Removing the Active Boost Circuit from a Squier Jaguar Bass
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- I show how to remove the battery powered active boost circuit from a Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass. Why would you want to do this? Because the boost circuit robs tone from the pickups, and requires you to keep fresh batteries on hand in case your guitar goes dead. The boost circuit sacrifices the pickup's personality for more boom and volume. If one-dimensional boom and volume is what you want, you'd be better off skipping this mod. If you like the more complex vintage Fender Precision and Jazz bass tones, you might like it.
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I have this bass and was pretty over the sound. I wanted to do exactly this to it, so I'm very glad you made this video! It's most definitely an improvement. Thank you.
I have a small simplification that can make it easier: Cut the yellow and white incoming wires off the circuit board and tie them together (solder is better). Saves you from that semi-difficult middle lug tone pot solder.
Ooh! That's a good tip.
Is that all you need to achieve the same result? Just disconnect those two wires and tie/solder them together?
@@elmanitasdeplomo Yup!
Just so I know I’m imagining this right, there should be two wire nubs coming off the circuit, and the wires that were connected to those nubs are tied together?
@@jakecaldwell4056 I had to refresh my memory and read my old comments, but yes, you are correct. Desolder OR Cut the wires where they connect to the circuit board (as close as possible), then twist the leads from the two wires together so that they bypass the board. Let me know if that was enough.
Thanks for the video and clear instructions! Just did this surgery this afternoon. Hoping to follow up with a video showing before and after tones. No regrets!
Interesting. A before and after sound clip would have been a nice touch...
Someone made it after doing something similar:
ruclips.net/video/tP8RTp8z_8U/видео.html
Just did this mod. Thank you for posting this! Definitely a big sound difference, much "throatier" and punchier like you mentioned, and best of all - no more battery! Ive been wanting to bypass the active bass boost since day one, thanks again 🤙🤙🤙🤙
Oh! And i also wanted to add that in my bass the white wire (that was braided with the black wire) was actually an orange wire NOT braided, thabkfully your instructions were clear enough I was able to identify the difference easily.
No more government subsidies for active basses
Thank you!!!
Project : replace the boost circuit with a bypassable inline fuzz circuit right before the output. Might require some cavity digging to create room for it, but there's an existing battery compartment right there waiting to be put to good use.
What about a push pull switch in its place? That would be a great video...too!
Yeah! A bypass would be better than this
Folks, any before/after sound clip? Thinking about doing this trick but I'd like an audio confirmation first. Thanks in advance
couldnt you put a switch to turn it off and on
I actually did this mod myself before finding this video, but I rerouted the 1/4 to where the knob was. I hate having the jack on the side like that.
I did this mod then took it a step further and added a switch. I made a video for my mod and added a card leading here to yours. Thanks for showing us how to do it.
I have one of these and love it. People talked about the 9 volt battery/active boost as a problem. I have had this bass 8 years and still have the original "Peavey" 9 volt battery in it. No problems. Then again, I keep my boost low and never leave my cord plugged into the bass and walk away. I have heard that can be a battery drain if you leave it plugged in.
Did your modification finally and the bass does sound better! Good bye 9-volt battery!
I just did this mod - wow man thanks so much for posting this mod!! - It was very well described and I had no trouble with the soldering. Just wanted to say great content - and thanks so much for this mod - It made this bass sooooo much better it really did greatly improve the sound. Well done my friend :)
Thank you for making this video. I was able to salvage my bass that no longer worked because of presumably dead electronics in the active circuit. Now I have a working bass again and it sounds better!
Wow, now that I've had the Bass Boost removed this is a fantastic bass. The natural sound of the pickups is really good, so much better than before. Wish I'd done it sooner.
Thanks for the video! Just did this mod to my jag bass and I love the difference in tone
christ, I'm thinking of buying this bass (never had one before) but this seems terrifying to do.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video. It is greatly appreciated:]
I got a sweet deal on a used jag. Plugged it in and wasn't impressed with the tone and found the bass boost knob was a fast way to make it sound worse. Thinking it was a pickup thing, I swapped them for some Duncan Quarter Pounders. Definitely better but still not great and the boost knob is awful. I didn't realize how off it sounded until I picked up a P bass and played them side by side. Something definitely wasn't right. Stumbled across this mod and just did it to mine. That was it. Sounds so much better now. What a horrid design flaw that active bass boost is. Thanks for posting this video. Made this bass worth a couple more upgrades.
Great video! My Son bought a Troy Sanders Mastodon Squire Bass and was dead. I bypassed the mid as you instructed and got the bass working just fine sans the mid control & battery.
Gonna have to try this mod. I will probably get a new plate and 4 CTS pots, then make it V-V-T-T. This way, I can just solder the pickups back to the old plate if I change my mind.
Thanks! I modded my and I don´t understand why they put in the active system. The sound is now improved and more vintage with a good definition. I only used a small amount of the bass-boost like a master volume. The sound got easily too muddy and always scared to run out of batteries.
