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Precision Elite II going passive

J

Jon Glassett

Mar 19, 2010
24
0
NH USA
#1
The electronics in my Elite II started giving out--particularly the preamp--so I made the decision to convert it to passive. So far I'm having a couple of SD Quarter Pounds put in and the controls will be converted to V/V/T.

The problem (well, not really a problem--more of an annoyance/opportunity to spend more money) is the pair of toggles which will now be useless. I can either leave them in there disconnected, take them out and deal with the holes somehow, or fill that space with some other new component. The trouble is, I don't really know much about passive basses and what might be available for them.

Any ideas on what kind of components might be installed in place of the old toggles?
 
#2
You could have made the Elite II wiring V/V+Toggle - TBX also with the passive PUs.
Only put out the preamp - that's all ...

The two switches in the Elite II are an On/Z/On and a "double On/Z/On".
There are not many usefull things - except the original use (which made a lot of sense).
Why don't you make the original wiring because in the middle position of the switches you get exactly what you have now ...
 
#3
Call it being bold.

The preamp wasn't the only problem. The bridge pickup is also sounding terrible.

Talking to the technician, we pretty much worked out that for what I'm looking for in an instrument, going passive would be a good path.

I realize some will not approve of this given the bass involved, but they're not the one who plays it. Also, I'm no collector. I want a bass that's playable and, to a certain extent, unique. Even if it ends up looking a little unusual in the process, that's okay.
 
#4
I don't wanna say it was wrong making it passive or changing the PUs!
But the Elite II has such a unique original "passive" wiring (between preamp and PUs).

It has a 3-way toggle switch but the volume pots are wired like a Jazz Bass. Therefore, in middle position, it is like having "no" toggle. You can use it or not.
The other 3-way toggle switch decides if the TBX tone control works with neck, bridge or both PUs.
All this has nothing to do with which pickups you use or if there's a preamp or not ...


EDIT ...
Ops; I should have looked in my wiring compilation ...
There are two different Elite II wirings. Do you have the one with the two 6 pole switches, no TBX and the 50k volume pots?
But even this works with 250k volume pots ...
 
#5
I have the 2 pickup model. I understand what you're saying, but the issue isn't simply that the preamp is bad (it makes a high pitched squeal, which seems to indicate that components are failing). The other problem is the bridge pickup, which just sounds bad--very thin and noisy. It looks like it may have been replaced by a previous owner. The reason I say that is because it has black covers instead of the original white.

Taking all of that into consideration, my thinking was to just pull everything out and go passive. It's an experiment and a risk, but I think it will be worth it.
 
#8
Cadfael said:
Yes, but you asked what to do with the switches ...

I would let them do their task like before because it works passive as well as active - and this is such a unique switching.
And in the neutral position the bass works like you would mostly like it to work ...
Click to expand...

I see now. I guess I just didn't understand how the wiring in the Elite II truly worked. If those switches will still fiction normally even with the preamp removed (thus requiring no battery), then maybe I will put them back in. At this point the new pickups are in place so I'll have to live with it until I can decide my next move.

Sorry for the confusion on my part and thank you for the valuable input.
 

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