7string Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 My 4 string Jackson bass, which I've had for many years, needs a bit of TLC. I had a look at the electronics today and cleaned the pots. However, the pots are showing their age and have been getting more and more scratchy. I could replace the pots, but there is a large amount of wiring. This is because the Jackson has active "Reflex" P/J pickups with a passive tone control. I have no idea why Jackson decided to make things this way, but the bass has served me well for what seems like an age and it hasn't been a problem. As I say, I could just replace the pots but with the large amount of wiring involved, I'm thinking about replacing the pickups and making it totally passive with just a volume, blend and tone pot ...and this is where I'm asking for any advice/suggestions. As I was happy with the sound, could I get the active pickups rewound as passive?? Alternatively, can someone recommend a particular brand/model of pickups. I'm after a big, chunky rock tone. I have never bought replacement pickups before as I always make sure I'm happy with the tone before I buy a bass in the first place! This is really a voyage into the unknown!! Many thanks for any advice/suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spinynorman Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 By "cleaning", do you mean spraying inside with [url="http://www.maxiaudio.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Y062"]Servisol[/url], because that would be the first thing to try? I put a DiMarzio P/J set on a 1980s Kay bass I had and was very pleased with them. I was playing mostly Cream, Free and Deep Purple at the time and they suited that stuff well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted August 26, 2008 Share Posted August 26, 2008 Usually active pickups are potted from experience so it makes it nigh on impossible to get into them. How about making it easier on yourself and getting a prewired harness? I've got one coming tomorrow to try in my Warmoth P bass and am hellish at soldering. as far as I know they do different versions for active and passive pickups but I could be remembering some random information about something else. You can more or less get what you want - Mine is a 2 band, single pickup one with a main volume and stacked treble and bass so as to avoid drilling another hole in the bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted August 27, 2008 Share Posted August 27, 2008 If you're after passives, Seymour Duncan Quater Pounders or the high output DiMarzios-Ultra J&P. Active pups EMG are powerful, I have them in my Squier Precision (Precision and Jazz pups) with the EMG BTC (bass and treble control) which has treble frequencey selector switches on the mini pcb of the tone pot. I think they sound amazing with huge chunky bottom end which is never muddy and it can zing like an old dirty P bass, the Jazz pup is dead growly too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted August 27, 2008 Author Share Posted August 27, 2008 [quote name='spinynorman' post='270638' date='Aug 26 2008, 11:04 PM']By "cleaning", do you mean spraying inside with [url="http://www.maxiaudio.co.uk/proddetail.php?prod=Y062"]Servisol[/url], because that would be the first thing to try? I put a DiMarzio P/J set on a 1980s Kay bass I had and was very pleased with them. I was playing mostly Cream, Free and Deep Purple at the time and they suited that stuff well.[/quote] Yup, I loosened the pots and managed to spray the stuff right into the pots themselves. Even used canned air to blow some nasty stuff out before I used the cleaner! Thanks for all your suggestions. Hopefully the funding will come soon and I can get on wih resurrecting the Jackson bass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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