Can I put passive pickups in my bass?

[martindupras]

I have an American Deluxe Jazz Bass V from ca. 1999 (5-in-a-row headstock) which has active electronics.

Am I right in thinking that the pickups are passive, and only the EQ is actually active? That's what I understand from the little information I could find.

If that is the case, am I right in thinking that I could swap the pickups for any other passive 5-string Jazz pickups? The new [url="http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_pickups_AG5J60.htm"]Aguilar AG 5J-60[/url] pickups look pretty cool, and I was wondering if perhaps that would be a good choice.

On a related note (assuming I'm right about the above), has anyone attempted using a push-pull volume pot to disable the EQ? Don't get me wrong, I think it sounds ace, but I just thought it would be nice occasionally to be in completely passive mode. (And I do understand that I would then have no tone knobs. That's OK.)

- martin

[Machines]

You are correct, pickups are passive and preamp is active. Any passive pickups should do you fine..

[martindupras]

[quote name='Machines' post='948284' date='Sep 7 2010, 01:44 PM']You are correct, pickups are passive and preamp is active. Any passive pickups should do you fine..[/quote]

Cool. Thanks for that.

- martin

[The Burpster]

[quote name='martindupras' post='948225' date='Sep 7 2010, 01:03 PM']I have an American Deluxe Jazz Bass V from ca. 1999 (5-in-a-row headstock) which has active electronics.

1. Am I right in thinking that the pickups are passive, and only the EQ is actually active? That's what I understand from the little information I could find.

2. If that is the case, am I right in thinking that I could swap the pickups for any other passive 5-string Jazz pickups? The new [url="http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_pickups_AG5J60.htm"]Aguilar AG 5J-60[/url] pickups look pretty cool, and I was wondering if perhaps that would be a good choice.

3. On a related note (assuming I'm right about the above), has anyone attempted using a push-pull volume pot to disable the EQ? Don't get me wrong, I think it sounds ace, but I just thought it would be nice occasionally to be in completely passive mode. (And I do understand that I would then have no tone knobs. That's OK.)

- martin[/quote]

So here goes.....

1. Yes

2. Yes, and the Aggies look good as would Barts SDs and probably Schallers

3. Yes the Bart in my EB IV has a push/pull on/off pre-amp switch and it is pretty cool (although TBF not used that often!)