I've got a lovely 1999 Ibanez SR800, made in Japan. Lightweight, neck feels like butter... but I rarely play it because I can't seem to coax a tone I like from the pickups. I've tried several different string sets, fiddling with EQ, but like many other owners of Soundgear basses from this era, I just don't dig the pickups and I'm ready to swap them out.
However, when it comes to electronics I am a novice and opening up the control cavity I see this spaghetti bowl of wires. Most of this is the preamp (which is wrapped up in a layer of thin grey foam). I've looked at a few potential replacement pickups but I am perplexed at the wiring in the current pickups a bit. I believe the stock AFR pickups are active (i.e. battery powered). The fat white wires from each pickup seen below split into three wires each - insulated yellow going to the master volume, thin white going to the blend, and thin red, which twist together and go to the preamp (for power?)
A better view of the red wires:
None of the replacement pickups I've looked at have a similar wiring setup and I am not really sure how to make a replacement drop in and work with this setup in its current form.
My inclination is to ditch the preamp and battery entirely and go full passive. My feelings on this preamp (it's the stock 3 band vari-mid) are that I can take or leave it, so if ditching it is easier then that's the route I'll go. I use a preamp pedal which makes onboard preamps sort of redundant. If I get rid of the stock preamp I wouldn't get a different one, a new preamp on top of new pickups isn't in my budget at this time.
Is there a way to track down a wiring diagram for this 24 year old instrument?
If I wanted to keep the preamp in place would I need another active pickup?
In the event that I get rid of the preamp, I'd have one empty hole for a pot or switch. Maybe an active/passive switch? I'm open to other ideas. I could just fill it with a disconnected pot but that seems like a waste of a potentially useful knob.
Pickup replacements I am considering:
DiMarzio Relentless PJ. I like the look and sound of these and they are set up to be wired parallel/series.
EMG GZR. I've heard many good things about these, they seem to be a well balanced option. The solderless wiring system is appealing though I would have to solder to the output jack as it's a barrel style (why Ibanez, just why?).
Nordstrand NPJ Blade set. Again, I like the look and sound of these pickups though they're at the higher end of what I am comfortable spending.
However, when it comes to electronics I am a novice and opening up the control cavity I see this spaghetti bowl of wires. Most of this is the preamp (which is wrapped up in a layer of thin grey foam). I've looked at a few potential replacement pickups but I am perplexed at the wiring in the current pickups a bit. I believe the stock AFR pickups are active (i.e. battery powered). The fat white wires from each pickup seen below split into three wires each - insulated yellow going to the master volume, thin white going to the blend, and thin red, which twist together and go to the preamp (for power?)
A better view of the red wires:
None of the replacement pickups I've looked at have a similar wiring setup and I am not really sure how to make a replacement drop in and work with this setup in its current form.
My inclination is to ditch the preamp and battery entirely and go full passive. My feelings on this preamp (it's the stock 3 band vari-mid) are that I can take or leave it, so if ditching it is easier then that's the route I'll go. I use a preamp pedal which makes onboard preamps sort of redundant. If I get rid of the stock preamp I wouldn't get a different one, a new preamp on top of new pickups isn't in my budget at this time.
Is there a way to track down a wiring diagram for this 24 year old instrument?
If I wanted to keep the preamp in place would I need another active pickup?
In the event that I get rid of the preamp, I'd have one empty hole for a pot or switch. Maybe an active/passive switch? I'm open to other ideas. I could just fill it with a disconnected pot but that seems like a waste of a potentially useful knob.
Pickup replacements I am considering:
DiMarzio Relentless PJ. I like the look and sound of these and they are set up to be wired parallel/series.
EMG GZR. I've heard many good things about these, they seem to be a well balanced option. The solderless wiring system is appealing though I would have to solder to the output jack as it's a barrel style (why Ibanez, just why?).
Nordstrand NPJ Blade set. Again, I like the look and sound of these pickups though they're at the higher end of what I am comfortable spending.
