Installing an active pickup to replace a non-active pickup??

  • Thread starter Thread starter elenore19
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elenore19 said:
So I really want to get a guitar like one of these...cheap, but decent.
http://store.guitarfetish.com/xaxvandxvgu.html

And then I want to install an active pickup into that sucker. Is that possible? or is it a true pain in the ass to do?

Thanks for the help


Elliot
Click to expand...

Just one? Not possible. You can not mix active and passive pickups (well, you can, but you need a preamp for the passive pickup before switching anything - so I guess it's possible, but not very practical).

Two actives? No problem.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
Just one? Not possible. You can not mix active and passive pickups (well, you can, but you need a preamp for the passive pickup before switching anything - so I guess it's possible, but not very practical).

Two actives? No problem.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...

So how would I go about doing the two actives? Would I have to make an extra slot for the battery in the back of the guitar? or no?
 
elenore19 said:
So how would I go about doing the two actives? Would I have to make an extra slot for the battery in the back of the guitar? or no?
Click to expand...

They both run off of the same battery, which you are going to need if you have one or two active pickups. The most common thing for a retro fit is to keep the battery in the control cavity. Unless there is a lot in there, there should be enough room.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Yes... Yes it is a pain in the rear end to do but modding a guitar can also be fun

you are going to want to invest in a plunge router to make a cavity for the battery... Harbour Freight tools has a 1-1/2 Horsepower on sale this week for $39.95 and you will have to make a larger cavity if you are going to inatall an onboard EQ card however the job can be done with a dremmel but is a long and tedius process with a dremmel.You will also need some extra long drill bits for routing the wires from the battery compartment to the pickup housing.
you will also want to get masking tape to mask off the body in order to keep from damaging the finish while making the modification

anything you may want to ask me about making the mod feel free to PM Me, I will try to help you with any information if I can.
 
Wow, active pickups.. Guess I've been living under the rock all my life.

What are pros of active pickups - why would you even need them?
 
I like the looks of that black Metalflake with the Dream 180's in it-headstock shape is a bit different but no big deal. As it is it looks like a combination of a Thinline Tele with a bit of Rickenbacker jangle mixed in:cool:, I say go for it, play it a while and the decide if it needs active or not!
 

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I actually have that exact guitar but in red.
I bought it just to have a cheap POS to play for my beach gigs and it's ended up being my current favorite guitar. I'm playing it at all my gigs right now; choosing it over much more expensive guitars.
If the only reason you're talking about putting in actives is because you're assuming the p'ups on it will sound bad .... then you may be surprised.

If you just want actives, well I've opened mine up and there's no need to add a cavity for the battery. There's enough room in the control cavity for one.
 
Lt. Bob said:
I actually have that exact guitar but in red.
I bought it just to have a cheap POS to play for my beach gigs and it's ended up being my current favorite guitar. I'm playing it at all my gigs right now; choosing it over much more expensive guitars.
If the only reason you're talking about putting in actives is because you're assuming the p'ups on it will sound bad .... then you may be surprised.

If you just want actives, well I've opened mine up and there's no need to add a cavity for the battery. There's enough room in the control cavity for one.
Click to expand...

So I could just put the battery in the space in the back of the guitar that is already there? (yeah, that was worded badly, hopefully it makes sense)

Screw it, I don't need actives.

How would I go about adding one of those mod boards to one of the guitars I mentioned.


I'll make a new thread with all my new modding questions.
 
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Roguetitan said:
you are going to want to invest in a plunge router to make a cavity for the battery...
Click to expand...


I can't imagine what on earth for. There is almost certainly room in the existing control cavity for the battery, which would require not routing, but even if it did it is much easier and faster to remover most of the material with a drill bit, and clean up the edges with a router, which certainly does not need to be a plunge router. I prefer to use my overarm router, but a regular router is quite useful. I almost never use my plunge router, because it is just too difficult to set the depth on the plunge router with any accuracy. Make sure you use a pattern bit and a template if you do need to use a router, but it is unlikely to be required.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Mish said:
Wow, active pickups.. Guess I've been living under the rock all my life.

What are pros of active pickups - why would you even need them?
Click to expand...

They have a preamp built in which allows them to have a more even frequency response - or at least a more precisely tailored frequency response - a cleaner output, much lower output impedance, can drive longer cable runs, do not have their tone changed by poorly buffered effect pedals (most older pedal designs), and if desired a higher output. If you are using a lot of tone shaping gear they make for a much more versatile rig.

The down side is that a lot of people (including myself) find them to sound very sterile and dull. Boring, in a word. If you have the right processing gear in your rig, they can be fine, but I prefer my guitars to have character right out of the jack.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
 
Light said:
I can't imagine what on earth for. There is almost certainly room in the existing control cavity for the battery, which would require not routing, but even if it did it is much easier and faster to remover most of the material with a drill bit, and clean up the edges with a router, which certainly does not need to be a plunge router. I prefer to use my overarm router, but a regular router is quite useful. I almost never use my plunge router, because it is just too difficult to set the depth on the plunge router with any accuracy. Make sure you use a pattern bit and a template if you do need to use a router, but it is unlikely to be required.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi
Click to expand...
is there a wrong or right way to make a battery hole? I suppose you could cut a battery compartment with a drill motor, a drill bit and a chisel if you wanted to.

I suppose installing a battery compartment would be a personal perfrence as opposed to a necessity however it certanly would not be necessiary with a semihollow nor would it be advisable... I thought he was talking about a solid body in which case I perferr a seperate compartment for the battery JM.02
 
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