Replacement Pickups For 1986-87 Charvel Bass

[bobbybigmac]

Anybody have experience replacing the neck pickups in an 80's Charvel model 2B bass ? Please see my post in the "Show me Your 80's bass".

Neck pickups are not working but bridge pickup is fine. If I have to replace them I want to stay passive. Not a fan of batteries. Anybody got suggestions ? I know EMG make a passive set but I can't find them for retail sale anywhere.

[Cadfael]

My suggestion ...

If someone wanted to modify a bass in the 1980s there were only a few brands.
The majopr band for replacements was DiMarzio.

As far as I remember, the Charvel instruments of the 1980s are not comparable to nowadays Charvel. Charvel manufactured many individual instruments and was not the cheapest brand for individual basses.
Similar to Schecter instruments ...

The MightyMights (and in Germany Rockinger) were the cheaper alternatives.

So, to replace the PUs and keep the bass like it might have been, I would choose DiMarzios.

But I wouldn't directly say that the neck PU is destroyed?!
Maybe just a cable. If the windings are okay, the PU might easily be saved ...

CU
Andreas

[bobbybigmac]

Good news. The neck pickup works fine. I pulled the bass apart and cleaned her up yesterday. Tested all the wiring and everything checked out okay. Scratched my head a few times and then checked the jack and it was loose. So all I need now is a new jack. I polished the frets and cleaned the finger board.
Funny thing the pickup covers are glued on. I got the bridge cover off but the neck pickups are sealed real tight. The pickups have no id marks so I'm guessing they are some OEM type Charvel had made off shore. Definitely passive. Remind me of Schecter pickups. Big pole pieces.

I must this bass is pure rock beast. Doesn't sound at all like my Fenders. I'm starting to fall in love with it. My wife thinks it's sexy.

[bobbybigmac]

Well that didn't last long.
Replaced the jacket and now the pickup isn't working again. Curses !

Anybody got a wiring diagram for one of these model 2B Charvel bass ?

My favorite wiring guru/repair dude is out of town for a month. Curses again.
Oh well back to the work bench for more probing and prodding.

[Cadfael]

The 2B Charvel bass is a passive PJ?
You can use every jazz bass wiring scheme!

[bobbybigmac]

Originally Posted by Cadfael

The 2B Charvel bass is a passive PJ?
You can use every jazz bass wiring scheme!

Yup. It's passive but the controls are not like a Jazz. Jazz is VVT and my Charvel is Master Volume, Blend, and Tone.

[Cadfael]

My PDF file with more than 300 pages bass wiring diagrams is only in German ...
http://161589.homepagemodules.de/t29...-E-Baesse.html

Download the PDF file (5MB) onto your PC.
Go to drawing 2.1.21 (page 208). That's a MV/B/T ...
The wiring of the balance/blend pot may differ (as there are different types). But you see both ways in the drawing. One of them should be like in your bass.

There are several ways to wire a tone pot. See page 295/296 ...