J Retro control plate question

[Arch1medes]

John East - J Retro - Best Bass Gear

Can someone explain why there’s a pickup blend knob AND a selector switch? Or how they work together/separately?

Thanks!

 

[Crater]

The switch is not a pickup selector - it bypasses the active preamp so you can keep playing if the preamp battery dies during a gig/rehearsal.

 

[Barticus]

Anyone have issues withe the J-Retro being super noisy, like a grounding issue?

I installed a new one, used the ground hub on the pre and couldn't get it to be quiet... So I removed it.

Just wondering if this is a common issue or if I got s lemon?

 

[BobKos]

@Barticus - Did you remove the pre from the Jazz style metal plate? If so I believe all of the pots have to be grounded to a metal strip. I did this on one of my basses (rear routed body) and I made a grounding strip from a sheet of copper shielding foil.

 

[BobKos]

The switch on mine is to select both pickups or bridge (?) pickup solo when switched to passive mode. Some have 2 toggle switches - one is pickup select and one is passive / active. Other setups have the a/p switch integral with a pot and a single toggle switch for pickup control.

 

[Barticus]

The switch on mine is to select both pickups or bridge (?) pickup solo when switched to passive mode. Some have 2 toggle switches - one is pickup select and one is passive / active. Other setups have the a/p switch integral with a pot and a single toggle switch for pickup control.

Thanks! Good idea I'll check it again...

I had to transfer it to the original plate and drill out the holes for the pots as the retro plate wouldn't fit the bass.

 

[mcnach]

John East - J Retro - Best Bass Gear

Can someone explain why there’s a pickup blend knob AND a selector switch? Or how they work together/separately?

Thanks!

It's explained in their documentation, have a look:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

Essentially, one switch is for passive/active operation. When in active mode, the other switch controls how the blend of both pickups happens. When in passive mode, it is a switch between both pickups or one pickup (which pickup depends on how you wire it, I prefer to have it select the neck pickup).

It sounds complicated but it's pretty easy to use.