MM Pickups are hotter than EMGs?

[phatduckk]

ok ... so i finally got my Frankenstein bass from the repair guy. I gave my oldest bass a lil pick me up - new neck, badass bridge, cleaned up the EMG PJ pup wiring - everything's changed except the body.

So i got the bass back on saturday and it sounded great on my lil Ampeg at home, it definately kicked my USA P basses arse ... but today i took it to reherssal and played it thru my real rig and i was totally let down. my main issue was that the pups werent putting out enough. my amps "set" for my sterling and i assumed the EMGs would pup out some loudness, but nope, the Sterlings output is way higher. i resorted to plugged the bass into the "normal" input - not the active input on my svt classic and it was barely acceptable! even then i had to turn the gain up!

I dunno if im just soooooo used to the MM pups and my ears wont accept anything else, or if the repair dude somehow messed something up - but i was shocked at how much lower output the EMGs had. Anyways - either something's wrong or ive learned my lesson - nothing can beat my Sterling - well, not until my HS Sterling gets on.

so the MM pups rule the world! but does anyone have a reccomendation on what pups to try in my PJ style frankenstein. i was hoping this lil project would hold me over till my 2 pup sterling comes in in a few months

 

[JB1]

Duck, just a thought...

Would it be worth getting the repair guy to check both basses on some kind on meter (you can tell I'm a techy!) to see what output levels your getting?

Perhaps Frankie isn't putting out what he should and you can make a direct comparison to your Sterling?

 

[phatduckk]

Duck, just a thought...

Would it be worth getting the repair guy to check both basses on some kind on meter (you can tell I'm a techy!) to see what output levels your getting?

Perhaps Frankie isn't putting out what he should and you can make a direct comparison to your Sterling?

thanks for the tip dude. ill definately keep that in mind. tomorrow im gonna take the frankenstein to the local shop and have the bass sales guy play it and lemme know if he thinks something's up. hes pretty knowledgable and i trust his opinion - plus, he wont charge me anything for his input. if he says that it sounds "right" then odds are that my expectations of the bass are too high - it having sentimental value n all (my first bass) i was hoping it would rock - but truth it that it is what it is - an el cheapo w/ a makeover

 

[phatduckk]

after doing some reading online my newest guess (i dunno much about electronics in guitars etc) is that one of the main reasons the MM sounds soooo much hotter to me is that my EMGs are active pups but i dont have an onboard preamp.

ill see what the pros have to say tomorrow. but i must add that this experience with my frankenstein has made me appreciate my MMs' quality, sound and plug n play ease a lot more. the truss rod wheel in and of itself is flippin genious, not to mention the exceptional control the electronics give me onboard the bass itself.

ive primarily used my sterling since about 2000 or 2001 and have been flat out spoiled. its easily the benchmark i hold every other bass i ever touch up to and i doubt anything (for me at least) will ever top that lil blue dawn bastard

 

[SteveB]

phatt,

I don't know a lot about guitar internals, either, but I think an active pickup = preamp.

Otherwise, what is the battery powering?

 

[JB1]

after doing some reading online my newest guess (i dunno much about electronics in guitars etc) is that one of the main reasons the MM sounds soooo much hotter to me is that my EMGs are active pups but i dont have an onboard preamp.

There's you answer I think Duck.

You got active pups, you need a preamp (and a battery!)

J