Active pups in a JP6

[jnashg]

I've got a 2011 JP6 that I've let languish for some time. I love the way it plays, but I've gravitated towards SD Blackouts. I used to build electrics and started putting them into all of my guitars. I want to start playing it again, but I miss the sound of the Blackouts.
I know this has been tossed about on this forum, but I can find no specifics on how to wire them up. The electronics on these guitars is pretty complicated and I can't find much online. For those of you who have put active pickups in the JP6, how did you do it (I know there were a few who did)? specifically, How did you route the signal to the Mono or Stereo jacks? I have yet to figure out how this is accomplished without getting too invasive.
Thanks, james

 

[beej]

Hi James,

First place to start is a wiring diagram - email the Customer Service folks.

I don't know much about the SD system, but here's my two cents. The JP6 Piezo has a board that splits the signal from the mags (via the wiper and & ground lugs from the volume pot) to both the passive output, and the front of the preamp that combines it with the piezos (the active output).

Seems to me that the easiest way to do things might be to to unsolder these wires (white & black), and instead wire them to the output of the SD system (I think the hot output to the jack is on the toggle switch).

For power, you'd have to experiment a bit, as you'd want the SD preamp deactivated when a cable wasn't plugged in. Probably take the Red wire from the terminal on the board that feeds the battery, and maybe ground from the lug that's connected to the trem claw/pots. (I assume this connects to the battery ground when a cable is connected, but you'd want to check.)

The downside here is that on the mono (active) output, you'll be running the mags through two preamps- the SD one and the MM one. If hiss is an issue, you could consider using a single preamp for both. I presume you could get either one to work for this purpose, but that would be more involved.

Hopefully someone with more info can chime in with their experiences.