Convert my passive Corvette to active?

[redbandit599]

Hi all

I'm not much of a modder - all my basses are as per original, but I'm wondering about 'upgrading' my Warwick Corvette standard (German, bubinga, wenge, MEC Dynamic Correction pups) to active.

There's a big old cavity at the back and I'd like a bit more of the famous Warwick growl from this wee beastie. Don't really want to drill new holes, so maybe something with stacked knobs.

Anyone done it? Any recommendations for likely pre-amps? Any tips?

Cheers

Jason

[Funkfingers]

Yes. 

MEC Dynamic Correction J pickups and passive control harness out.

Seymour Duncan Active EQ "switch" pickups in.

EMG 157C Buss board, 2x EMG solderless B122rH Volume pot, 1x x2 B124rH Passive (Guitar) Tone pot. 

The harness is hard-wired at each end and goes solderless in the middle. The idea was that I could easily convert from VVT controls to any combination of MV, Balance and stacked knob active EQ.

Turned out to sound so good that I have never felt any need to change anything. 

For your bubinga example, the regular Duncan/Basslines AJJ-1 pair would keep things bright and modern. (The old "switch" pickups are long since discontinued.) In my opinion, both the Duncan AJJ-2 Lightnin' Rods and EMG-JV replacement pickups will tend to sound a bit "soft" without active EQ to tweak the basic sound.

[redbandit599]

Thanks! Some handy advice there 😀👍

[3below]

Alternative take on the same bass - passive DiMarzio model Js.  I liked the tone of the original MEC pickups on mine but felt they lacked output.  No such problem with the model Js and they have the growl, so much so that my other half thinks my G&L is 'politer' and more rounded.

[Funkfingers]

35 minutes ago, 3below said:

I liked the tone of the original MEC pickups on mine but felt they lacked output.

My verdict was the other way around. Happy with the output, hugely disappointed by the tone. (I have even tried them through a Seymour Duncan STC-3P. Still unsatisfactory.)

Similarly, I find the passive MEC Double J pickup in the Streamer Pro M to be like Mr. Anchovy in the Monty Python sketch, Vocational Guidance Counsellor - dull, dull dull. Desperately dull.

[project_c]

Curious how you get on, my first 'proper' bass was a 90s Corvette and I always thought it would benefit from a preamp, but I stupidly sold it and got a double buck instead, which I instantly regretted. Those MEC passive pickups sound good, whereas I could never get a decent tone out of the humbuckers on the $$. (Most likely because I was crap and had no idea what I was doing back then). But I do wish I'd kept the passive Corvette and just put a decent preamp in there instead of getting rid of it, those basses sound great with a bit of an eq  boost.

[ead]

The Audere preamps can be specified in all manner of ways pre-purchase.  They are physically small too so leave plenty of room for a battery if you wish to be able to return your bass to stock at any point.

I've always found them to be very good in that they seem not to colour the sound too much.  Worth considering imho.  https://www.audereaudio.com/

 

Edited December 19, 2017 by ead

[Funkfingers]

The Audere Audio Classic systems look interesting. Similar pots to MIG Warwick. Similar stacked Vol/Bal control concept, creating space for stacked multi-band EQ controls. Unfortunately, three band EQ with mid frequency shift did not seem to be an option.

If all that the OP desires is the addition of an active two-band EQ, there are numerous brands that would do the job - even Warwick's own.

[bartelby]

I tracked down an old 3 band MEC preamp on here.

Controls are:

Stacked volume/blend (pull for passive)

Stacked bass/treble

Mid

 

It's a tight squeeze in the control cavity, but it fits.

[redbandit599]

Thanks all - lots of options to consider here. Think a bit of Christmas research will be in order :-)