NBD: Charvel Fusion IV....ideas?

davegt666

davegt666

Jun 30, 2010
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#1
Well technically it's not really a new bass day today. However, I did put this baby on layaway.

I wanted an inexpensive PJ to backup my Fender PJ and this thing just looked killer on the rack.

It played pretty well despite it needing a set up, it's light as hell, I liked the neck, it was pretty clean, and the price was right. A MIJ bass for $240?? Sign me up!

The pickups sounded pretty good but lately I've been pretty much a passive only guy. So I want to swap the pups.

I already have Dimarzio Model PJ's in my main bass and I'm putting an EMG Geezer in my MIJ Precision. I want something different.

I'm pretty set on the Lace Man O War pickups. So unless someone can sway me another way I think that's what I'm going to go with.

However, this is a 4 knob instrument. I want to wire it VBT so that would leave me with one extra hole.

I could just leave it as a dummy knob but I was thinking a series/parallel switch could be cool too.

Any ideas on what to do with the 4th hole?

image.jpeg
 
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#4
Had one of these back in the day - not sure what happened to it or who I sold it to, but it was light and sounded pretty good (from what I can remember). It was a back up to my Charvel 2B but if I recall, it got some stage time. An MIJ for $240? I would have snagged it as well! Long Live the Pointy Head Stock!
 
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#6
amimbari said:
nice white Fusion-4
The pickups ARE passive and you can switch them for anything you want :)
I like that body style as well :p
the blue 4string in the picture is missing the preamp and the p.o. wired it as VBT and the 4th one is a dummy.
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Nice collection you got there!

You bring up a good point. It completely went over my head that these are passive pickups with a preamp.

Do you know if these pickups are the same ones used in the 1B, 2B, and 3B?

I really like the sound of those basses and was planning on a getting a nice blue 2B I saw in another store but it got sold before I could put down some money on it.
 
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#9
amimbari said:
the pickups used in the preamp models are wound less as the preamp makes up for the difference, but I have had so many differences in the plenty I tested, it must not have been the priority of the person putting the stickers on them to let the assemblers know what should go in what.
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Makes sense. Thanks for info!

I'm still on edge on what I'm going to do but thanks to anyone else that made suggestions.
 
#10
I ended up buying a set of Jackson 2B pickups on eBay for less that $100. I liked the sound of them out of all the 2B's I've tried so I figured what the heck. It already has Jackson hardware, might as well complete it and give it Jackson pickups!

Saves me about $75 instead of getting the Lace pickups. Since it's just a backup bass the less money I spend on it the better.

Still don't know what to do with the 4th hole though lol
 
#12
ugh I have so many of those sets in the parts bin you would have got cheap just so I could get rid of them. I even have a set of EMGs and a set of dual rails out of some of my older jacksons.
maybe we can trade someday cause I have a bass that would look nicer with charvel branded covers :p

Just leave the pot in there as a dummy..... :)
 
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#13
amimbari said:
ugh I have so many of those sets in the parts bin you would have got cheap just so I could get rid of them. I even have a set of EMGs and a set of dual rails out of some of my older jacksons.
maybe we can trade someday cause I have a bass that would look nicer with charvel branded covers :p

Just leave the pot in there as a dummy..... :)
Click to expand...

Aw damn!!!

I'll keep you in mind in the future. This won't be my last Charvel or Jackson. I want to add at least another 2B or 3B later down the line.

He's not the most renowned player but I have a little Juan Croucier love in me since Ratt is my favorite of the hair metal era. :laugh:

So the basses will keep on coming haha

Keeping it a dummy seems like the easiest thing to do.
 
#14
If it's a single coil (rather than a humcancelling) J pickup, then maybe the 4th hole could be used for a kill switch? I did this on my PJ (which is not a Charvel) because I like the sound of a solo'd J pickup but find that the single coil hum is a bit annoying.
 
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