Converting to active from passive?

Hey all

I have a Corvette Standard, 5-string Natural Oil finish Bubinga body Ovangkol neck w/Chrome hardware and the passive MEC Dynamic Connection pick ups.
the wiring pocket seems plenty big enough to add active circuitry and I remember something about the C-Standard coming with active pick ups
Just out of curiosity, is there an easy conversion to jump these pups to active? At first glance I'd say no because the actives are big and square and you'd have to rout the body which I don't want to do.

Jes' askin' for the fun of it.

 

I'm going to say the majority of 'active' basses in this world have passive pickups and an active preamp. It's no problem at all, and all Warwicks use the exact same cavity, so a preamp will fit. The pickups shouldn't need replacing, and all you'd need is an active preamp.

 

Thanks....it's exactly where the research was leading me this morning after I posted.....

http://www.audereaudio.com/3ZB.htm

Anyone else got suggestions for a no-drill pre amp module?

 

If you want active pickups,they are the same size as the passive ones.
You will need a preamp with a stacked pot,MEC do one.EMG do the BTC,Aguilar do the OBP 1 and 2.
There are more available if you google.

http://www.emgpickups.com/products/index/104

http://www.aguilaramp.com/products_preamps_obp2.htm

 

I got this preamp from Glockenklang, I just haven't had it put in yet. Since you have a Corvette Std this may be the best way to go unless you want holes drilled into your bass for the 4 knob kit you have linked from audereaudio.

Bart has the identical configuration called the 3.3A/P but I've heard good things about Glock so I went with it.

2 Band 3 Knob
http://www.glockenklang.de/Bilder%20400px/Onboard%20Preamp%202-Band%20stacked%20400px.jpg

 

My Corvette Std has a full-on active setup (pickups and preamp) from Seymour-Duncan, and it sounds phenomenal. Even if you just go the route of the STB-2P preamp (their 2-band active model), it's extremely easy to install, needs no drilling and fits fairly well in the control cavity of the Warwick. I'd recommend looking at SD; they're stuff is killer.

 

I am seriously thinking about doing the same thing to my Corvette standard 4. Just trying to figure out which way to go. SD's or EMG's.

 

When I bought my Corvette Std (waaay back in '97), the original owner had put a set of EMGs in them, so I have experience with both setups. For my taste, I find the Seymour-Duncan set to be much more true to the sound of the instrument, whereas the EMGs had a hi-fi sheen and cleanness to them that was put on top of the "sound of wood." It really comes down to what you want tonally.

 

True that! I've heard plenty of people with EMG's on other basses and they sound awesome. I was really impressed with them but I have yet to hear a Corvette with EMG's. Judging by what you said, it would probably sound pretty gnarly.