Many guitar and bass players utilize wiring mods to achieve unique tonal characteristics in their instruments, from coil splitting to installing humbucker pickups.
Active pickups tend to produce much higher output than their passive counterparts and feature an inbuilt preamp that amplifies their signals. Unfortunately, active models require batteries – something some players may find cumbersome or prohibitive.
Passive pickups
Passive pickups do not require batteries to work, though their output does not match that of active ones. Instead, passive guitar pickups consist of magnets and wound copper wire that vibrate when strumming the strings, producing electrical current through the guitar which then travels through to be read by amplifiers to produce sound.
Passives are the industry standard and are popular with purists. Their organic tones produce an open sound admired for its clarity and articulation; however, passives do have some drawbacks such as limited power output and higher impedance levels.
For bassists trying to address high impedance issues, using a buffer may help. While this mod can increase costs significantly, if metal music is your forte it should definitely be considered an option worth exploring.
Active pickups feature pre-amps that can boost or cut frequencies to give more control of the bass guitar sound, especially for players who like using distortion. Furthermore, this type of pickup tends to be more reliable than passive ones which may become affected by unwanted noise.
However, if you opt for an active pickup guitar pickup system, be aware that its battery may eventually run out and stop producing sound; therefore it is advisable to keep a spare battery handy in your guitar case.
Active pickups require a pre-amp, which means all of the electronics in your bass must be altered in order to switch over. This may prove challenging if you aren’t an experienced technician; to ensure adequate space is left for both battery and circuitry it would be wise to mill out an additional compartment as part of this transition process.
Active pickups
Active pickups require batteries for operation and can produce higher output levels, with an integrated preamp enabling you to shape your tone more precisely. As such, actives are often preferred by musicians looking for consistent sound in recording sessions; however they are typically more costly than passive alternatives and may not suit certain genres of music.
AV Basses offer both passive and active pickup options for their basses. Passive pickups utilize copper wire and magnets to sense string vibrations, translating these vibrations into currents which feed your amp. While passive pickups have many benefits, they may also be susceptible to wire static. Furthermore, windings may become dirty or damaged over time. By contrast, active pickups produce less background noise.
Active pickups stand out from their counterparts with their integrated preamp. This preamp allows you to more granularly adjust your tone during live performances while helping avoid feedback problems and maintaining more of the high-end frequencies with longer cable runs or multiple pedals.
Active pickups also boast the advantage of handling higher levels of gain without losing clarity, which is especially advantageous in metal and heavy music genres. Passive pickups on the other hand lose high-frequency content as you increase gain levels, leading to audible frequency drop off in high frequencies when you increase them.
Active pickups require batteries in order to function, which may present difficulties for some players when the power runs out. Furthermore, they require additional space within your guitar for both battery and preamp components – something which may pose challenges for bassists with smaller basses who don’t possess tools themselves.
Pre-amplifier
Pre-amps in bass guitar active pickup wiring are an integral component to ensure pickups function optimally. They’re usually powered by one 9-volt battery (or sometimes two in an 18-volt system) and allow you to cut or boost frequencies for greater control over how your bass sounds.
Dependent upon the kind of pickup you use, you may require altering the pot value for optimal results. Generally speaking, smaller pot values tend to work best with high-impedance pickups while larger ones work with low-impedance ones due to their reduced output and higher noise output levels; high-impedance ones therefore need greater gain for audibility.
Beginners may want to start off with a small pot value and increase it over time. Starting small will give you greater control over the tone of your bass and will work well with most pickups; however, you should test different options until finding what suits your own musical preferences best.
Preamplifiers contain more than just tone controls; they also feature input impedance matching transformers which match your guitar or bass’s impedance to that of the preamp’s output, providing for an ideally balanced and musical tone when connecting directly to an amplifier’s line input. Without such matching transformers, direct connection would yield very flat sounds from bass guitar.
Active pickups’ one drawback is their reliance on batteries to function, which can become an inconvenience during live performances. Therefore, it’s wise to always carry spare batteries with you, and unplug the pickups when not being used to prevent running them out and losing tone – this can be avoided using a switch on your guitar to shut off when not playing!
Switches
Switches are an excellent way to add additional control over your guitar. From adding pickup selectors and phase switches, to finding one specifically suitable for your bass – there are many choices out there! Installation typically involves finding the appropriate double-pole, double-throw (DPDT) switch which can either select neck pickups over bridge pickups, combine both into one sound source, or mute its output jack completely.
Most switches feature lugs to which wires can be soldered, and one terminal labeled as “common”, which connects directly to the pickup wires. Position A activates both pickups simultaneously while position B activates only one (neck pickup in this instance). Finally, position C allows you to combine both sounds simultaneously – perfect if your instrument uses both neck and bridge pickups!
Some players use switches to combine signals from multiple pickups, though this technique is less prevalent. By mixing together sounds from various pickups, this setup enables you to produce unique tones while at the same time creating unique sounds from them all. Unfortunately, however, such switching may require the use of a multimeter and may prove challenging to understand.
Blower switches provide another form of switch modification, bypassing all components and connecting one pickup directly to the output jack for quick lead sound without taking time to rewire their guitar. Unfortunately, however, these require batteries which must be changed regularly.
Some players also utilize push-pull pots as kill switches, enabling them to easily mute their bridge pickup while leaving tone and volume controls unchanged. Installing such switches is straightforward; just follow manufacturer’s instructions carefully as improper installation could damage your guitar. For added peace of mind it may be wiser to consult a qualified technician on how best to install this mod yourself.