U.S. Peavey Club

[NicJimBass]

Hey all,

Been playing the heck outta the B-Quad 5, and it's super comfy, and sounds great. I'm curious as to what my options are to get it close to stock, meaning a piezo bridge, and (most likely) a pieced together preamp. Getting a 2 band pre will be no issue, and I already have an EMG stacked volume pot, so I'm good there. I'd need some way to incorporate the piezo bridge, and then a diagram to wire the switch for the outputs. Any ideas/advice?

Been doing research the past couple days, and have a basic plan in place.

I can get Graphtec Ghost piezo saddles that fit an ABM bridge. I prefer Hipshot, but the ABM style bridge is bigger, and covers the original Wilkinson bridge holes nicely. I will have to get the bridge plate machined to allow the piezo leads to pass through, as well as drill holes in the saddle housings. Graphtec also makes the Acousti-Phonic preamp that allows for magnetic pickup integration, can accept 18v power, and can be wired with two output jacks, with a switch that either sends both mag and piezo to one jack, or splits then between the 2, like the original did. I'd be without the ability to adjust individual string volume and pan, but I wouldn't have much user for that anyway, especially the pan. A few hundred bucks, and this thing will be as close to stock as I can conceivably get. Now for this darn virus to stop choking my income!

 

[AudioTaper]

Been doing research the past couple days, and have a basic plan in place.

I can get Graphtec Ghost piezo saddles that fit an ABM bridge. I prefer Hipshot, but the ABM style bridge is bigger, and covers the original Wilkinson bridge holes nicely. I will have to get the bridge plate machined to allow the piezo leads to pass through, as well as drill holes in the saddle housings. Graphtec also makes the Acousti-Phonic preamp that allows for magnetic pickup integration, can accept 18v power, and can be wired with two output jacks, with a switch that either sends both mag and piezo to one jack, or splits then between the 2, like the original did. I'd be without the ability to adjust individual string volume and pan, but I wouldn't have much user for that anyway, especially the pan. A few hundred bucks, and this thing will be as close to stock as I can conceivably get. Now for this darn virus to stop choking my income!

I was just looking at the part number the other day. Yes, you will have to machine the base plate for the wires.
I was thinking of doing this, but opted to get a black bridge (I dont care for the gold hardware)
Bartolini makes a magnetic/piezo blend also and its potted. I went with that because the Graphtech is open and more prone to damage.
You will need a summing board, they are about $4 from Graphtech. I happened to have some DF11 connectors that have the same same pitch and pin size, so those will go on the Vectorboard pictured and I'm set.

Edit: I must have missed your earlier post about the Bquad. Do you want seperate output jacks or a blend? The wiring looks fairly straightforward. Do you have an ABM bridge or do you need one?

 

[mb94952]

Hey AudioTaper and NicJimBass - I have my Bquad 4 that is 80% complete, as well. I have a stock preamp board with piezo leads, but there are ZERO schematics available online to give my tech. If I have to go the route you guys are talking about, this is a great resource. Are you saying you build these custom mods, Audiotaper ?

 

[NicJimBass]

I was just looking at the part number the other day. Yes, you will have to machine the base plate for the wires.
I was thinking of doing this, but opted to get a black bridge (I dont care for the gold hardware)
Bartolini makes a magnetic/piezo blend also and its potted. I went with that because the Graphtech is open and more prone to damage.
You will need a summing board, they are about $4 from Graphtech. I happened to have some DF11 connectors that have the same same pitch and pin size, so those will go on the Vectorboard pictured and I'm set. View attachment 3757790 View attachment 3757791

Edit: I must have missed your earlier post about the Bquad. Do you want seperate output jacks or a blend? The wiring looks fairly straightforward. Do you have an ABM bridge or do you need one?

The Graphtec board seems to have all the options I'm looking for, and I can mount it one way or another to minimize damage. I looked at the Bart buffer, and I'm not sure it would give me what I want. I may look closer at it. Graphtec sells a kit that is pretty straightforward, and has the functionality I'm going for.

