MEC $$ Pickups

[FleX_TB]

Hello all,

I ripped out the electronics of a Warwick $$ and like to install it in a self-build bass. Unfortunately I don´t remember which is the bridge and which is the neck PU (MEC).
Any suggestions how i can find out which is which? Is there a difference or are they the same? They look identical.
The Warwick is active/passive and it is possible to switch from humbucking mode to single coil mode. When both pickups run in single coil mode both outer coils are activated. I am afraid that i put them in the new bass the wrong way and if i run them in single coil mode the both inner coils will be active. Is this controlled by the pickups or by the electronics?

Thank you for help and sorry for my bad english

 

[raventepes]

There should be a model number on the bottom. The pickup with the F is the front, the pickup with the R is the rear.

 

[mmbongo]

The coil switching is controlled by the little mini switches you will need to have wired in. If they had an 'outer coil only' setting, then indeed if you install them backwards they would be inner coils only. That may not be a bad thing though, I had my Lakland with Barts wired so I could switch between inner or outer coils and I loved the tightness of the inner coil sound. Sounded more like a Stingray.

 

[FleX_TB]

Thank you.
I can´t find a number.
I will install the complete electronics of the Warwick in my new bass, including the switches. I know how to wire the switches and i know where to connect the wires of the neck and the bridge PU. But which is the neck and which is the bridge PU?
Can i find out by tapping on the pole pieces? I would prefer to find it out before soldering, but if there is no other way...

 

[mmbongo]

Very possible that they just use the same picukp for both positions.

Wire the switches both like they originally were, but don't install them in the bass. Once you have it wired up, switch them both single coil mode and tap the pole pieces with a screwdriver to see which coils are on. Then, install the switches in the proper locations.

 

[line6man]

Mixing up the pickups will not affect the coil splitting. Regardless of which pickup is placed where, the switching is still going to be for the same coil, unless you are changing the coil wiring.

 

[eyeballkid]

Piggy back question...
How exactly would one change out the preamp in one of these? There's A LOT going on un there. I've changed preamps in other basses, but with the switches and all I'm a little daunted to do so with my streamer...
Would preamp choices be limited by the additional switches?

 

[mmbongo]

Piggy back question...
How exactly would one change out the preamp in one of these? There's A LOT going on un there. I've changed preamps in other basses, but with the switches and all I'm a little daunted to do so with my streamer...
Would preamp choices be limited by the additional switches?

The only thing really different about a Streamer $$ is the 3 way switch for each pickup. Many basses with a humbucker at the bridge have a 3 way for that pickup, the $$ just adds a humbucker and a switch. The preamp does not care about the switch wiring, all that is done before the preamp.

So you'd just install the preamp of your choice, wire the picukps to the switches, attach the switches to the preamp inputs, and that's it! No different than normal wiring except that there's a switch inline for each pickup.

 

[mmbongo]

Mixing up the pickups will not affect the coil splitting. Regardless of which pickup is placed where, the switching is still going to be for the same coil, unless you are changing the coil wiring.

Well it will if you're not sure what the wires do. If he wires them just like they were before but puts them backwards, then the neck will have the bridge coil active and the bridge will have the neck coil active. That's why I said to just wire it up and install the switches in the bass last, once he figures out which switch goes to which pickup.

 

[line6man]

Piggy back question...
How exactly would one change out the preamp in one of these? There's A LOT going on un there. I've changed preamps in other basses, but with the switches and all I'm a little daunted to do so with my streamer...
Would preamp choices be limited by the additional switches?

Most preamps have a single input and output. All switching and pickup selection is done before the input, so all you have to do is take what goes to the existing preamp's input, and run it to the new preamp's input.

Well it will if you're not sure what the wires do. If he wires them just like they were before but puts them backwards, then the neck will have the bridge coil active and the bridge will have the neck coil active. That's why I said to just wire it up and install the switches in the bass last, once he figures out which switch goes to which pickup.

Nonsense. The only way the coil splitting would be any different if you swapped the pickups would be if they did not have the same color code. Since they are stock pickups, it is very unlikely that they have different color codes.

Of course, it is possible to change the splitting by rotating a pickup 180 degrees, but these pickups should only fit in the cavities one way, and you would always be able to able to identify the original orientation by the way the wires exit the pickup.

 

[mmbongo]

Most preamps have a single input and output. All switching and pickup selection is done before the input, so all you have to do is take what goes to the existing preamp's input, and run it to the new preamp's input.



Nonsense. The only way the coil splitting would be any different if you swapped the pickups would be if they did not have the same color code. Since they are stock pickups, it is very unlikely that they have different color codes.

Of course, it is possible to change the splitting by rotating a pickup 180 degrees, but these pickups should only fit in the cavities one way, and you would always be able to able to identify the original orientation by the way the wires exit the pickup.

I don't think you understand what I'm saying

Here...imagine it this way.
Picture the bass, a Warwick $$ with dual matching MM humbuckers. Now install the bridge pickup only. Wire it so that in single coil mode, only the bridge coil (outer coil) works. Now without changing anything, transplant that pickup to the neck. Now the outer coil is the inner coil.

I've not worked on a $$ but I would imagine they use the same pickups, they just cut different coils with the wiring. The neck pickup cuts the back coil, the bridge pickup cuts the front coil...both inner coils. Install them swapped around and you have the outer coils cut.

