The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Haven't got around to drawing up the active board(s), but the switches are no longer a mystery:

S1 (next to the volume) is the series/parallel switch. It switches both pickups at the same time, not with each other (they are always parallel with each other, passively mixed with the pickup selector switch), but each of the P-pickups has its two coils either in series or parallel.

S2 (the middle switch) changes the phase of the bridge pickup.

S3 is obviously the active/passive switch.

I'll try and put together a wiring diagram/schematic, and I'll see about figuring out the actives, too.

Does anybody know if these are actually DiMarzio pickups? (Still have a dead coil in the neck pickup, and the wiring in the cavity is sound. Needs more surgery.)

And anybody have any experience with these?

http://www.dimarzio.com/pickups/bass/st ... ss/split-p

-Alex

I cant answer for certain but the VA900B does sound like Dimarzio`s.... But not the VP825.... for some reason they are not the same...The Jazz pup are also very week in my opinion on them... An upgrade on the Jazz pup would be recommended....

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

Jazz pups? We don't need no steenkin' jazz pups.

(Actually, I have my 2 Ibanez Musicians for the Jazz thing.)

Alex,

My super Headlesss from Westone has Jazz pups and they kick ass.... Playing all weekend again!!!!! Having a real blast this summer playing music. One party after the next!!!!!

Cheers!!!!!!!

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MAA Member since June 29th 2009, taking one baby step at a time..... and failing miserably!

I'm sure they do, Frenchy, I'm sure they do. My main player for over 30 years has been my Ibanez — brown soapbar single-coils. Much more in common with a Jazz bass than a Precision.

And that being said, the 900B has P-pups, and I won't be routing any new holes for a J pickup.



Break a leg!

Well, it took me awhile, and I'm still not finished, but here's a wiring layout and schematic of the passive portions of the VA-900B. I'll try and draw up the actual schematic for the EQ and LED PC boards soonish.

If somebody wants a larger version, just let me know.

-Alex

Thanx Alex! Too late for me - I've sold my VA900B - noone could fix the platine issues.... It went to Great Britain.
Still own a VS600B for the few occasions where I pick up a bass.

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All vantage-branded guitars were lower-priced instruments aimed at the beginner-to-intermediate market. It has no interest to collectors and very little demand among players! (www.allexperts.com)

"platine"? Does that mean circuit board?

A shame you let it go, if I knew you were having problems with the electronics, I'm sure I would have tried to help. Perhaps you could steer the new owner to this thread if he wants some help.

Real Work (TM) got in the way of finishing the actual PC board schematics this weekend, have a rough first draft drawn up, still a ways to go before posting it here. But it's getting there.

I'll also post them in the technical thread when done. I imagine the VA900 and VA912 guitars have similar electronics but with some RC values changed for different frequencies. And perhaps one or two of the switch functions are slightly different.

-Alex

aaaah....yes.....circuit board....just used the German word
The new owner told me that he has the knowledge to fix it. Hope he was lucky.

I did let go my VA900B out of two reasons. First I had to thin out the herd after some years of uncontrolled population growth in my music room. (I can hear you eyebulger..."you can never have too many..." ). Second reason: this bass was made to be played! The 900B is in the hands of a bass player now - and that's the right place for such an exceptionel Instrument!

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All vantage-branded guitars were lower-priced instruments aimed at the beginner-to-intermediate market. It has no interest to collectors and very little demand among players! (www.allexperts.com)

Hi guys, just wondering.

I am thinning out my bass collection and I have a VA900B. The serial is 010075. I guess that means its a 1981 ?

Any interest here and what do you figure would be market price ?

I took that bass in exchange around 15 years ago.