jackers Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 There is definitely a very obvious difference between on and off on my 2012 P-bass. Even with flats, having the tone control open does give a bit of a clangy sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 are you near anyone else with a similar p-bass from on here? coffee, chat, a-b the basses?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1382457388' post='2252388'] I've got a cheap P-bass copy that had the same problem - the tone pot never seemed to do anything. I had a look under the scratchplate and it turned out the pot wasn't wired up! So that'd be the first place I'd look... [/quote] I've checked it against wiring diagrams and everything is definitely wired up correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='andydye' timestamp='1382457757' post='2252395'] are you near anyone else with a similar p-bass from on here? coffee, chat, a-b the basses?? [/quote] Thanks Andy, but I have had a couple of precisions over the years, MIM, Squier and now the MIA, and they all seem to have a similar problem, although I would say the MIM probably had the biggest range, although not great. The two Warmoth 54's I put together with Lollars, CTS250 pots, and PIO capacitor 0.047uF, have far more range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Le Cragg Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I have a cheap no-name P-Bass copy from the late seventies, and the tone pot on that has a massive sweep. Is it worth cleaning the contacts to make sure there is nowt causing a contact half way round? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I have a 2001 US P and this gives a decent variation in tone. My 2003 US jazz also gives variation in tone but on that it all seems to happen in the last 3rd of turn of the tone knob. Still usable though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4000 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1382451918' post='2252285'] Er, maybe it's not wired up correctly? There should be a massive difference, from bright and clanging with it fully up and dull and thuddy when rolled off. [/quote] This. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Dead strings and scooping mids can have a big effect on this. Up the mids on your amp til the sound is clanky to start off with. Re the tone knob, I have mine installed with the screw-fixing at 6 o`clock when it is fully on. When I want to cut some treble I move the knob to about 2 o`clock (level with one of the screws on the pickguard) and this has the desired effect - still enough treble/mids to not be slushy with no definition, but a much warmer motowny type tone. Mine is a 2011 Precision so should be the same. Re this, the pickups in this series have a reputation for being scooped (and I kindof agree with this). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 A few people have suggested that it might be wired incorrectly, and I have checked it against wiring diagrams, and it all appears to be correct. Now without wishing to turn my thread into a anti-Fender bashing, how could instruments costing £1,000+ be allowed to leave the factory incorrectly wired? I've heard some unfavourable stories about Fender's QC, but does this actually happen? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 It could be interesting to put a meter on the pot and see what that says is happening. I know in this case you say it's wired right, but I've seen a good few with the cap in the wrong place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DolganoFF Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='DolganoFF' timestamp='1382454661' post='2252343'] What do you plug your bass into? If you're going directly into a mixing board without DI, or sound card without DI/or Hi-Z input, your tone knob will have very small effective range... [/quote] ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='molan' timestamp='1382454688' post='2252344'] . I must admit that I tend to use them either wide open or completely closed and don't do much in between [/quote] I'm exactly the same when I play precisions (rare!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I'm no expert, but I've heard about linear and logarithmic pots, and the difference between them. Does this have any bearing here re the original post? If this is relevant, can anybody shed some light on this for me? I rewired my P bass a few years ago, and the tone pot doesn't seem to cut much treble until I get down to about 3/10. That's where I can hear the change. I was told by a tech that I probably have a logrithmic pot, and that it may work more evenly if I changed it to a linear pot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bassman7755 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1382451846' post='2252284'] On most basses I have played the tone knob seems not to do much at all. I have always wondered why also [/quote] Well the tone knob on a passive bass is a simple high frequency attenuator with a very gently slope - at "full" position you get moreorless the raw sound of your pickups and as you turn it "down" it starts to roll of some highs. Passive basses tend not to have a vast amount of highs in the first place since they get attenuated between the bass and the amp by the connecting lead, hence passive tone controls generally do little more than muffle the sound a bit (just like using a very long lead would do ...). Thier effect will be even less noticeable if your using a cab without a tweeter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1382460103' post='2252436'] Dead strings and scooping mids can have a big effect on this. Up the mids on your amp til the sound is clanky to start off with. Re the tone knob, I have mine installed with the screw-fixing at 6 o`clock when it is fully on. When I want to cut some treble I move the knob to about 2 o`clock (level with one of the screws on the pickguard) and this has the desired effect - still enough treble/mids to not be slushy with no definition, but a much warmer motowny type tone. Mine is a 2011 Precision so should be the same. Re this, the pickups in this series have a reputation for being scooped (and I kindof agree with this). [/quote] I think Lozz makes a good point about how your amp is set in the Eq....