ern500evo Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Hi all, I'm thinking of possibly upgrading the EMG HZ's in my spector bass, I've seen a lot of people suggest changing them out for active emg's, would this do away with the active tonepump in the bass? If so, is this a better option than fitting a higher grade passive pickup and retaing the tonepump? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulflan0151 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 Hi, Nordstrand pups are great. I've just made a bass with nord' single coils. Sounds a monster: big tone, good string to string volume/ balance, very punchie but retains a lot of clarity. grate for modern funk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 You can keep the tonepump, you just need to make sure the EMGs are linked to the battery too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 [quote name='Doctor J' post='1180938' date='Mar 29 2011, 03:52 PM']You can keep the tonepump, you just need to make sure the EMGs are linked to the battery too.[/quote] Cool, so if i went for actives would i nedd another battery in the bass? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 [quote name='ern500evo' post='1180959' date='Mar 29 2011, 04:04 PM']Cool, so if i went for actives would i nedd another battery in the bass?[/quote] No, you should be able to power them both off a single 9v. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted March 29, 2011 Author Share Posted March 29, 2011 [quote name='Doctor J' post='1180966' date='Mar 29 2011, 04:10 PM']No, you should be able to power them both off a single 9v.[/quote] Excellent, sounds like a perfect solution. thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus x-1 Posted March 29, 2011 Share Posted March 29, 2011 On the subject of Spector Legends. I have got one not so long ago and am getting to really like it. My question is, as the pickups are passive but the tone pump is active, if the tone controls are set to off, is the bass passive? I know it's prob a noob question but I was wondering if the battery went mid gig, if the bass would still work with tones in off position. If I have this totally wrong can a Spector expert explain (in simple terms) how the tone pump functions? cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchman Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1181376' date='Mar 29 2011, 08:46 PM']On the subject of Spector Legends. I have got one not so long ago and am getting to really like it. My question is, as the pickups are passive but the tone pump is active, if the tone controls are set to off, is the bass passive? I know it's prob a noob question but I was wondering if the battery went mid gig, if the bass would still work with tones in off position. If I have this totally wrong can a Spector expert explain (in simple terms) how the tone pump functions? cheers.[/quote] Not a Spector expert, but in most active basses there either is or is not a switch to bypass the preamp and go passive. Without such a switch, there's not a hope that you'll get anything if the battery is dead. Even with a switch, I would hesitate to guarantee that it'll route the signal passively - the bass would need to be wird for what in effects pedal terms would be called true bypass. Carry a spare battery Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted March 30, 2011 Author Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='Cygnus x-1' post='1181376' date='Mar 29 2011, 08:46 PM']On the subject of Spector Legends. I have got one not so long ago and am getting to really like it. My question is, as the pickups are passive but the tone pump is active, if the tone controls are set to off, is the bass passive? I know it's prob a noob question but I was wondering if the battery went mid gig, if the bass would still work with tones in off position. If I have this totally wrong can a Spector expert explain (in simple terms) how the tone pump functions? cheers.[/quote] I have replaced the battery once in mine and i've had it about 10 years! And, it wasn't dead i was just putting new duracells in a couple of pedals so figured i might as well do the bass as well. They are great basses for the money, mine's a thru neck and i've had a hipshot fitted to it, i love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cetera Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 The best pickups to replace the EMG-HZ's with (IMHO) are active EMG35DC pickups. This is what you will find on the US Spector models.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 [quote name='watchman' post='1182069' date='Mar 30 2011, 12:30 PM']Not a Spector expert, but in most active basses there either is or is not a switch to bypass the preamp and go passive. Without such a switch, there's not a hope that you'll get anything if the battery is dead. Even with a switch, I would hesitate to guarantee that it'll route the signal passively - the bass would need to be wird for what in effects pedal terms would be called true bypass. Carry a spare battery [/quote] The fool proof test is to engage the bypass switch (if there is one) with the battery removed. If it will truly run in passive mode, you will still get output. If there isn't a bypass switch at all, then forget it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cygnus x-1 Posted March 30, 2011 Share Posted March 30, 2011 thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ern500evo Posted March 31, 2011 Author Share Posted March 31, 2011 [quote name='cetera' post='1182265' date='Mar 30 2011, 02:31 PM']The best pickups to replace the EMG-HZ's with (IMHO) are active EMG35DC pickups. This is what you will find on the US Spector models....[/quote] If i change the HZ's for 35DC's would i retain the tonepump, and would the controls on the bass stay the same, volume, volume, bass, treble? Also, would both pickups and the tonepump all link off the one battery or would i need to add another? Sorry if this all sounds like a stupid question but i'm not that tech minded when it comes to bass electronics! Needless to say it'll be someone else doing the actual install! By the way, that is an amazing collection of spectors you have there! This is my first one and i absolutely love it, It's only a cheaper model but it feels great to play, my USA Precision hardly gets a look in now!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watchman Posted April 1, 2011 Share Posted April 1, 2011 [quote name='ern500evo' post='1183648' date='Mar 31 2011, 06:05 PM']If i change the HZ's for 35DC's would i retain the tonepump, and would the controls on the bass stay the same, volume, volume, bass, treble? Also, would both pickups and the tonepump all link off the one battery or would i need to add another? Sorry if this all sounds like a stupid question but i'm not that tech minded when it comes to bass electronics! Needless to say it'll be someone else doing the actual install! By the way, that is an amazing collection of spectors you have there! This is my first one and i absolutely love it, It's only a cheaper model but it feels great to play, my USA Precision hardly gets a look in now!![/quote] Can't see why you shouldn't be able to run it all off one battery. The controls will stay the same whatever you do, short of changing the preamp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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