 

[line6man]

I don't think you understand what I'm saying

Here...imagine it this way.
Picture the bass, a Warwick $$ with dual matching MM humbuckers. Now install the bridge pickup only. Wire it so that in single coil mode, only the bridge coil (outer coil) works. Now without changing anything, transplant that pickup to the neck. Now the outer coil is the inner coil.

I've not worked on a $$ but I would imagine they use the same pickups, they just cut different coils with the wiring. The neck pickup cuts the back coil, the bridge pickup cuts the front coil...both inner coils. Install them swapped around and you have the outer coils cut.

The OP would not be wiring the neck pickup to the bridge pickup's input. He would wire whichever pickup is in the neck position, to the neck pickup's input. Thus, the coil splitting scheme does not change. The pickups may end up in the wrong places, but the neck pickup will be wired as a neck pickup, and the bridge pickup will be wired as a bridge pickup.

 

[RobbieK]

Any suggestions how i can find out which is which?

Often pickup sets will have a slightly overwound bridge pickup. I'd put a multimeter on each and put the one with the higher DC resistance in the bridge position.

 

[mmbongo]

The OP would not be wiring the neck pickup to the bridge pickup's input. He would wire whichever pickup is in the neck position, to the neck pickup's input. Thus, the coil splitting scheme does not change. The pickups may end up in the wrong places, but the neck pickup will be wired as a neck pickup, and the bridge pickup will be wired as a bridge pickup.

I think the thing you're missing is that he does not know which is which. Even if both pickups are the same, the switches will be wired differently. One is wired to cut the neck coil, one is wired to cut the bridge coil. He just does not know which is which. If he puts the one wired to cut the front coil at the neck, that's not what he wants. He's just trying to avoid the trial & error step in there.

Check this diagram, look at the 4th and 5th diagrams down.
http://www.bartolini.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/4-Conductor-Wiring-Diagram.pdf
Same pickups, same switch, different wires connected to the switch. One cuts the front coil, one cuts the rear coil. He just has no idea which one is which on the MEC pickups because there is no diagram for them. Worst case though, there's only two options.

 

[line6man]

I think the thing you're missing is that he does not know which is which. Even if both pickups are the same, the switches will be wired differently. One is wired to cut the neck coil, one is wired to cut the bridge coil. He just does not know which is which. If he puts the one wired to cut the front coil at the neck, that's not what he wants. He's just trying to avoid the trial & error step in there.

Check this diagram, look at the 4th and 5th diagrams down.
http://www.bartolini.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/4-Conductor-Wiring-Diagram.pdf
Same pickups, same switch, different wires connected to the switch. One cuts the front coil, one cuts the rear coil. He just has no idea which one is which on the MEC pickups because there is no diagram for them. Worst case though, there's only two options.

You can easily identify the north coil from the south coil by checking the color code for the pickups.

 

[cyclopsbookworm]

I've run into this before. I didn't decide to desolder the wires, I clipped them near the pot so I could de-solder outside the bass, then I forgot which pickup went where. Turned out to be a good thing as I was able to match the cuts on the pup wire to the cuts on the pot wire. You might be able to check this if you cut yours as well. otherwise, multimeter. Or you can just throw caution to the wind and take a wild guess.

 

[FleX_TB]

Thank you all very much for your input.

Very possible that they just use the same picukp for both positions.

Wire the switches both like they originally were, but don't install them in the bass. Once you have it wired up, switch them both single coil mode and tap the pole pieces with a screwdriver to see which coils are on. Then, install the switches in the proper locations.

Good idea to wire it up before installing in the bass

Mixing up the pickups will not affect the coil splitting. Regardless of which pickup is placed where, the switching is still going to be for the same coil, unless you are changing the coil wiring.

Great, that is what I was hoping for

Nonsense. The only way the coil splitting would be any different if you swapped the pickups would be if they did not have the same color code. Since they are stock pickups, it is very unlikely that they have different color codes.

Of course, it is possible to change the splitting by rotating a pickup 180 degrees, but these pickups should only fit in the cavities one way, and you would always be able to able to identify the original orientation by the way the wires exit the pickup.

Yes, they can only be installed one way

Often pickup sets will have a slightly overwound bridge pickup. I'd put a multimeter on each and put the one with the higher DC resistance in the bridge position.

hm...i hope not in my case. Maybe i should get a multimeter and learn how to use it

You can easily identify the north coil from the south coil by checking the color code for the pickups.

No color code in my case

 

[FleX_TB]

I've run into this before. I didn't decide to desolder the wires, I clipped them near the pot so I could de-solder outside the bass, then I forgot which pickup went where. Turned out to be a good thing as I was able to match the cuts on the pup wire to the cuts on the pot wire. You might be able to check this if you cut yours as well. otherwise, multimeter. Or you can just throw caution to the wind and take a wild guess.

Exactly this happend to me too. Unfortunately I can´t see a difference in the cuts

 

[FleX_TB]

That is the bass btw.

Thunderbird body shape (selfmade) + Jazzbass neck (Mightymike) + Warwick $$ electronics and bridge = Thunderjazz $$

Not finished yet. The Strapbuttons and stringtree are missing and the body is unfinished.

 

[mmbongo]

You can easily identify the north coil from the south coil by checking the color code for the pickups.

Therein lies the problem..the non-existent color code diagram