Replacing EMG Hz's in

[phishtube]

my Schecter Stiletto.

Forgive my noobness...


Looking to replace my EMG Hz's with a set of active EMG DC's. My bass has a EMG 18-volt active eq circuit.

Is this a hard thing to do? Do I have to run new wiring? Please forgive all the questions.

 

[JimmyM]

Shouldn't have to run new wiring. Just pull out old pickups, put in new. It's even easier if they have the quick connectors.

 

[crguti]

No new wiring is required. Just swap the passive for the active pickups.

 

[iiipopes]

Are the pickups already wired to your preamp? Then you're done. The HZ's are basically the same as the CS (or also the DC) just made in China instead of the USA. You're not really gaining anything.

 

[grendle]

Yeah I would go 35p & 35j instead of DC's but that's just me.

 

[evermelon]

You'd probably have to replace the volume and blend pots to 25k values (assuming they are 250k or 500k for the HZ's). Plus I know the HZ's quik connects are 5 pin, Active EMG are 3 pin... BUT I wouldn't say it's a HARD thing to do, but it would be a little work.

 

[therhodeo]

Are the pickups already wired to your preamp? Then you're done. The HZ's are basically the same as the CS (or also the DC) just made in China instead of the USA. You're not really gaining anything.

CS and DC's are active. As far as I know the HZ's are a passive pickup.

 

[jmlee]

^That.

You have passive Hz pickups with an 18V preamp. Active EMGs like 35s will need power (themselves) and pots that match their low impedance at the very least.

 

[phishtube]

You'd probably have to replace the volume and blend pots to 25k values (assuming they are 250k or 500k for the HZ's). Plus I know the HZ's quik connects are 5 pin, Active EMG are 3 pin... BUT I wouldn't say it's a HARD thing to do, but it would be a little work.

Hmm. This sounds to be a little harder than I thought (esp with the changing of the quick-connect 5pin HZ pickup to the quick-connect 3pin DC pickup. Plus the changing of pots. I'm not very good with the electrical side of things so this may pose a challenge.

Thank you for the advice and wisdom, fellas!

 

[iiipopes]

CS and DC's are active. As far as I know the HZ's are a passive pickup.

Yes, they are. But the OP already has a preamp. So why spend the money doubling up?

If the OP wants to go EMG active, then the thing to do is to dump the entire guts and go with all EMG: pickups, tone shaping, etc.

As in another thread where another forumite went to the factory and took pictures, the differences between the passive and active EMG's are: 1) actives made in the USA and have the preamp onboard; 2) passives made elsewhere and do not have the preamp onboard. The coils are the same for the soapbar pickups.