mrdreadful Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 Just wondering if anyone has tried this? I want to wring every ounce of tone I can possibly get from my Retrovibe RV4 (2 MM-style humbuckers) and think the Peavey T-40 wiring might actually work pretty well for it, but wanted to just see if anyone else has done similar and get some idea of peoples' experiences if there are any... pretty much doing this because it's cheaper than buying a new bass. [attachment=149483:t40t60qf5nc7.gif] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allighatt0r Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 It all depends on how many wires you have coming from the pickups in your retrovibe. By the looks of the diagram, there are 4 wires coming from each of the T40 pickups. I have a feeling the T40 pickups are extra special. The controls give the capability of sweeping from humbucker to single coil and phase shifting potential for the bridge pickup built in. I really miss my T40. I should get another one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted November 29, 2013 Author Share Posted November 29, 2013 (edited) Pretty sure the pickups are 4-wire. Looked at them a while ago when I was thinking about doing regular coil tap wiring. What I'd really like is an actual T-40 but I don't have the funds for that right now and kind of need to finish all my parts projects before buying any more instruments! Edited November 29, 2013 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted November 29, 2013 Share Posted November 29, 2013 do it and see - it's clever but not that complex! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatEric Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 Hi. I would be interested in the results. Quite a few Forty's were mucked around with, now players want them back the way they were. Cheers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamfist Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 The RV4 I used to have had 4 conductor wiring on each pickup, so you should be OK for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alhbass Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 [quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1385751981' post='2291908'] It all depends on how many wires you have coming from the pickups in your retrovibe. By the looks of the diagram, there are 4 wires coming from each of the T40 pickups. I have a feeling the T40 pickups are extra special. The controls give the capability of sweeping from humbucker to single coil and phase shifting potential for the bridge pickup built in. I really miss my T40. I should get another one. [/quote] I'm not very technically minded re electronics etc, but I've just taken delivery of a beautiful T40 (bought here on BC from Old Horse Murphy) and my first impressions are that it's a fantastic instrument - worth twice the £400 I paid for it in terms of quality of construction, feel/playability and tonal variety. Loving it. And amazing value. Go get yourself another one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 I have a few of those humbucker-to-single-coil pots from when I had a t-40 yonks back. I think I needed one for repair purposes but at the time Peavey only sold bags of ten. Something like that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 [quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1385892797' post='2293148'] I have a few of those humbucker-to-single-coil pots from when I had a t-40 yonks back. I think I needed one for repair purposes but at the time Peavey only sold bags of ten. Something like that! [/quote] Is there anything special about them? There doesn't appear to be, from the circuit diagram posted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted December 1, 2013 Author Share Posted December 1, 2013 (edited) I think they work roughly on the same principle as the spin-a-split circuit, except with caps, so they should just be regular pots. Edited December 1, 2013 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted December 10, 2013 Author Share Posted December 10, 2013 (edited) T-40 schem shows 250k pots... Given that I tune down already I figure that'll be a wee bit dark in humbucker mode. Debating on whether to use 300 or 500k. Or a mix. Thoughts anyone? Edited December 10, 2013 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted December 10, 2013 Share Posted December 10, 2013 The value of the pots used is linked to the impedance of the pickup. If you are still using the same pickups then you don't want to change the pots, but the value of the tone capacitors instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted December 12, 2013 Author Share Posted December 12, 2013 No, that doesn't sound right. Pot value is also linked to desired tone, as far as I know. Could you elaborate please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) So, I did this and it worked. Hurrah! Totally ignored the 'advice' about pot values being tied to pickup impedance (because it appears to me to be so much technobabble) and went with 500k volume and 250k tone/split. The parts alone make the bass sound miles better than it did before, plus the wiring makes it a whole bunch more versatile. [url="http://atomictangerinemusic.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/carlsbro-pa60-blues-and-retrovibe-rvt-40.html"]http://atomictangeri...ibe-rvt-40.html[/url] Edited March 12, 2014 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hubrad Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Excellent.. well done! I love experimentation in such matters.. just because it was made in a particular way, are we all constrained to only ever use it like that? #bagofworms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 [quote name='hubrad' timestamp='1394620854' post='2393333'] just because it was made in a particular way, are we all constrained to only ever use it like that? #bagofworms [/quote] Heh... Mrs. D was puzzled about why I spend £300 on a bass and then rip all the wiring out and change it completely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlatEric Posted March 12, 2014 Share Posted March 12, 2014 Don't suppose you took a pic of it, before it all went back together? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted March 12, 2014 Author Share Posted March 12, 2014 (edited) I got all excited and forgot! But I'm having a new scratchplate made (MIRROR!) in the near future so will be sure to get a picture then! (It's not my neatest wiring job, though.) Edited March 12, 2014 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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