Active to Passive

[SuperSeagull]

Hi, my Fender P Lyte continues to prove problematic. Having replaced a dodgy battery clip it now works all the time but the volume is inconsistent, it sometimes distorts (and it’s had a new battery more than once) - I can’t rely on it it a performance setting so I’m thinking of converting it to passive. It is potentially a nice back up instrument and its weight is attractive when my old back is applying up. It’s a two band eq with a pick-up pan and a master vol, so a two vol, two tone seems the obvious way to go. Apart from finding a suitable wiring diagram I guess I need to change the pots as well but I’m unsure what ones I’d need. Anything else to consider?

Edited July 20, 2023 by SuperSeagull

[itu]

Have you been thinking of a tone bypass (i.e. A/P) switch? There's no need to change the pots, except the one you replace with a switch pot.

Edited July 21, 2023 by itu

[SuperSeagull]

6 hours ago, itu said:

Have you been thinking of a tone bypass (i.e. A/P) switch? There's no need to change the pots, except the one you replace with a switch pot.

Thanks but want to go full passive. 

[itu]

In that case you could have V-V-T-T or V-Blend-T-T. Because there are already four pots in a row, use 500k.

 

VVTT:

2 x (pickup - V - T) - out

Just solder both sets to output.

 

VBlendTT:

2 x (pickup - tone) - blend - vol - out

Blend pot: Bourns 500k MN

This may look a bit peculiar, but the order has to be this to keep the blend and two tones functional. Keep the wires long enough. Helps with the assembly.

[SuperSeagull]

I chickened out of doing this myself and took it to the fantastic Badlands Guitars in Brighton who did an excellent job. The bass sounds so much better without the preamp, much more like either a P or a J. The wiring job they did was neat as a pin and all for £59. The Lyte is going to get a lot more use now.