I have a FNA with a single humbucking pickup. I purchased the bass, new, in 2001.
The output on the bass recently died, and after checking the usual suspects, such as the output jack, I traced the problem back to the MEC pickup.
I pulled the MEC from the bass, and I could not get any reading off of it.
The bass came stock, from Warwick, with a Seymour Duncan STC-3M4 preamp. I could not locate a MEC pickup like the one on my bass, so I ordered a Seymour Duncan SMB-5A as a replacement. I read in a few places that Warwick had used those pickups at one time, and since the bass already had a Seymour preamp, I thought the two would be a good match.
I installed the pickup per the SMB-5A instructions, but I do not have any sound. If I pull the plug slightly out of the output jack, I can get some signal. It is almost as if the sound want to come through on the ground side of the plug.
I have connected the pickup straight to the jack, and it produces sound without any problem in that scenario. I've also used a meter to make sure power from the battery is getting to the preamp board and that continuity is good between all connection points.
I'm hoping someone has installed a Seymour SMB-5A in an FNA and can offer some insight, such as perhaps I need to deviate from the stock wiring diagram in some way.
If anyone can help, I would really appreciate it. I guess I can always gut the electronics and replace everything, but that seems like a drastic step.
The output on the bass recently died, and after checking the usual suspects, such as the output jack, I traced the problem back to the MEC pickup.
I pulled the MEC from the bass, and I could not get any reading off of it.
The bass came stock, from Warwick, with a Seymour Duncan STC-3M4 preamp. I could not locate a MEC pickup like the one on my bass, so I ordered a Seymour Duncan SMB-5A as a replacement. I read in a few places that Warwick had used those pickups at one time, and since the bass already had a Seymour preamp, I thought the two would be a good match.
I installed the pickup per the SMB-5A instructions, but I do not have any sound. If I pull the plug slightly out of the output jack, I can get some signal. It is almost as if the sound want to come through on the ground side of the plug.
I have connected the pickup straight to the jack, and it produces sound without any problem in that scenario. I've also used a meter to make sure power from the battery is getting to the preamp board and that continuity is good between all connection points.
I'm hoping someone has installed a Seymour SMB-5A in an FNA and can offer some insight, such as perhaps I need to deviate from the stock wiring diagram in some way.
If anyone can help, I would really appreciate it. I guess I can always gut the electronics and replace everything, but that seems like a drastic step.
