Wiring in a killswitch to my bass...

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Hey

I've just got a new EMG BQC pre amp for my bass but due to the old pre amp I had fitted having a mini toggle switch for the mid-frequency selector, I have a mini toggle sized hole in my bass. I don't want to put a cap in it and I don't want to fill it some how, I just decided it would make sense to fit a kill switch in there as it would enable me to just leave my settings as they were on the bass but mute it in one go so, I have a few questions...

1: What sort of switch would be best for doing this? I just want it to be on/off, not 3 way, just 2 way switch.

2: is it as easy as just taking the hot wire from the pre amp, attaching it to one pin of the toggle switch then running another wire from the switch to the output jack (which i need to add is a barrel jack)?

3: Will this affect my tone in any way?

Cheers guys, your help will be greatly appreciated!

[iiipopes]

Being active, you run the risk of a "kill" switch making a "pop" through the jack to the amp every time you use it. I recommend against it. You might use the switch instead for a variety of applications, including a choice of tone capacitors, a Rickenbacker-style capacitor to the bridge pickup to cut lows, the EMG PA2 for soloing, the Pi2 for phase, etc.

[jaydentaku]

You could attached it to some lasers or a fog machine.

[flyfisher]

Simply breaking the connection from the pre-amp output and the jack socket with a switch will certainly mute the bass and do no harm, after all it's effectively the same as just unplugging the jack lead - but therein lies the (possible) problem.

What happens when you unplug your lead? Crackle/pop from the amp? Hum from the amp due to a long length of unbalanced cable attached to it?

I think I'd wire in some sort of change-over switch such that it switches the bass jack between the pre-amp output and a resistor connected to ground. A make-before-break type switch should also eliminate any disconnection 'pops'.

I can't see that such a switch would affect your tone.

[bremen]

What Flyfisher said; might not even have to be a make-before-break (rather obscure nowadays).

Find a switch with gold contacts if you can; these won't degrade due to sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere and won't get crackly.

http://uk.farnell.com/te-connectivity/tt13d2t04/switch-spdt/dp/1197658

Edited September 28, 2012 by bremen

[uncle psychosis]

If you really want a killswitch then wire it to ground like flyfisher suggests.

If it were me, though, I'd probably wire it so that I could leave my bass plugged in and not drain the battery by just breaking the circuit with the switch.

[Rumple]

Can't help with the technical stuff as my electronics engineer mate did the wiring (and it was passive) but I had a kill switch on a 5 string Jazz bass that I found very useful, just make sure it's not in a position where you might knock it by accident.

[tommorichards]

[quote name='iiipopes' timestamp='1348802651' post='1818494']
....... a Rickenbacker-style capacitor to the bridge pickup to cut lows,.......
[/quote]

this sounds interesting... Do you have anymore information on the matter?

[alyctes]

put a webcam in it, so you can put the view of the audience on a screen

[paul_5]

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1348854643' post='1819233']
this sounds interesting... Do you have anymore information on the matter?
[/quote]

Ricks have a 0.0047µf cap on the bridge PUP to cut the bass and low mids. This pretty much renders it useless without the neck PUP engaged, as it sounds sh*t.

[Lorne]

Congrats on the EMG BQC System, just got one myself

Just cut one of the wires going to the Jack socket and wire it to a switch

[StevieD_FenderP2009]

Hi Lorne. I've fitted in the main BQC control to my bass and just hooked up the pickups straight to it to test it and it sounds amazing. Very pleased with it and well worth the £70. Will definitely fit one of these to any other active basses I ever get. Congrats to you on getting one as well

iiipopes/paul_5, that Rick idea sounds awful, why the hell would they bother doing that? Yuk!

Alyctes, now there's a good idea although I love myself too much so I'd have it pointing at me haha

After fitting the tone control section of the BQC, i've found I don't have much space so it's going to have to be just a small kill switch in there. Cheers for the advice from all of you though. I've just got to find an off/on switch that will fit in the space now. Oh and i've got to get some new volume pots as I lost my old ones haha. Such is life!

[tommorichards]

I suppose it's like having a passive treble boost. I get something similar by adding in my bridge humbucker set to both coils out of phase to my neck pickups. Sounds fun. May add in one to something.

[iiipopes]

[quote name='paul_5' timestamp='1349045923' post='1821179']
Ricks have a 0.0047µf cap on the bridge PUP to cut the bass and low mids. This pretty much renders it useless without the neck PUP engaged, as it sounds sh*t.
[/quote]
I respectfully disagree completely with paul_5. I used to have a 4001, now I have a 4002. The capacitor is an integral part to the Rickenbacker tone. So much so that I have put a .01 capacitor inline to the bridge pickup of my custom bass so it will have better clarity.

Now, back on task: EMG used to make a version of it for their active pickups as well, but I can't find it online anymore. This may be because they now have another control that simultaneously cuts bass and boosts treble. In any event, here is the Rickenbacker schematic:

[Gazza 2905]

Killswitch Engage