Bobby K

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='993447' date='Oct 19 2010, 01:03 PM']Cheers. Ive only just noticed you also have the same bass so i guess that makes you the expert. Do you think its worth just changing that to start with rather than the pots?[/quote] Do you mean the CV P bass? Apart from putting Seymour Duncan SPB-1's in, all I've done is change the capacitor to a 0.047 Orange drop. There's definitely a difference from the old cap (which was 0.068mf) - the tone variation used to be pretty unremarkable, but now there seems a definite gradual difference as you turn the pot. I did think about putting CTS's in but I think it would not make much difference, as Ou7shined said earlier. The bass just sounds a bit more exciting than it did stock now

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='993437' date='Oct 19 2010, 12:55 PM']Thanks again Bobby. Ive read that name a few times but never really looked in to it as it wasn't something i was interested back then. I assume there isnt really much difference wit hone of these and the one thats already in the bass, other than the look. Sorry of all the basic questions. I just want this to be a one time job so want to get it right first time, although as i expect it to be my back up bass for a while i am open to messing with it. In fact i plan on putting my CV Jazz neck on it as well.[/quote] I'm learning all the time myself Dave, I'm deffo not an expert, but I definitely saw a marked difference, for the better, with the orange drop. I'm sure others will back me up on this too. Instead of on-off tone pot, you tend to get a smoother transition, from wooly at 0 to clear defined tone at 10 (on the tone pot)

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='993427' date='Oct 19 2010, 12:46 PM']Thanks. So is this just a brand of cap or is it different from say another .047mf cap? I want to keep it all pretty standard.[/quote] Sprague is the brand (think the full title is Vishay Sprague or something like that) The 0.047 cap is pretty standard and people definitely seem to be favouring the Sprague Orange Drop versions. In my own experience with the Orange drop, the range of control, from 0-10 on the tone pot, seems a lot wider.

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='993369' date='Oct 19 2010, 12:03 PM']John, im not really sure what a Sprague cap is im afraid. Its all new to me :-(although i will investigate all this a bit more one i get the bass and know what im going to do)[/quote] A Sprague Orange Drop cap, to give it its full title. Most people seem to be using the 0.047mf version

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='993046' date='Oct 19 2010, 02:36 AM']Or you could just leave the tone put in place, in the cavity, if you are really desperate to have the same thing without the control option.[/quote] Yes, it did dawn on me that the tone pot was in fact a (variable) resistor and it also dawned on me that i might as well be able to control said resistor I've basically come full circle and will now wire up the controls conventionally The reason I went straight to jack originally, was that I wasn't happy with my tone and wanted to check pickup was ok on it's own (straight to jack) - Tone changed dramatically and for the better, but obviously there were those issues with the sound being a bit harsh etc. So, the pickup was obviously ok. I've now discovered that my problem lay with the cap, which I'd probably heat damaged and wasn't having any effect. Will pop a new one in. It's all been a learning curve. Thanks for your input Mr F

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='991825' date='Oct 17 2010, 11:53 PM']Could also put a high value resistor before the cap, equivalent to the pot resistance, that would do the same as on 10.[/quote] Would that need to be 250k, like the tone pot then? Could I get one in Maplin or somewhere like that? I'm not the greatest with electronics, what exactly would I need..?

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='991768' date='Oct 17 2010, 11:02 PM']A cap will act like a fully rolled off tone control, although that would be dependent on the cap value. Probably best losing some treble elsewhere in the chain, like rolling off the tweeter some.[/quote] Oh I see. I thought it would be the other way round (like having the tone on 10) , but the resulting sound being dependent on the cap value. Anyway, there's no harm in trying out different caps, so that's what I'll probably do. I don't have any tweeters in my rig, but can tweak the amp eq, but usually at gigs, my bass guitar's sound goes straight to front of house through a DI box, hence the need for losing treble at the bass itself. I'll experiment with different caps and maybe even go back to using the tone control after all. Going the long way round is always the best way to learn

