Preamp replacement - a problem with a knob

siderocks

siderocks

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Hey!

I am thinking about replacing the MEC pre on my Infinity to an EMG BTC control since I have good experiences of it on my Vette. Now I have this problem. BTC control is like the MEC 2-band, bass and treble in one stacked knob. My Infinity has a push/pull function on the upper stacked knob (treble) that controls the bridge pickup coil state. The EMG knob does not have a push/pull option. I wouldn't like to drill holes on my bass just for this preamp.

What to do to make it happen?
 
Do you use the TJ in "split" mode? If not, you could sacrifice it (That would be the easiest mod).
 
Leave the MEC preamp on it. :P

Honestly I think it's a superior preamp. Your only solution as far as I can tell is to manage to find a blend pot with a push pull, I don't think there is such a thing really. Perhaps you can do it on the volume knob but you have to lose the preamp bypass.
 
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leave the pots just replace the pre-amp:-)
 
schlobodan said:
leave the pots just replace
the pre-amp:-)
Click to expand...

That may, or may not, work.
EMG setups usually require
much lower resistance values
for their pots. Not sure what
the result would be if one
chooses to violate that.
 
Set up an internal switch providing you dont use the coil selection on the fly. A small switch inside the control cavity could be the solution.
 
schlobodan said:
leave the pots just replace the pre-amp:-)
Click to expand...

The problem is that the preamp looks like this



Alex gave some good advices on the chatbox so I'm gonna send an email to EMG and consult my tech. Btw, anyone know any good preamps with same kind of characteristics EMG has that could solve my problem?
 
Get a two way toggle installed, like the little one on the $$
 
Quoting myself a bit here :P

siderocks said:
I wouldn't like to drill holes on my bass just for this preamp.
Click to expand...

Or did you mean inside the control cavity? Makes life a little too hard. But hey nice ideas nevertheless, keep em coming!
 
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:x sorry missed that. on the other had if you do put in a small outside switch even if you go back to another preamp the switch would be useful (i prefer switches to pullable knobs- i have accidentally pushed them back when adjusting the EQ)
 
Augie said:
:x sorry missed that. on the other had if you do put in a small outside switch even if you go back to another preamp the switch would be useful (i prefer switches to pullable knobs- i have accidentally pushed them back when adjusting the EQ)
Click to expand...

No worries. I like switches too but I'm a little afraid it'll hurt the resale price if one day I decide to sell it even though I can't see that happening now.
 
Hey Olli,
You could replace the balance pot with a push/pull type or remove the EQ bypass and use the push/pull on the vol pot.Another idea is to fit a stacked vol/balance and use the hole for a switch or maybe 3 band EQ with apush/pull on the single pot.
cheers
verb
 
Stacked vol/balance... awesome idear.
 
I thought stacked vol/bal is standard in the infinity, actually i have it on two basses.
 
Hum, not so on the SN TCS. It's volume/blend/bass+treble.
 
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verb said:
Hey Olli,
You could replace the balance pot with a push/pull type or remove the EQ bypass and use the push/pull on the vol pot.Another idea is to fit a stacked vol/balance and use the hole for a switch or maybe 3 band EQ with apush/pull on the single pot.
cheers
verb
Click to expand...

Wow, great ideas Verb. Thanks! I think the best bet would be trying to find the push/pull balance pot. Does Warwick/MEC provide those?
 
It is issue if you try to change the preamp and pickups on Warwick due to the pot setup, it happen on my Dolphin and thumb too, Dolphin have push/pull treble like infinity, no other company make the part like that, also I believe you can't find push/pull balance pot, never hear that before, just like no body make push/pull vol/bal, I want to put passive pus like bartolini on my warwicks, but I have buy pot from MEC, it is fuxking expensive, or I have to make a hole.....

EMG circus is less than preamp, they were made for EMG pickups, to separate tre/bass, and make a balance to control the vol of pickup, I try many preamp, EMG & bassline sucks, just give OBP-3 or Bartolini preamp a chance, they will blow EMG away, trust me.

Btw, MEC preamp is so so, but still much much better than EMGs, can you see the range of EMG is very small? It give the original sound of your PUs, so is MEC but more range!
 
Agreed, I don't think there's such a thing as a push pull balance control anywhere. You need to use a stacked vol/balance.
 
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