My Stingray has died???

[quinos]

Hello to everybody.
I am an spanish bassist and I have changed my Warwick Thumb for a MM Stingray '94 (S/N 40202) in trans tail with a Delano humbucker. I was searching for a Stingray since few years and I was very happy for this change. But my stingray arrived on last friday, it loooked very pretty, but when I tried to tune it no signal was detected by my boss tu-2. I changed the battery but nothing happened. I open the circuitery but no cord were apparently wrong. With a polimeter no voltage was detected on the humbucker, only on the knobs......
I am very amateur on electronic, so today I let it in a Music shop, and the "luthier" told me that maybe my pick up has died.....but is this possible only in a travel??....
One thing that surprise me was that the 3 band-preamp of the MM has a push/pull volume knob.....is that standard or it is changed???.....
Sorry for this large topic and thank you very much for reading me.

 

[rappa29]

I'm not an electronics expert, but considering you have aftermarket electronics in there (Delano pickup and pre with a push\pull, these are NOT STOCK EBMM), my best guess possibly something was originally wrong with the installation of the aftermarket parts....could be anything...loose wire, cold solder, etc.

How did the luthier come to the conclusion that the pickup was dead? Did he run tests? Did he check all the solder joints?

That's the risk of buying basses that are modded. You never know who did the mod and whether it was performed correctly.

 

[quinos]

You are right and I am completely in agree with you. I never bought previously modified instruments, but when this person offer me the change, I couldn't resist it....
So the preamp is also modified??....bufff.....and what could be the the function of the push/pull???.....active/pasive??......
The "luthier" didn't run any test, he only put me in the worst option.....I don't know why but I was bad, now I am worse......
I am very afraid but I hope it would be a simple problem......
Thank you very much for your answer!

 

[bovinehost]

I believe the push/pull button is for a "slap contour", which boosts bass and treble and minimized the mids. Kind of the "smiley face" EQ shape.

With a modified/aftermarket electronics package, it's going to be impossible to say what might have gone wrong without testing each component. Anything we offer you here will be nothing but a SWAG (scientific wild-ass guess).

 

[quinos]

....well...is the first time I laugh on days.........

 

[bovinehost]

pues al menos he hecho algo bueno hoy dia! buena suerte con el bajo, si tienes preguntas o quieres que yo te explique algo en este idioma, creo que puedo -mas o menos - soy gringo pero aparentamente he tenido lecciones, no?

 

[quinos]

Tan malo es mi inglés que has tenido que usar el traductor de google parahablar conmigo???
Fuera bromas, hablas muy bien.
Gracias por tu oferta!

 

[bovinehost]

Tan malo es mi inglés que has tenido que usar el traductor de google parahablar conmigo???
Fuera bromas, hablas muy bien.
Gracias por tu oferta!

ja, solo diga no a Google! Pero si, la verdad es que a veces uso mi "traductor" de pelo largo.

 

[Vintage7]

I seriously doubt that the pickup is bad. If you have a ohm meter, disconnect one pickup wire, then take a reading of the pup and see what you get. I'll take a guess and say it's wiring first, dead preamp second, and bad pup a very distant third.

Does the preamp module have the letter "D" on it?
If so, it's also a Delano.
And the push/pull is for passive/active.
Output impedance should read at 100 ohms (jack side).
Preamp input impedance should read at 1K ohm (with pickup disconnected).
Apparently there are dipswitch settings on the preamp that have to be set, so that could be it also.
Here's more info:
Products

 

[JayDawg]

ja, solo diga no a Google! Pero si, la verdad es que a veces uso mi "traductor" de pelo largo.

Hablas espanol muey bien!

 

[Bean]

ja, solo diga no a Google! Pero si, la verdad es que a veces uso mi "traductor" de pelo largo.

Horale mano! No que no!

 

[quinos]

I don't have the MM in front of me because it is still on the luthier, and I can't remember if the circuitery had a "D"......I asked to a friend which opened it with me and he says that maybe yes, but not sure......

 

[keko]

OMG...

What a mess...
It's impossible to make diagnose over the net, guys above already told You about that!

Anyway, Delano make a good products, but talking about this after market electronics, ...could be anything.
I don't know did I miss something, but did You even tried this bass before trade? Did it worked?

However, consider to visit EBMM customer service and built in original pickup and electronics if You like that bass like it is, I mean wood, color, neck, versatility...etc.

 

[quinos]

Well, the luthier has phoned me today and gave me a bad notice: he said that the pick up and the wiring is good, so the problem must be in the Delano Preamp, which is hermetic closed and he couldn't open it. So he told me that I should buy a new one.
I don't know what to do.......the previous owner give me only the option of dismaking the change, and I don't know what to do.....
How much cost an original EBMM 3 band preamp???...Where can I buy it??.
Thanks a lot to all of you.

 

[rappa29]

I don't think you can get an original EBMM preamp from EBMM. Someone correct me if I'm mistaken, but they don't sell original parts individually.

You'd have to go to Ebay and see if someone is selling one or go with another 3rd party preamp like John East or another Delano.

 

[oli@bass]

My 2 cents... either "dismake the change" and buy an unbutchered 'Ray, or keep it and look for a matching pickup and preamp on eBay. Every now and then (about once or twice in a year) some original EBMM parts come up.

 

[quinos]

I can't believe it!!....so if you have some problem with your EBMM you can't replace it with the original one??.....this politicy is quite strange, isn't it??
I talked with the previous owner and the conditions of bass changing are not enough clear to me, and I am quite afraid to have more problems, so I think I will change the preamp.....
But if I can't buy an original one, which preamp is the most adequate in my case???...The delano sonar 3???.....The luthier told me that he have seymor duncan in his shop, and the 3 band active preamp cost 110 €......The Delano cost 120 €.....which one should I buy??.
Thanks a lot to all of you for your answers!

 

[Vintage7]

quinos:

Before you go buying anything, I think you should get your bass back, look at the wiring and the preamp & email Delano. They should be able to help you to make sure the wiring is correct. Do this before you go spending more money on a new pre- and pickup.

Also, EBMM does not sell their pickups and preamps outright. They will sell you them if you exchange your old non working EBMM ones. But, you don't have the originals, or do you?

 

[Vintage7]

quinos:

Here is the link to Delano's wiring diagrams for the Sonar preamp.

Link:
http://delano.de/fileadmin/redaktion/pdf/wiring_schematics/Sonar_wiring_2pages.pdf

Get the bass back and check it against this.
I would do this first, before any anymore money is spent.

 

[quinos]

All the conections seems to be right, so the preamp seems to be dead.....
Which is the most EBMM-like preamp in the market??