[quote name='Bobby K' post='987904' date='Oct 14 2010, 11:55 AM']Ok.. Lead wire has been lengthened, all wires now going straight to jack and all is well. Bass sounds great, maybe a smidgen louder...? maybe that's some sort of placebo effect [/quote] Just one more thing fellas. If I find that the straight to jack sound is a bit harsh (with new strings for example) could i attach a capacitor across the tip and sleeve of the jack, to tame the sound a bit? Or will a cap only have an effect when used in conjunction with a tone control? Cheers Bob

Ok.. Lead wire has been lengthened, all wires now going straight to jack and all is well. Bass sounds great, maybe a smidgen louder...? maybe that's some sort of placebo effect

[quote name='dincz' post='987220' date='Oct 13 2010, 06:19 PM']Also bear in mind that the wire used in the pickup coil is lacquered. You'll have to gently scrape off the lacquer to make a good solder joint.[/quote] I'm not soldering anywhere near the pickup wire now. Maybe i've confused the issue by referring to the [i]hot pickup wire[/i] - all I meant was, the lead wire that normally goes to the first lug of the volume pot. I'm now going to join some more wire to this lead wire, as it is currently too short to reach the jack socket. Originally I was considering [i]replacing[/i] the existing lead wire and putting a longer one in. This seems to be fraught with danger and far too delicate for my shoddy soldering, so I'm opting to lengthen the existing one.

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='986201' date='Oct 12 2010, 08:33 PM']Using thicker wire is fine, the winding wire is super thin. Just keep lengths to a minimum, you could attach shielded wire very close to the pickup, that is probably best.[/quote] So I could make the join I described above, but just make sure it's not too far from the pickup?

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='986112' date='Oct 12 2010, 07:35 PM']Probably best extending the wire elsewhere. Usually there is a joint at the pickup anyway, the fine winding wire terminates and a more durable wire is attached to the bobbin more securely.[/quote] Ok, so maybe join the new wire to the existing hot wire by soldering and then insulating the join with insulation tape, or even that shrink wrap stuff? The new wire (the aforementioned cloth covered one) is a bit thicker, seems a different gauge. Is it ok to join these two diffent thicknesses together? The [i]more durable wire[/i] you mention...do you mean the hot wire itself? It's just that I can't see any other wire; the fine copper strand seems to lead directly to the bobbin, unless I'm a bit thick

[quote name='geoffbyrne' post='986079' date='Oct 12 2010, 07:10 PM']You'll need a fairly hot iron (40W?) with a narrow tip. And be a bit more than delicate! G.[/quote] I'm assuming the danger is breaking or even melting the single copper strand... or is there more to it than that?

Just wanted to ask about resoldering the hot wire in a P bass pickup. (at the actual pickup itself, at the lug/hole where the single copper strand from the coil leads to) I'm toying with the idea of going straight to jack with my pickup wires, bypassing tone and volume controls altogether. Only problem is, the hot wire isn't long enough to reach the jack. It's very thin and flimsy anyway, so wanted to replace it with a decent (slightly thicker) cloth covered length of wire I've got spare from a P bass wiring kit. I know this is a very delicate procedure that can bugger the pickup, but just wanted to get some advice/ thoughts before even considering attempting it

I don't usually let me people share my gear these days. My AER basic performer combo got damaged acouple of years ago when some pratt i let use it continually whacked up the volume throughout his set. Nowadays if anybody asks, they get a polite no from me. If they take offence, I ask them what [i]they[/i] do for a living. If they say they work in an office, I'll ask them if they'd like it if i came in to their office on monday morning and borrowed their computer!! It's the same principle as any tradesman not lending out vital, valuable tools. Obviously there are times when a gear share is arranged in advance, especially with people you know and trust, but I can't stand it when people just turn up [i]expecting[/i] to use whatever is there. It's very bad manners in my book. Just my tuppence worth...

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='976324' date='Oct 3 2010, 07:25 PM']Yes Bobby, I am sorry I sold it on ebay. This was the one: [url="http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/basslines/vintage-1/spb1_vintage_fo/"]http://www.seymourduncan.com/products/bass...pb1_vintage_fo/[/url] [url="http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/spb-1-vintage-for-precis/66504"]http://www.guitarampkeyboard.com/en/spb-1-...or-precis/66504[/url][/quote] No worries matey. I'll probably be getting one sooner or later anyway

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='976031' date='Oct 3 2010, 02:54 PM']They're not needed unless you want the ability to roll off the high end.[/quote] So, without a cap in at all, you're theoretically supposed to get the same sound you would with a cap in and tone pot on 10? Or am I stoopid...??

[quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='975849' date='Oct 3 2010, 11:39 AM']The 60's Fiesta Red (Salmon Pink to me) Precsion I originally fitted a Seymour Duncan Vintage Correct but that was not as "vintage" as I expected it and while I was looking for a replacement some bloke on ebay was selling a brand new yet to be fitted Lollar which I snatched at the silly price of £29. Now I challenge anyone to be blind folded and tell the difference between that Squier CV P Bass and a real vintage one.[/quote] I'm assuming you've sold on the SD Vintage Correct...? Was thinking of lobbing one in my CV P..

[quote name='StevieC' post='975692' date='Oct 3 2010, 08:14 AM']No complaints from me - I play a Squier Classic Vibe 60s Precision and it's spot on for the money. Steve[/quote] [b][/b] +1! It looks great too

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='975413' date='Oct 2 2010, 09:00 PM']Really interested to hear your experiences here. Based on these I'll be proceeding with caution with respect to shielding when I put my jazz back together![/quote] Yeah, let me know how you get on mate...

[quote name='flyfisher' post='975271' date='Oct 2 2010, 06:26 PM']That's an important point when soldering. It can be as important to use a large iron as a small one when the circumstances dictate. It's not really a question of temperatureas such, but heat capacity. A small iron with a small bit will actually be cooled down by applying it to a large bit of cold metal, like a pot casing for example. For such things, you need an iron with enough thermal capacity so it won't cool when applied to large items such as pot cases and some connectors and will enable you to make the soldered joint quickly enough to remove the iron before the entire piece of metal gets too hot. But don't try to use such an iron to replace a surface-mounted component![/quote] I was using a Solderpro 50 - a little gas powered iron - supposed to be rated the same as an electrical iron between 30 and 70 watts. I did test all my pots later on with a meter and they all seemed to be showing what they were supposed to. Maybe I didn't damage the original ones after all. Anyway, next time (if there is one!) I'll probably get somebody experienced to do the job.

I've given up on the whole shielding thing altogether now. The sound was just far too different from what I was used to. Imagine your bass had a helmet on; it's audible but has lost it's tone. Then you take off the helmet and the bass sings clearly again. Rubbish metaphor but you get the idea... I've removed all the copper and the bass is pretty much as it was now. Left the orange drop in though. Bass has got its tone back but with the added bonus of being able to roll off a bit more treble it seems, thanks to the orange drop. A wider range of tones now it seems. I'll never be absolutely certain whether it was my shoddy workmanship or the copper shield itself that caused such a tonal change, but I'd bet it was the copper adding a tonne of capacitance; it was a bit of a Fort Knox job after all! I've learnt my lesson though; [b]IF IT AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT!![/b] Thanks to all for advice and guidance along the way ; at least I got some good soldering practice in

Why the 1/4 pounders...? Or did Rog put them on his bass recently....?

[quote name='Bigwan' post='972476' date='Sep 30 2010, 10:57 AM']I think all the BBx14 series are basically the same bass, but the 'X' has a pickguard and the 614 is active. The x24 seems to have a 5 piece neck but otherwise virtually the same as the x14 series as far as I can see. All good. I wasn't knocked out by the 5 string version and didn't think the active circuita was great either, but the 414 (and therefore presumably the 414X and the newer 424) is a cracking bass for the money. In my experience Yamaha don't make crap basses at all.[/quote] noelk27 on here is very knowledgeable about Yamaha BB's... * @garrymac, what colour is your BB1200, just out of interest?

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='968301' date='Sep 26 2010, 12:35 PM']I had some Hohner "the Jack" bass Jazz pups in a custom 5 build once and although obviously not top-end thought that they were great pups - very loud too. Don't believe the anti-hype. [/quote] +1! I've had both a Hohner Jack and Hohner B Bass in the past, both with Selects on - I thought they were great too