I Know Nothing.. P Bass Circuit Help Please

[Billy Apple]

I want to wire my own custom build.. [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/182246-la-cabronita-porazzo-custom-precision-build/page__pid__1750943#entry1750943"]http://basschat.co.u...43#entry1750943[/url]

Although I know absolutly nothing about electronics! The only thing I can do is solder stuff together, and I do own a soldering iron.

So I have some questions...

What pots would I use? What do the different values mean? Are all makes of pots the same, or are some better than others?

Resistors and Caps.. What the hell do these things do!? What do the different values mean? Which are the best to buy? I have read about 'Paper In Oil', 'Orange Drop', etc etc What does all this mean?

Wire.. plastic shielded, cloth shielded.. Does it make a difference? I read something about silver wire (as in the metal, not colour), does this add anything?

Copper shielding, what's that all about then?

Seeing as this is a one off build, I want to put the best of the best into her.. Any recommendations about which components to use?

Can anyone recommend a supplier?

I want to but the Greasebucket circuit in, does anyone have a fool-proof, idiots guide to doing it?

Believe me, it's not possible for me to know any less!

Thanks in advance

[gary mac]

Kiogon is yer man. Just get one of his super duper Greasebucket type kits. the work is done for you, pots, input jack, cabling etc. just drops in,no soldering required

[brensabre79]

Wow, lots of questions here!!

Pots: Get CTS ones, they are what Fender use and they last and work. 250k are used for single coil pickups and 500k for humbuckers generally. One of the most common mods in a P is to swap the 250k ones for 500k ones as you lose less treble when you turn down the volume.

For a straight P you won't need any resistors other than the pots. Capacitors bleed the treble away from the signal basically, and the different values bleed away at different frequencies. I've heard that it really doesn't make much difference what type of capacitor you use in a straightforward passive tone circuit. But some prefer the Ornge Drop, or paper in oil ones as they are very old school technology and people feel they have a warmer sound (although as youre bleeding of the treble any cap will sound warmer) they all do the same job, but the modern ones are very small and reliable, the old ones are very big and prone to leaking/breaking.

Cloth shielded wire is again old stuff, from the days before plastic. Either works just as well, plastic is considerably easier to work with and cheaper.

Copper shielding is basically surrounding all the electronics with some conductor that is connected to earth. This helps prevent noise and electrical interference (like when your mobile phone starts coming through your amp!)

For a P circuit you can pretty much get the bits anywhere. maplin, Farnell, RS etc. but as you're a noob you can get a kit from somewhere like WD music which will start you off with all the right components. then you can experiment with capacitors and pots later on to see if you prefer the subtle differences.

The greasebucket circuit basically tries to keep the amount of treble consistent as you turn down the volume (normally it loses a bit as you go down) its really better suited to guitars, but its pretty simple - theres no hard and fast rule in terms of the value but you add a small fixed value resistor. I tried this on one bass (the same one I put an enormous paper in oil cap on) can't say I was blown away with the difference to be honest. Theres lots about this on the Fender forum though.

Hope some of that helps! Best of luck, and remember: keep it simple stupid!

edited for typos, theres probably more though I lost my specs in a drunken stupor last night!

Edited July 28, 2012 by brensabre79

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1343462658' post='1751042']
Kiogon is yer man. Just get one of his super duper Greasebucket type kits. the work is done for you, pots, input jack, cabling etc. just drops in,no soldering required
[/quote]

That sounds like a good idea.. Thanks for that

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='brensabre79' timestamp='1343463350' post='1751058']


Hope some of that helps! Best of luck, and remember: keep it simple stupid!

[/quote]

It does. Thanks for that

[KiOgon]

Some great advice above Looking at your build spec I'd offer 2 particular requirements for the pots, CTS are without question the best BUT check your rear routed cavity is wide enough for them & make sure you get long enough threads to go through the body.

The hardest part is soldering to the pot bodies without a proper iron, you need to heat it enough & quickly to avoid damaging the pot's internals.

If you need any more advise/info please feel free to PM me.

Cheerz, John

Edit: Your 2 posts above came in while I was typing must type faster

Edited July 28, 2012 by KiOgon

[Paul S]

Another vote for KiOgon - hardly worth getting the soldering iron out when you have a drop straight in, top quality bit of kit for not a lot of money. Check out his feedback!

[Billy Apple]

[quote name='KiOgon' timestamp='1343464325' post='1751075']
Some great advice above Looking at your build spec I'd offer 2 particular requirements for the pots, CTS are without question the best BUT check your rear routed cavity is wide enough for them & make sure you get long enough threads to go through the body.

The hardest part is soldering to the pot bodies without a proper iron, you need to heat it enough & quickly to avoid damaging the pot's internals.

If you need any more advise/info please feel free to PM me.

Cheerz, John

Edit: Your 2 posts above came in while I was typing must type faster
[/quote]

Thanks John.

PM incoming

[gary mac]

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Guitar-Pickup-Copper-Foil-30mm-x-4m-Shielding-Screening-Tape-Standard-Adhesive-/271015050151?pt=UK_Sound_Vision_Other&hash=item3f19c17ba7"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item3f19c17ba7[/url]

Good seller for screening tape.