Just did this mod, friggin epic tone now ^^ thanx
Really that much difference? Hmmm, may have to try it on mine.
Thank you thank you thank you so much this improved the tome immensely!
Is there a difference in tone between just keeping that boost of and removing it altogether?
perfect! this was very helpful. This isn't actually an "Active bass" it's just the booster and I'm glad it's gone.
I've got a GSR200 that is basically in the same shape. The active circuit is garbage and I'd love to make the bass passive. I'll take a look and see what I can do but anyone with direct knowledge of this willing to help would be appreciated.
I bought my jag bass new and on the jazz pu my yellow wire goes to ground on the 2nd pot and black wire goes to the center lug. Is mine wired different. I am removing the entire active circuit. Still figuring out the last hole in the face plate. Thanks
I'd love to hear the bass after the surgery.
I'm so glad to get rid of that battery! This worked beautifully! Thanks for sharing! I put a note in the battery compartment explaining the mod so if the next person wants to change it back they have a clue why there is no battery and the bass still works 😉
I just did this yesterday, i wasn’t happy with the active sound cos when i turn off the boost, signals very weak, and when i boost it, it muddies up the sound and loses tone.. once i did the mod, it was just a breathe of fresh air, the pickups sound good with backing tracks that i play with and you could really hear the passive tone.. it sounds really2 awesome, yet to try out with a band because of covid 😷
I think a volume / tone , volume / tone set up can be made so you are in the same setup of those later versions with the double function knobs........put the active pot/electronics in the battery compartment in air bubble wrap......and any time a new owner can make it active again if whished for.......
Would you be able to replace the bass boost with a treble/bass concentric knob?
Frank Talarico You’d probably have to do some woodwork, as the control pocket isn’t very deep.
I did this on my squire jaguar bass after seeing this and can vouch that it has made it sound so much better. Kind of shocked actually. Thanks for posting this!
Thank you so much! My Jaguar always sounded buzzy and overdriven on my orange crush amp, now it is super crisp and clear :)
My bass stopped working today. After 30 minutes in the operating room I am glad to say it is now working! Thank you so much!
Could you make a video showing how to take out the active boost circuit allowing the setup to be the traditional volume, volume, tone and output jack knob setup.
Thank you!! was wondering what the big deal was with the boost i did not enjoy the thing
Hi Thanks for posting this.
My Jag Bass was dead even with a new battery so I thought I'd follow your lead and see if if by passing the active circuit fixed the problem.
It's working great now, and sounding great, I will not miss the boost!!
Happy days.
had the same problem
would having 2 tone knobs be a good option? Or it would not add anything?
Thanks for the video, I found the preamp made mine muddy very quickly, did your mod and there is a clear sound difference, that P pickup is pretty nice!
Does this mod then allow you to remove the battery, or must you keep it in place nd plugged in to the circuit?
I just did it and yes you can take the battery out - he's right it really improves this bass big time if you like vintage tones -
Are the wires the same in the HB version? So ready to ditch the 9 volt.
can i please listen sound when you remove boost, thx
thanks, really easy modification. I had been wondering what the Jag would sound like without the active circuit, and I'm really happy with it now. Just one question: the bridge J-bass pu generates some hum (as it did before the mod), do you have any suggestion how to get rid of that?
It’s been 10 months, hv you figured out the hum?
Thanks for this helpful mod. I was wondering if it could be done with an on off type of potentiometer, so you could switch between factory circuit and the modified circuit explained here. Does anyone have a clue?
@gorillaguitars did it
Wait so and ik he maybe mentioned it in the video but just to make sure.. by doing this mod you’ll no longer need the battery? Like the bass will function just like a normal bass?
I've been asking around, and from what they've told me, you no longer need the battery.
Do you still have that boost circuit board?
saved me a whole lot of (de)soldering. thank you!
Basically disabling the boost knob!
Nice tip. I’m going to have to try that. Thanks
Cuál es el valor del segundo potenciómetro de arriba hacia abajo
Volumen de la pastilla jazz (del puente)
Great! Worked!
You don’t show sound better..
Awesome, I took my Jag in today for the same procedure and some other work and have sent this video to my Luthier. Really looking forward to hearing the natural pick up sound.
can you bypass the circuit by turning it down or keeping it at 5? or is there any way without this mod - I realize this mod is to not have to worry about the battery but if I just want to bypass the circuit do I have to mod or is there a easy way lol thx to whomever may know or GG thx -
I wouldn't take it off as I don't think it's a nuisance if you don't like it yeah turn it down it's there to make it versatile and it does that by adding gain to the circuit not volume or boom as stated. Since these pickups are made to be boosted its likely they aren't overwound and could have a nice standard vintage tone rather than the more powerful modern sound buyers of this bass will like. To me the fourth knob is the most useless and touchy on mine.
Thanks for the vid. Could you do one explaining an import 5 way switch and what you can do with them?