Upgrading the wiring and pots in a Squier CV P.

[dave_bass5]

Resurrecting the thread with an update (and because im bored).

Ive since changed the neck over on my CV's so i have the Jazz neck on the P now.
While i liked the tone fo the stock pup i wanted a bit more growl so ive put a Thumper in. Ive had to file the PG as the cut outs weren't big enough.
It sounds bit closer to my Jazz now, its lost soem of that vintage muffled tone and im happier with it like this.

I thought that was it but i think i somehow managed to damage the volume pot, or more likely it just went on its own. If i wiggle any of the leads attached to the hot lug the sound cuts out. its working fine but i dont want to risk it cutting out at a gig so ive got a couple of CTS pot on its way this week. I also thought i might as well see what a Cap change will do so ive also got a couple of 0.047mf coming although i may not change them until ive gigged the bass with the stock cap in it this week. Im thinking ill leave the tone section alone as its all working fine.

Overall im very happy with this bass and its going to be my main gigging bass for a while.

[mart]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1016150' date='Nov 8 2010, 11:02 AM']...I thought that was it but i think i somehow managed to damage the volume pot, or more likely it just went on its own. If i wiggle any of the leads attached to the hot lug the sound cuts out. ...[/quote]

That sounds like one of the leads isn't properly soldered to the tag on the pot - it doesn't sound like the pot itself is faulty. I'd try re-soldering everything and see if that sorts it.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='mart' post='1016470' date='Nov 8 2010, 03:36 PM']That sounds like one of the leads isn't properly soldered to the tag on the pot - it doesn't sound like the pot itself is faulty. I'd try re-soldering everything and see if that sorts it.[/quote]

Thanks. there are two wires going to the lug and i did re wire both. If i exert slight pressure on the lug it cuts out. I cant see anything shorting outside the casing but maybe there is a crack in the track inside.

Either way, its quite a small, fiddly pot so putting something larger in will help with the soldering.

[PaulWarning]

There's a school of thought that says you should bypass the pots on the bass, because they degrade the signal, and use your amp to make any adjustments, I believe Mike Dirnt does this

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='PaulWarning' post='1016514' date='Nov 8 2010, 04:11 PM']There's a school of thought that says you should bypass the pots on the bass, because they degrade the signal, and use your amp to make any adjustments, I believe Mike Dirnt does this[/quote]

Thanks but i think there would be more downsides than benefits to doing this.
Its all baloney IME. it might make a very slight difference in a studio setting but i doubt it would make much difference in the real world. If it did people wouldnt pay £1000's for basses that had knobs.

When i got my old DJ5 modded to a PJ i did a lot of reading and it seemed that taking the Jazz pup out of circuit would improve the P tone. I got a switch put in the bass to do just this.

Not once did i ever hear any difference between having the pup off using the switch and just turning it to zero.

Edited November 8, 2010 by dave_bass5

[PaulWarning]

[quote name='PaulWarning' post='1016514' date='Nov 8 2010, 04:11 PM']There's a school of thought that says you should bypass the pots on the bass, because they degrade the signal, and use your amp to make any adjustments, I believe Mike Dirnt does this[/quote]


[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1016522' date='Nov 8 2010, 04:17 PM']Thanks but i think there would be more downsides than benefits to doing this.
Its all baloney IME. it might make a very slight difference in a studio setting but i doubt it would make much difference in the real world. If it did people wouldnt pay £1000's for basses that had knobs.

When i got my old DJ5 modded to a PJ i did a lot of reading and it seemed that taking the Jazz pup out of circuit would improve the P tone. I got a switch put in the bass to do just this.

Not once did i ever hear any difference between having the pup off using the switch and just turning it to zero.[/quote]
Can't say I've noticed any difference either, when I've have done it because I've got fed up with crackle pots, but I do think you're better off adjusting tone on the amp, I never had much luck with passive tone controls, they always seem to be like on off switches even on my MIA P

[dave_bass5]

Yeah, i agree, they dont always seem to do a lot. I do like the tone i get with it right off on the the Bass. Im not sure i could get the same tone using just one knob on the amp. On my HW-one i have the grease bucket tone circuit and that more like turning the treble off on the amp but with my other basses i like the slight increase in low end you seem to get with the tone off.

There are also people that say backing off the volume knob a bit gives a nicer tone. This is one ive tried and it does seem to work but ive not compared it with just backing the input gain off the amp.

[mart]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1016474' date='Nov 8 2010, 03:40 PM']Thanks. there are two wires going to the lug and i did re wire both. If i exert slight pressure on the lug it cuts out. I cant see anything shorting outside the casing but maybe there is a crack in the track inside.

Either way, its quite a small, fiddly pot so putting something larger in will help with the soldering.[/quote]

Fair enough. It shouldn't be a big job to replace the pot.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='mart' post='1016793' date='Nov 8 2010, 07:33 PM']Fair enough. It shouldn't be a big job to replace the pot.[/quote]

Yuo would think wouldn't you.

The pots just turned up and ive ordered the wrong bloody ones. I knew i needed split shaft but seems like i ordered solid instead.
I dont evne have any knobs that will fit. Im still going to try and get them fitted tonight and if they go in ok ill order some knobs tomorrow.

I've also ordered some split shaft mini CTS pots, just in case although i would prefer to use the larger versions.

what a mess lol. Im sure it will be al worth it.

[flyfisher]

Interesting thread.

Just to pick up on a few points:

1. Don't forget than pots are available in linear and logarithmic versions, usually identifiable by LIN or LOG stamped on the back near the ohms value. A LIN pot can be connected either way around, but a LOG pot will behave quite differently from an operating point of view.

2. The tone control is such a simple RC filter (on passive basses anyway) that it's easy to experiment until you get the sound you like. There are online calculators for determining the cut-off frequency, but the roll-off will always be the basic -6dB/octave so it's a pretty primitive low-pass filter really, hardly a tone shaping circuit in the modern sense of the term.

3. So, such a simple RC filter is fairly pointless compared to the sophisticated tone shaping circuits on most amps, and even more so if you play through one or more pedals.

I leave my tone pot in the 'off' position and use the amp to set the tone.

So, all in all, I'd agree that there's a lot of snake oil involved. Having said that, there's little doubt about the placebo effect and we all know that confidence can be the key to playing well.