It looks like I'll be finishing two projects simultaneously. For the second, I'm putting together a custom Strat from parts, and I'm contemplating active pickups for the mains (initially, the guitar was to be GK-only--which still may happen). Are there any considerations or any potential technical challenges with using them? If the potential for added noise or other problems with the GK3 by adding power internally, I could just go passive.
Thoughts?
My 1st GK3 (external) setup was on my Gibson WRC.(80's superstrat type guitar). It has 1 Humbucker and 2 single coils. All are EMG active pickups and never had any problems with it. I've moved the GK3 to a different guitar since because I just play in my home studio and like to leave stuff set up, including my guitar plugged in, which with active pickups will usually kill the battery pretty quick if the 1/4" cord is left plugged into the guitar when your not using it. Otherwise I don't foresee a problem. I might think about a location for the battery cavity away from the GK3 electronics if possible but , no worries otherwise that I can think of.
if you use a battery for the active pickup, the gk kit has an internal switching circuit to disconnect the battery power when the gk kit is powered off.
Thanks for the replies. I wasn't certain if using active pickups was going to create noise considerations that would need addressing. I may go ahead and use them.
I never had noise issues with mine and to be honest, you would likely have more noise issues with passive single coils just because thats their nature. although the fender noiseless pickups are passive and are pretty quiet. I have those in my strat. As for the internal kit which I'm not really familiar with,....... If Gummy says it, then it must be so ;)