I'm finished researching. I need the Pros.

[dazedandconfused]

- Everything I know about electric guitars and this one I learned in the last 3 hours on the internet.
I'm going to be as concise as possible:
- OO (Original Owner) gave it to me over 20 years ago. Decided to sell it since I never used it.
- El cheapo Squire II Fender Stratocaster from 1989 per serial number
- Saw it had 3 Alembic pickups.. looked them up on internet/Ebay... geeeeez
- Opened it up... all Alembic parts. Took a bunch of pix.
- Took it to Sam Ash and had them string it and test both input jacks
I didn't mention Alembic stuff... they didn't notice or care... just wanted the money.
- Bought a cheap amp on craigslist.
 
Okay.... here goes:
- OO replaced a tone control knob with another input jack.
This input jack works with a 9V battery... so I guess he wanted them active pickups.
- The original input jack doesn't work.
 
Why OO put Alembic parts in a cheap guitar is anybody's guess. Maybe he damaged an Alembic he had beyond repair and put them in the only spare guitar he had.
 
Soooooo I'm wondering.....
Why wouldn't he use the the original input jack if he just wanted an active pickups guitar?
 
Sooooo I'm somewhat concluding....
OO wanted to switch between active and passive at anytime by switching input jacks.
 
- Am I possibly on target?
- Can this technique work?  
Or it isn't possible to have two input jacks (one active, one passive) that work?
- If it is possible... then is it probable that the original input jack doesn't work because of a  
disconnected/loose wire or something more complicated?
 
I can post pix somewhere if they are needed.
Thanks a million in advance... have fun with this one.

[adriaan]

OO may have added a Alembic Blaster which in its original shape is a direct replacement for a Strat jackplate.
 
An active pickup is one with a pre-amp built into it. Alembic pickups are not active, they're low impedance and they go very nicely with an onboard pre-amp.
 
A guess about the second jack would be that it is a TRS one (tip-ring-sleave or stereo plug) used as an effects loop. Check out the FAQ page on Further & Tribute Guitar, there's a couple of threads that explain the effects loop.

[StephenR]

I have mid-80s Alembic Strat pickups and electronics in my 65 Stratocaster. They come stock with only one tone filter and the way I installed them I used the empty hole from the now missing second tone pot for the input jack. I put the battery in the compartment where the original passive input jack was. From what I have read on here most people turn the original input jack upside down and use that as an input with the battery underneath. My guess is the OO of your guitar just left the old input jack in (no longer hooked to anything) and like me found it easier to use the hole for the missing second tone pot to put the Alembic input jack. Your battery is probably under the pickguard. I didn't want to have to remove the pickguard to access the battery and I didn't like having the old jack upside down because of the way it protrudes.
 

[lbpesq]

Robert:
 
First of all, welcome to the club.  Why put Alembic pickups in a Squire?  At least you'll have the best sounding Squire around!  You've got some nice pickups and electronics there.  As for the question you asked, is the original input jack wired to anything?  If so, then I would suspect an OBEL (onboard effects loop).  If it's not wired to anything else, than the previous owner abandoned it when the Alembic stuff was installed.   If you decide to install them in another guitar, feel free to ask any questions you may have or ask for tips.  I've installed several of these sets, though I add a Q switch - that takes up the second tone pot hole and I use the original input.
 
If you want to sell them, this is a great place.  I know I'd be interested.  Either way, you scored.
 
Bill, the guitar one

[dazedandconfused]

Thank you all.
I was so jacked after I thought I figured out what OO did (both active and passive inputs) that the only (and easiest) thing I didn't take look at was the original input jack. The wires are cut. I obviously mistakingly thought that any add-on would be via the new input and the original would be left alone since it was factory and already set up.
 
With that being said... I still don't understand why he wouldn't splice off the factory input because of the above reason. Why disable a tone control and add a new input jack when one already exists?
 
stephenr... all the 1989 and late 80 squires I looked at all have 2 tone controls so mine must have.
My battery is inside the back panel in the factory compartment (see pictures).
 
adriaan... I did my homework on the effects loop. It appears that the guitars I looked at that have them also have a toggle switch.... mine has none. If it does have an effects loop.... maybe OO decided to make it permanent and bypass the toggle?
 
Bill... Why put Alembic pickups in a Squire? At least you'll have the best sounding Squire around!
True ! I strum this guy and it sounds beautiful. I would love to hear it on a real guitar with a real amp.
(If you would like... please reply to my Craigslist post)
 
The OO really knew what he was doing in my uneducated opinion.  
When I strum and slowly click up the pickup selector... I can hear the difference in tones for each selection. None of this stuff is plug and play... he soldered everything. Even the battery splice (pictured) is soldered which I untaped for the picture and then taped up again.
 
I don't want to blow up this thread with a bunch of pictures that may not be relevant so I put them on South Florida Craigslist.
Use Alemelec as the search keyword.
They default to a smaller size so you can:
1. Save them off the post and enlarge them
2. Reply to the post and tell me which pictures you would like to see the original, larger versions of.
 
Maybe with the pictures this mystery will be solved and the world will be a better place  
Thank you,
Robert

[FC Bass]

http://miami.craigslist.org/brw/ele/4922551357.html
 
That's a Filter and volume control (with 5 way switch)
Is there a ground connection to the strings? (looks like it on the tremolo cavity pic)
If there is, you should disconnect that ;-)

[lbpesq]

Robert:
 
One cannot use the old passive tone controls with the active Alembic system.  Look for my reply to your craigslist ad.
 
Bill, tgo