Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: Will on August 13, 2007, 02:08:22 AM

Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: Will on August 13, 2007, 02:08:22 AM
well is ther such a thing? I have seen a rotary knob thing with the active option
I could see this as convenient and to have it on a swithc for when the battery dies
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: TwilightOdyssey on August 13, 2007, 02:21:01 AM
Why not just make sure you have fresh batteries in your guitar in the first place? PDT_008
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: WezV on August 13, 2007, 09:12:45 AM
if you have passive pickups with an active pre-amp (like most basses with active electronics) then adding an active/passive switch that bypasses the pre-amp is no biggy.

if you have active pickups (with in built preamp like EMG's) i dont think there is any way to run them without the pre-amp so no way to run them without batteries
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: Will on August 13, 2007, 04:51:06 PM
yeah that is what  I am after I think, are they expensive/ any advice please?
and that is what lowers the impedance?
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: WezV on August 13, 2007, 05:24:46 PM
what are you trying to achieve by lowering the impedance?

and what pickups/electronics are you working with?  if we are working with active systems is it active pickups with normal controls or is it passive pickups with an active EQ.

a series/split/parallel switch will give you 3 different impedance levels from one pickup. but whever thats actually what you are after i am not sure
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on August 13, 2007, 05:32:42 PM
Will - explain a bit more what you are trying to achieve

You can put a buffer preamp in a guitar (will require a 9V battery) and this will  give you a low impedance output from your high impedance pickups
Some will also allow you to have a switchable boost
A good example of this is the EMG PA2 preamp booster - also used by Slayer's Kerry King etc
see  details here (http://www.emginc.com/displayproducts.asp?section=Accessories&categoryid=32&catalogid=135)

We keep these in stock if you need one
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: Will on August 13, 2007, 06:01:51 PM
errrm well there isn't much point in me buying one, as you probably know I have been talking to you about a build  :wink:
lower impedance to perform better with long cables / signal path basically
I don't desire a tonal change really
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: noodleplugerine on August 13, 2007, 06:15:31 PM
Quote from: Will
errrm well there isn't much point in me buying one, as you probably know I have been talking to you about a build  :wink:
lower impedance to perform better with long cables / signal path basically
I don't desire a tonal change really


That sort of thing is so tone-nazi that it's not worth hacking a hole in your guitar. Honestly - If you want a clear signal through your leads - Then buy better leads.

If you've got a cr@p lead - lowering your impedance won't help.

Once you've got a £200 lead and still don't think it's good enough then hack a hole in your guitar.

But honestly - Guitars aren't meant to have piano tone - If you distill your tone you lose the essence of the guitar.
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: FELINEGUITARS on August 13, 2007, 06:58:51 PM
Will - there are alsso pedals that do a really great job of this
Most non - hardwirebypass pedals have a buffer pre-amp in them so will do this

Or get a pedal like an HBE Uno Mos or Mos Dos
Ask Twilight Odyssey about them....he uses them
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: Will on August 13, 2007, 07:31:31 PM
Quote from: noodleplugerine
Quote from: Will
errrm well there isn't much point in me buying one, as you probably know I have been talking to you about a build  :wink:
lower impedance to perform better with long cables / signal path basically
I don't desire a tonal change really


That sort of thing is so tone-nazi that it's not worth hacking a hole in your guitar. Honestly - If you want a clear signal through your leads - Then buy better leads.

If you've got a cr@p lead - lowering your impedance won't help.

Once you've got a £200 lead and still don't think it's good enough then hack a hole in your guitar.

But honestly - Guitars aren't meant to have piano tone - If you distill your tone you lose the essence of the guitar.


just what I was waiting for! should simplify things anyway. I had looked at the EMG thing before, but read reviews that it wasn't very transparent.
Title: onboard device that can lower impedance?
Post by: Oli on August 13, 2007, 07:56:05 PM
Or... be really sneaky and modify your EMG preamp so it's phantom powered by a pedal to deliver the power :) You could then build a little '2nd preamp' in it to boost the signal if it was going to go a long way from pedal -> amp.

But that's not really what you were after :P