The bridge that came with it is either an ABM or an ABM knockoff (most likely). I also have a Hipshot A Bridge on another bass, so I could go either way. I'm trying to avoid paying nearly $300 on a bridge itself, especially since Graphtec has a diagram for the holes needed, in their manual. I imagine I just need to find a local machine shop to do the work. I can get a set of saddles for a third of the price of an entire bridge, and be able to reuse what I have.

I'm trying to get as close to the original layout and controls as possible. They were kind of odd... Master Volume, Piezo Volume, Piezo Tone, Stacked Volumes for the magnetic pickups, a stacked 2 band EQ for the mags, and a switch to control the outputs (Mono out of the bottom jack- both piezo and mags, with the ability to run stereo- piezo to the top jack, mags to the bottom).

 

[AudioTaper]

Hey AudioTaper and NicJimBass - I have my Bquad 4 that is 80% complete, as well. I have a stock preamp board with piezo leads, but there are ZERO schematics available online to give my tech. If I have to go the route you guys are talking about, this is a great resource. Are you saying you build these custom mods, Audiotaper ?

Was yours the one that needed new pots? If it was, got a pic?
I dont have a schematic and no, I wasnt planning on doing custom mods for people. Sorry.
I'm using the Hirose DF11 (or was it a DF3) because we had a ton at work in a drawer that hadnt been touched in years. (Hey, that's part of the S6 process, right?)

 

[ElBecko59]

ok what is this ? - some basses are labeled A X C E L E R A T O R while others are labeled as A X C E L E A T O R , Anyone ? and these aren't the only 2 I've seen

 

[smogg]

ok what is this ? - some basses are labeled A X C E L E R A T O R while others are labeled as A X C E L E A T O R , Anyone ? and these aren't the only 2 I've seen View attachment 3758432 View attachment 3758433

LOL... The lower pic (2nd pic) is B stock?

 

[ElBecko59]

LOL... The lower pic (2nd pic) is B stock?

Maybe ? "B-stock" @ label error ? again no clue

 

[mb94952]

Maybe ? "B-stock" @ label error ? again no clue

Yes, laber error. I had one. Wish I kept it, because to me it's a collector's item.

 

[mb94952]

Was yours the one that needed new pots? If it was, got a pic?
I dont have a schematic and no, I wasnt planning on doing custom mods for people. Sorry.
I'm using the Hirose DF11 (or was it a DF3) because we had a ton at work in a drawer that hadnt been touched in years. (Hey, that's part of the S6 process, right?) View attachment 3757923

Thanks, no mine is "complete-ish". But I believe there are solder points that need to be made and I have no idea where they go. I haven't looked at it in a while. I also need a battery cover and a rear cover.

 

[ElBecko59]

My new Axcelerator bass family . Arrived today this well used black Axcelerator ('94) has gold hardware , non pearl truss rod cover and a dark fretboard , It is strung with (new to me) very different almost nylon feeling black strings ? Tape wounds , I hav ebeen schooled ! Also noticed they have different shaped headstocks

 

[mb94952]

Love it

 

[TinIndian]

Those would be tape wound strings.

Nice Pair!

 

[kodiakblair]

It is strung with (new to me) very different almost nylon feeling black strings ?

Are they nylon or coated ?
My G-bass is strung with nylon,a change for me normally keep nylon tapes on SC P-basses.

 

[PeaveyPlayer]

my g bass has ti strings on it

and I hate em

I’ll be switching to cobalts like my old G bass had

 

[ElBecko59]

Never knew they made different head stocks , At least my pair have the model name spelled correctly !!!

 

[kodiakblair]

Never knew they made different head stocks , At least my pair have the model name spelled correctly !!!

Could the headstock have had a knock and been sweetened out ?

 

[ElBecko59]

Could the headstock have had a knock and been sweetened out ?

Nope , I've seen pictures of these basses with both shapes

 

[ElBecko59]

Could the headstock have had a knock and been sweetened out ?

Here's another 006 serial number ('94?) as mine with same shape headstock as my black one

 

[kodiakblair]

Can't recall the serial on this, has the normal style peghead.