[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1382458643' post='2252407'] I've checked it against wiring diagrams and everything is definitely wired up correctly. [/quote] I don't doubt it - so must be another problem.... - how new is your lead? damaged leads (and they all get damaged with time) have the effect of acting as another tone control and taking some high end off. -how high are you pickups set? The height of the pups have a massive effect on both volume and tone. If it's all a bit boomy and little difference raise the pups a turn or two and it should add in some mids. - still no difference. Is it your amp? how is it Eqed? try sticking the bass straight in the effects return socket and playing and see what that sounds like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='ratman' timestamp='1382465797' post='2252556'] I was told by a tech that I probably have a logrithmic pot, and that it may work more evenly if I changed it to a linear pot. [/quote] That is a fair point Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DolganoFF Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 It usually works in the other direction: human ears hear log pots as more linear than linear pots (counter-intuitive, I know) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roceci Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Both my Mex and VM P's do the wooly to clanky thing on the tone knob. You say this has been a problem on several P's you've owned which makes me wonder if you're actually listening for the right thing. Do you have the means to record yourself? If so you could post some A/B clips & let everyone have a listen. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mingsta Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 You need to go full circle again. Sell the P-bass in search of something with a broader tonal palette...you will end back here in a year or so's time....possibly a little poorer...but remember, its all about the journey. Which never ends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratman Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 (edited) [quote name='DolganoFF' timestamp='1382468498' post='2252591'] It usually works in the other direction: human ears hear log pots as more linear than linear pots (counter-intuitive, I know) [/quote] I've just been reading about that. [quote name='mingsta' timestamp='1382469688' post='2252608'] . Sell the P-bass in search of something with a broader tonal palette... [/quote] Sell the P??? NEVER!! Lol. Edited October 22, 2013 by ratman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EliasMooseblaster Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 (edited) [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1382460103' post='2252436'] Dead strings and scooping mids can have a big effect on this. Up the mids on your amp til the sound is clanky to start off with. [/quote] Another vote for Lozz's suggestion - you may be fighting against the amp's EQ. Put that all back to 12 o'clock and see if there's much difference. If it still sounds woolly, try taking some of the low freqency out of the amp EQ. Then have a good sweep. Can't speak for Genz Benz, but I did find this with Ashdown amps - they put out so much bass that you have to cut it quite a bit to make out any of the other frequencies. Once you make that cut, the tone control suddenly comes to life! Edited October 22, 2013 by EliasMooseblaster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Avoid troubleshooting the problem and send KiOgon a PM. Have him send you a P Bass wiring loom and then stick it in your P. His wiring kits are fantastic, and the Tone knob will actually do something! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
machinehead Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 My 08 US P has a decent range on the tone knob but I find it more noticeable when playing with a band. I sometimes roll the tone back say 50% to a spot which just gives a lovely balance of thump and fizz. So I'm suggesting you might hear the difference more when playing live? Just a thought. Frank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tauzero Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1382451918' post='2252285'] Er, maybe it's not wired up correctly? There should be a massive difference, from [s]bright and clanging[/s] dull and thuddy with it fully up and dull and thuddy when rolled off. [/quote] Fixed that for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeystrange Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1382451727' post='2252280'] know what you mean, they might as well fit an on/off switch for all the variety of tone I get. [/quote] All of my Ps have an on/off switch. Why would you need anything else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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