audere CLASSIC PREAMP Installation Manual

CLASSIC PREAMP
The Z-Mode preamp is sold as an upgrade for existing basses and our
instructions assume that the mounting holes are already in the instrument.
Typical hand tools for soldering wire connections and assembly are
required. If you are uncertain about the installation we recommend you have
a trained guitar technician install it for you. You can find information in the
Frequently asked Questions (FAQ) page on our web site or send an email to
service@audereaudio.com
Your new Audere preamp features:
Ultra Low Distortion
Low Noise
High Quality Pots and Parts
Active Balance & Volume Control
4 Bands of Tone Control
Low Power consumption on 9 or 18 Volts

Step 1) Connecting to the Pickups

The preamp wires used for the pickups are: Green strip on White base color
(Green/White) for the pickup common, Black/White (Bridge pickup hot) and
Blue/White (Neck pickup hot).
A. Disconnect your pickup wires from the original preamp.
B. All wire connections must be
insulated to prevent shorting and to keep
the leads isolated from the output jack
and from the cavity ground.
Prior to connecting the wires, slide
the heat shrink tubes over each pickup
wire and the module Green/White wire.
These tubes will be reduced over the
solder joints later.
C. If you have active pickups - see required mod listed on page 2.
Connect the Bridge pickup hot lead to the Black/White wire.
Connect the Neck pickup hot lead to the Blue/White wire.
Connect both of the pickups "common" leads together and then solder them
to the module's Green/White wire.
D. Slide the heat shrink over the solder connections and shrink with a
heat gun or hair dryer (do not over heat and protect other components from
the heat). You may prefer to postpone shrinking the heat shrink until after
the play test - just be sure that the exposed wires do not touch anything that
will cause an electrical short.
If your pickups have an additional shielding wire; solder it to the output jack
ground (center tab) or cavity ground.
Verify that your pickups are not connected on the negative (common) side
to the cavity shielding. If the pickups are connected to the cavity remove
this connection; the Green/White wire must not be grounded. Connecting
the Green/White wire to the cavity ground will not hurt the preamp but it will
sound bad with a lot of distortion.
INSTALLATION GUIDE
PLEASE READ
.
Every instrument is different; if you find you need to make modifications
to your instrument in order to install this product please take extra care.
Audere Audio is not responsible for any damage or modifications you
make to your instrument as part of the product installation of the product.
See our Limited Warranty for restrictions on liability.

Step 2) Connect the Preamp to do a Play Test

To test play the preamp prior to a
full installation: tape the preamp
to the back of the instrument with
low tack tape to hold it in place
during testing (verify first that the
tape will not hurt the finish when it
is removed).
Note: it will pick up extra noise
while it is out of the shielded
cavity. Also note that touching the
temporarily ungrounded pots or
switches can cause hum.
It is important to prevent any
electrical connections from touching and shorting to each other.

Step 3) Remove the old preamp and Prepare the Cavity

A. Remove screws holding the existing output jack plate and remove the
jack nut. Set the plate and hardware aside for use with the new jack.
Pull jack back into the cavity.
B. Remove the knobs from the pots and then remove the nuts and washers
from pots.
C. Pull out the old preamp circuit.
D. Determine the location for the new module, battery.
E. Most basses have the cavity shielded with either conductive paint or a
foil shield; however some low cost basses do not have a shielded cavity.
This is required for quiet operation in any electric bass and for providing
a ground connection for the controls. With shielding you don't need to get
100% coverage, but you want to get the best coverage that is reasonably
achieved.
F. It is important that the pots and switches are grounded to the cavity and
that the cavity is grounded to the output jack. If the pots and switches are
not grounded they will buzz when you touch them.
Installing a cooper foil shield is easy. Copper foil is available with glue on
the back (like tape) and you simple apply it to the wood. If your copper
tape does not have a special conductive adhesive then solder the strips of
copper tape together at all joints. A simple small tack joint of solder at one
spot per joint is all that is required. Conductive paint is also available to
shield instruments but copper works better.

Step 4) Installing Pots

The pots are all 100K Ohm with audio taper for volume pots and linear taper
for tone and balance pots. Pots turn clockwise for the maximum setting.
Single pots have an M7 bushing which fits in a 7mm mounting hole.
Stacked/dual pots have an M9 bushing and fit in a 9mm
mounting hole.
A. If your existing holes are larger than the single pot's
bushing size: An oversized washer has been provided
for use in the cavity interior if required. This larger washer
goes over the shaft first. Then add the two rubber spacer
rings that fit over the shaft; these go up into the standard
sized hole to center the pot shaft.
B. Orient the control as is desired, then secure each pot with a washer and
panel nut on the face of the bass.
Do not attempt to solder to the pot's metal bushing.
The operation of the pots is written on the back of the pots. For example, T/B
would be a stacked Treble/Bass. The codes we use include:
Vol – Volume HM – High Mid
Bal – Balance LM – Low Mid
V/B – Volume / Balance M/M – High Mid / Low Mid
Bass – Bass range
Treb – Treble range
T/B – Treble / Bass