Series/Parallel & Reverse Phase - Retrovibe RV4.

[mrdreadful]

Hi everybody!

At some point I'm going to add coil taps to my Retrovibe RV4 (two MM style humbuckers) to widen the range of tones I can get out of the thing.

However, I've also seen a load of wiring kits - intended for Les Pauls and similar but with the right options and stuff to work in this bass - which feature series/parallel and reverse phase switching too.

I've only done basic circuits so far and have no idea whether series/parallel and reverse phase would be worth it. Tempted to just work on the "more is more" principle and try it anyway, the worst that could happen is I hate it and decide to put regular pots back in for the tone controls, but thought I'd ask for advice from people more in the know than I am.

[Ou7shined]

Series / parallel can be pretty useful but with 2 buckers I'd be more tempted to go split single options (neck/inner/outer) than phase reversal which is something you might test the water with once when first fitting pups but then write off as as a bad idea for bass.

[Low End Bee]

I've had one tone control turned into a variable coil tap for the neck pickup and the other one is now a master tone for both pickups.
I got the local guitar shop to do it while it was having a set up. Cheap enough job and is well worthwhile.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Low End Bee

[neepheid]

I'm not convinced on the merits of phase reversal. My Guild B402-A has a phase switch and the out of phase sound is thin, nasal and compared to the in phase sound - horrible. I never use it musically, and only flick that switch occasionally remind me how nice the in phase sound is

My opinion is that series, parallel and coil tap are by far the most useful options, musically speaking.

[mrdreadful]

With variable coil taps are the differences between the two coils really that noticable?

Or am I thinking of something else? Having had a look on the internet variable coil tap seems to be using a pot to vary between full humbucker and single coil, whereas I thought it was the one where you have a switch that lets you choose which coil you use when tapped.

Edited January 10, 2012 by mrdreadful

[Low End Bee]

One coil is always on and the other goes from full off/single coil to full on/humbucker incrementally as you turn the knob. It's a useful de-mudder for the neck pickup. Works nice when you have both on too. I Just fiddle with it until I find a sweet spot.

[mrdreadful]

Cool. Worth investigating as an option then.

[quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1326198006' post='1493558']
I Just fiddle with it until I find a sweet spot.
[/quote]

As the actress said to the bishop...

[mrdreadful]

Found a load of wiring diagrams... so many options, so many ideas. 2 vol, 2 tone (concentric), 2 variable tap pots, mini toggle for series/parallel... all the different tones ever... I suspect I might just be overcomplicating things though.

[Low End Bee]

There are loads of tone variations with the mod I got done. More than I can use anyway.

[mrdreadful]

Yeah, a mod similar to yours would probably be the best starting point. If nothing else I won't have to spend any money on it!

[brensabre79]

My Sabre had a reverse phase switch as standard. absolutely useless to me as all the low frequencies disappear! I rewired it into a series switch. Each to their own though, you might like the sound of a one-legged baritone guitar!

[mrdreadful]

Being able to get rid of all the lows will come in handy if I decide to start a trve kvlt misanthropic black metal band.

[brensabre79]

My dad had a bass once with a built in graphic eq. the theory was an unlimited amount of tone variation, the reality was one really good sound and 999,999,999 utterly useless ones! Beware of overcomplicating things because in a gig situation you don't want to be in a position where you can accidentally hit the wrong switch and turn the bass off, or make it sound like a deranged tuba! I would experiment with all the switching options at home, before you drill any holes and rule out the ones which are just going to be an extra thing you don't need! Having experimented with electronics for many years on basses my latest stable have the minimum of room for error and to be honest, once the sound is set I just use the volume control for most of the gig!

[brensabre79]

[quote name='mrdreadful' timestamp='1326202018' post='1493669'] Being able to get rid of all the lows will come in handy if I decide to start a trve kvlt misanthropic black metal band. [/quote]

Actually yeah! you have a point there, I was just thinking about doing exactly this the other day

[mrdreadful]

Cool thanks... I imagine a series switch will go in sooner or later regardless of what I do with the coil tapping.

[Andyjr1515]

Hi
I agree with all of the above As you can see on my website, I have done many mods of all sorts on 6 strings and basses. The last series / parallel / reverse phase I did was on a 6 string strat for a top player. I did the James Tyler mod for him which gives series / parallel / reverse on each of the three pickups. Tyler publish their witring diagrams (I think it was a Custom Elite) that can easily be adapted for two four-wire humbuckers as each on-on-on switch operates for each pickup in turn.
While my 'customer' (I actually did it for free) was delighted and now has his 'dream tone' on two settings - it IS only two settings he uses. Also I agree with the others - phase reversal really doesn't seem to add anything of value to a bass. In fact, by definition, it dumps the bass and you are left with weak, tinny treble - sometimes interesting and different for a 6 string but usually pretty rubbish for a bass.
Series / parallel, on the other hand - like the rest of the basschatters state - is great and can be achieved with standard push-pull pots so no extra switches are needed.
Hope this helps Andy

[mrdreadful]

That's great, thanks.

All this should give me a nice project to work on during my impending unemployment.