| Author | Message | ||
| texangerbil
Junior Username: texangerbil Post Number: 41 Registered: 11-2007 |
I have a stock twin-JZ Persuader 5. I also have a spare set of Spoiler electronics lying around. It just occurred to me that maybe I could mate the two and upgrade my Persuader. I can be slow sometimes ;-) Before I start dismantling things and tinkering, I'm wondering if anyone out there has done this upgrade and how they found it? Did everything (anything?) fit? Where did you drill the extra hole? How did the sound change? Are JZ pups even compatible with these circuits? Any knowledge-sharing appreciated. Please no suggestions of "send it back to the mothership" as I'm in the UK and shipping would be hideous. Thanks in advance... | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1962 Registered: 6-2002 |
I had my Spoiler electronics worked over at the mothership, and had to have one of the holes enlarged with a drill. I chickened out and asked a local luthier to do it for me. First of all, dismount the complete package before starting with the drill. If all is still intact with the solderless connections, you can leave the pickups in, and perhaps use some tape to keep the wires out of harm's way. Now see if the Spoiler package will fit into the existing cavity. There's probably no hole for the Q switch (leave it aside) and the hole for the pickup selector switch may be too large (add some sort of bushing if necessary). The Spoiler has both the pickup selector and one of the other pots attached to the preamp pcb. IIRC, the pickup switch is higher than the pots, and so perhaps the pcb won't sit horizontally. At this point, I would send the Spoiler package to the mothership to have the pickup switch replaced with a panpot, and a 3 position Q switch added - the costs for these modifications are far from prohibitive. (Do remember to declare the outgoing goods, to avoid having to pay import duties.) Part of the bottom of the cavity in a Spoiler is usually a bit deeper than the rest (pickup selector may have a shorter shaft than the pots) so check if they're sticking out from the top of the Persuader far enough to fit a nut and washer. If you need to drill a new hole, check out the Showcase section for the typical lay-out on a Spoiler - it may share the basic layout with a Persuader. Use a proper drill, ideally one in a drill stand. Perhaps work from the inside, drill as slowly as possible. As far as I know, the Spoiler package should work with any set of Activators, AXYs, MXYs or Fatboys. You will have a separate level pot for each pickup, so you can change the height of either pickup to a position that perhaps sounds nicer, and compensate the difference in volume with the level pots. | ||
| tmoney61092
New Username: tmoney61092 Post Number: 7 Registered: 9-2008 |
do you have the pickups themselves?if so i wouldnt mind buying the electronics with the pickups Thanks, ~Taylor Watterson | ||
| texangerbil
Junior Username: texangerbil Post Number: 44 Registered: 11-2007 |
Adriaan, thanks so much for your detailed reply! This is why I love this forum so much. Taylor, I don't have any spare pickups and will probably not sell the Persuader controls, even if/when I finally complete this upgrade. Sorry. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 7125 Registered: 5-2002 |
Nigel, let us know how this goes; it's an interesting idea. My guess is that the card with two pots that Adriaan mentioned will be a problem. However, maybe the needed fourth hole could help solve the card problem. On the other hand, just adding a Q switch, as you asked about in the other thread, might be an easier way to go; plus, that way you still have the volume/volume instead of the pickup selector. If you decide to order the switch, be sure to tell Mica that you have a Persuader and not an Essence. I don't know that it makes a difference, but it might. I'm thinking there is also another Persuader upgrade that adds a second preamp (the practical difference being a second internal trim pot); although I think it's more useful for a P/J setup than a J/J setup. |
