the tone control circuitry. Next, decide (if you have dual pickups) if you want to set them up as one volume for each pickup or a master volume with a blend (balance or pan) control. I advise AGAINST using a passive blend control as you will likely lose signal. I prefer to get an EMG ABC (active balance control) and one of their 25K volume controls. No soldering required and no signal loss through the balance control.

Regardless of what you use for volume control, the output of the volume control(s) go to the input of the TC. You attach up to 18v to the 9V in terminal. You run a ground (common) wire to the ground terminal. Finally, you run the output of the TC to the output pin of the jack. Simple as can be.

If you have any further questions, let me know.

Do you have an idea of what to do with the black and red wire coming from the volume pot harness with the white wire that goes to IN on the DGTC? If I leave that black wire unhooked, I get hum, radio frequencies, and a little bass. If I hook it up, I don’t get anything. I can post the wiring diagram for my Bass. It’s an Ibanez SR305E.

Thanks!

 

[BQFS]

Do you have an idea of what to do with the black and red wire coming from the volume pot harness with the white wire that goes to IN on the DGTC? If I leave that black wire unhooked, I get hum, radio frequencies, and a little bass. If I hook it up, I don’t get anything. I can post the wiring diagram for my Bass. It’s an Ibanez SR305E.

Thanks!

Hard to tell without the bass sitting in front of me. Please tell me, in detail, what you are trying to accomplish. Include telling me how many pickups the bass has. As you know, the DGTC does not come with a volume control. What I would do is hook up the pickups directly to the EMG ABC (active balance control) or whatever you are using as a pickup balance control. From there, the output goes to the TC. In general EMG stuff uses red for battery hot and black for all grounds. White should be your signal lead. Let me know if that fails to get you back on track.