Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Discussions of the Dragonfly and the Maxxfly guitars, the Maxxfly bass, and all DF variants
Post Reply
User avatar
Notes_Norton
DragonFly Veteran
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:49 pm
Contact:

Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Notes_Norton »

Long ago on the Parker forum some nice person posted instructions on how to rewire a DF so that it would bypass the Fishman preamp on the mag only position and utilize the preamp in the other two positions.

It identified which wires to reposition by color.

The problem is I have the later Ghost piezo/preamp, not the Fishman. I don't know if the colors of the wires are the same and even if so, if the same mod would work.

I wonder if anybody knows how to do the same thing with the Ghost.

I don't use the piezo that much, so it seems that using a battery most of the time when I don't need it to be a waste of the Earth's resources. Plus if the battery fails on the gig, I can finish the gig without having to dig through the gig box to get a new battery.

Thanks,
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
Norton Music: http://www.nortonmusic.com Band-in-a-Box power user style software
Also The Sophisticats: http://www.s-cats.com
User avatar
vjmanzo
Site Admin
Posts: 1995
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2019 12:35 pm
Location: New York, NY
Contact:

Wiring mod on Dragonfly to bypass preamp in mag position

Post by vjmanzo »

Hi @Notes_Norton! I think having the Graphtech Ghost system actually simplifies the issue to some degree since the company still sells/supports this technology. Here is their website:

https://graphtech.com/pages/ghost-pickup-systems

I did ping them about something Fly-related a year or so ago and received a quick response.

#PickupWiring
User avatar
Notes_Norton
DragonFly Veteran
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Notes_Norton »

Thanks!!!!

Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
Norton Music: http://www.nortonmusic.com Band-in-a-Box power user style software
Also The Sophisticats: http://www.s-cats.com
User avatar
vjmanzo
Site Admin
Posts: 1995
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2019 12:35 pm
Location: New York, NY
Contact:

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by vjmanzo »

Also, we have the Graphtech documentation specific to Parker guitars posted here, which includes:
  • Retrofitting Graphtech Saddles (1)
  • Retrofitting Graphtech Saddles (2)
  • Graphtech Electronics Technical Bulletin from Parker Guitars
User avatar
Notes_Norton
DragonFly Veteran
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Notes_Norton »

Thanks again!

Bob
Bob "Notes" Norton
Norton Music: http://www.nortonmusic.com Band-in-a-Box power user style software
Also The Sophisticats: http://www.s-cats.com
User avatar
Patzag
Forum Veteran
Posts: 573
Joined: Wed May 22, 2019 10:52 am

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Patzag »

Hey Notes!

I was the nice guy! Lol!!!
Here is the diagram. This works VERY well. In fact, I liked the sound better without going through the preamp because the pre introduced a little bit of hiss which translated to a lot of noise with high gain amps.
So here is the diagram. Enjoy!

Patrick
Attachments
active-passive-switch-ghost.jpg
User avatar
jb63
Forum Veteran
Posts: 256
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2019 10:03 pm
Location: SLC

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by jb63 »

This is great. I think I will do it almost immediately.
just plain lost
User avatar
Notes_Norton
DragonFly Veteran
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Notes_Norton »

Patzag wrote: Sat Jul 04, 2020 6:27 pm Hey Notes!

I was the nice guy! Lol!!!
Here is the diagram. This works VERY well. In fact, I liked the sound better without going through the preamp because the pre introduced a little bit of hiss which translated to a lot of noise with high gain amps.
So here is the diagram. Enjoy!

Patrick
Are the wires the same color for the Ghost preamp?

Is it the same preamp?

I hate to try it if there is a chance of me screwing it up and not knowing why I screwed it up.

And yes, you were a nice guy for sharing.

Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
Norton Music: http://www.nortonmusic.com Band-in-a-Box power user style software
Also The Sophisticats: http://www.s-cats.com
User avatar
Patzag
Forum Veteran
Posts: 573
Joined: Wed May 22, 2019 10:52 am

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Patzag »

Notes,
Less savvy than me on wiring things would be hard to find, and I did it without issues.
The colors were the same and this is for the ghost preamp. I don't have the guitar anymore.
Dive in!
User avatar
Notes_Norton
DragonFly Veteran
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Notes_Norton »

Patzag wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:49 pm Notes,
Less savvy than me on wiring things would be hard to find,<...>
That might be me :D

We're out of gigs since St. Patrick's day and probably for at least a year due to COVID so this is the time to try something.

Thanks again,
Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
Norton Music: http://www.nortonmusic.com Band-in-a-Box power user style software
Also The Sophisticats: http://www.s-cats.com
User avatar
Patzag
Forum Veteran
Posts: 573
Joined: Wed May 22, 2019 10:52 am

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Patzag »

Notes_Norton wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 5:41 pm
Patzag wrote: Tue Jul 07, 2020 2:49 pm Notes,
Less savvy than me on wiring things would be hard to find,<...>
That might be me :D

We're out of gigs since St. Patrick's day and probably for at least a year due to COVID so this is the time to try something.

Thanks again,
Notes
Lol!
Here is the switch you need:
https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail ... h-on-on-on
User avatar
Notes_Norton
DragonFly Veteran
Posts: 119
Joined: Thu Sep 12, 2019 6:49 pm
Contact:

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by Notes_Norton »

Thanks again!

I'll be nervous, and take lots of pictures so I can get it back the way I found it "just in case" :D

Notes
Bob "Notes" Norton
Norton Music: http://www.nortonmusic.com Band-in-a-Box power user style software
Also The Sophisticats: http://www.s-cats.com
WKG
New Member
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2020 7:37 pm

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by WKG »

jb63 wrote: Sun Jul 05, 2020 9:45 am This is great. I think I will do it almost immediately.

Is there a diagram like this for the Fishman preamp? I have a 2005 Mojo I am tired of killing the batteries in.
User avatar
vjmanzo
Site Admin
Posts: 1995
Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2019 12:35 pm
Location: New York, NY
Contact:

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by vjmanzo »

Yes, @WKG; the passive diagram is available on this page.
WKG
New Member
Posts: 9
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2020 7:37 pm

Re: Wiring mod on DF to bypass preamp in mag position?

Post by WKG »

vjmanzo wrote: Mon Jul 13, 2020 12:01 pm Yes, @WKG; the passive diagram is available on this page.

Thanks Vince

It looks like the Point to Point with Passive Point to Point with Passive Electronics? It's a little hard to peg the actual switch wiring in that one. I ordered the Dimarzio EP 1111 4PDT as well as the two Allied switches which are on/on/on and on/off/on, both dpdt, figured I'll use what works and toss the extra in the parts drawer.

I was able to find some of the posts from the old Parker Forum via the internet wayback machine but not diagrams. I can wire standard pickups etc but the Fly is more complicated than I am accustomed to...
Post Reply