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I researched the archives, but could not find much. Have any of you ever tried removing the preamp entirely and just running the active EMGs with passive tone controls?
Listen to any Nickelback recording... a demo of just that, as Mike Kroeger plays his that way.
There was also a Rebop in the Classifieds a few months back that had been wired that way - the seller believed that the tone was preferable to the sound with the Tonepump.
Except the Kroeger and ReBop typically have the passive EMG-Hz's. Isn't he asking about running the active EMG's (DC's, TW's, CS's, etc.) without a pre?
EMG's site has wiring diagrams to do just this.
I have a set of EMG 40DC's that I'll be wiring up VVT (i.e. additional preamp other than what is in the pickups). It's not going in a Spector, but I'll post back to let you know how it sounds.
Thank you Phat. Yes. I am talking about Active EMGs. P/J setup as found on NS4CRFM and many others. I think I might experiment with taking out my Tonepump. Love the tone but the output is just nuts. No trimpot. If taking it out robs me of what I like, then I will consider getting a Tonepump with output trim. I know a lot of you guys do the Tonedump, but usually replace it with something else. I had also been contemplating the Mighty Mite
MM114 Haz clone. But I believe it does not come with 25k pots. Have any of you guys used this, as is, or is swapping pots mandatory? Any help would be much appreciated. In the meantime I will try the EMGs without a Preamp and report back to you all.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
I've installed a few of the Hazlab clones (albeit in other basses). Frankly, I don't see any "magic" in them, just another 2band Eq, nothing too spectacular. The EMG, Aguliar or Audere also work very well......
Thanks. I guess I will try plan A first. If My tonepump had the trimpot feature I would just be loving it. On a separate note your Tonedump thread is great. Very informative.
Sounds like you've sent him in the right direction.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
Thanks, No problem, If that thread helped at least one person, then I feel better about posting it
Spectorites, I need your help. My Spector 9V tone control (korean copy version) is having a small problem that is a big pain in the arse.
It is eating my batteries. At first I thought it was just a bad battery, but it killed a fresh new 9V in just over 2 weeks of ONLY playing it at rehearsal and gigs. Could a wire be crossed somewhere causing it to behave as if there is a jack plugged in constantly?
Most of the week it sits on its stand with nothing plugged in, no reason it should be draining batteries this fast.
Side note, maybe important: shielded the cavity completely, and the ground wires from the preamp and bridge are both soldered to it.
Thanks!
It is eating my batteries. At first I thought it was just a bad battery, but it killed a fresh new 9V in just over 2 weeks of ONLY playing it at rehearsal and gigs. Could a wire be crossed somewhere causing it to behave as if there is a jack plugged in constantly?
Most of the week it sits on its stand with nothing plugged in, no reason it should be draining batteries this fast.
Side note, maybe important: shielded the cavity completely, and the ground wires from the preamp and bridge are both soldered to it.
Thanks!
That could be your problem.
As far as my experience for active electronics go, the "switch" is a simple stereo jack, where ring and ground are connected if a simple mono plug is inserted.
Usually the connection betwen battery and ground is cut with this setup. Or maybe the connection between preamp and ground.
I don't know exactly how this preamp works, but you could check with a volt meter.
Hope I could help.
best, Karl.
Thanks for the quick responses everyone. It turns out I wasn't looking at the jack, which had been replaced by a previous owner. Everything else on the unit was perfect, but the jack's ground ring was shorting to the stereo plug, so it was constantly making a connection at the jack, and draining battery. Fixed it, so now it *should* be perfect. Only time will tell on the new battery 
Crisis averted!
Crisis averted!
Big Brown truck brought it this morning.Hey Phat!!! Waiting on pics of that purrrrty new 6r EX!
I've spent most of the afternoon setting it up the way I want it (G string nut slot was a hair high).
Two curiosities:
1. I am surprised this doesn't have the newer Tone Pump with the adjustment pot considering the serial is in the 7000's already. Dropping the pickups a bit got the output about even with my Aguilar OBP-1 equiped Spectors though, but then again, he had the pups of the 6 set very high. The pre's seem to have similar outputs with similar pickup heights involved.
2. About a year or so ago I tried running one of my other EMG and (at the time) Tone Pump equiped Spectors to 18 volts since PJ couldn't tell me if this was safe (extremely early Tone Pumps supposedly had the internal voltage doubler) on a 9volt Tone Pump. I tried it and it didn't like it (pops, crackles, super bright, etc.). I bought it used so maybe it was an already voltage doubling model and the 18volt feed proved too much.
Well, in my haste to get this one going for an early gig tonight I had forgotten my little experiment with the other Tone Pump and wired it 18 volts............to no apparent problem.
Weird.
I'll try to take pix tomorrow.
PhatBasstard said:Big Brown truck brought it this morning.
I've spent most of the afternoon setting it up the way I want it (G string nut slot was a hair high).
Two curiosities:
1. I am surpried this doesn't have the newer Tone Pump with the adjustment pot considering the serial is in the 7000's already. Dropping the pickups a bit got the output about even with my Aguilar OBP-1 equiped Spectors though, but then again, he had the pups of the 6 set very high. The pre's seem to have similar outputs with similar pickup heights involved.
2. About a year or so ago I tried running one of my other EMG and (at the time) Tone Pump equiped Spectors to 18 volts since PJ couldn't tell me if this was safe (extremely early Tone Pumps supposedly had the internal voltage doubler) on a 9volt Tone Pump. I tried it and it didn't like it (pops, crackles, super bright, etc.). I bought it used so maybe it was an already voltage doubling model and the 18volt feed proved too much.
Well, in my haste to get this one going for an early gig tonight I had forgotten my little experiment with the other Tone Pump and wired it 18 volts............to no apparent problem.
Weird.
I'll try to take pix tomorrow.
Alright Phat!!! Hmmmm...I can't help but think the reason it worked this time is that it's a newer model of Tonepump ?
Anxious to see pics!
Hey guys...Question...where do you find foam & springs to replace older pickup's?
I noticed that my Kramer 80's NS-2A pickups are tilting neck side high, bridge side low. Or...if I bought a new PJ pickup would it come with all that? I've been thinking of replacing with an active PJ pickup anyways sometime...
I noticed that my Kramer 80's NS-2A pickups are tilting neck side high, bridge side low. Or...if I bought a new PJ pickup would it come with all that? I've been thinking of replacing with an active PJ pickup anyways sometime...
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