Telebass Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Well, once more I've been at them all with the screwdrivers. It's costing me a fortune in TI JAzz flats... Everything is now back to stock. So Now I have a stock American Special Jazz, a stock Squier VM Fretless Precision (okay, new pickup...), and as near to stock as I can 2003/4 MIM Precision, the Old Faithful. And then I found I liked the Jazz. I don't like Jazz Basses. I've come to adore the A neck, but just never liked the look or tone of the thing. be that as it may, I've found myself gigging this damed thing and liking it! Except for one thing. I prefer the old tone circuit to the Greasebucket. The reason for the post, quite possibly silly: should I mod the Greasebucket out? And if so, what would be a good tone cap? Any of you have favourites? Or should I simply stick to the vintage values? Please help this Precision bloke who's teeth-gritting conversion to the Jazz is causing LOTS of pain. And joy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ead Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 Pardon my ignorance, but what's a greasebucket? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted January 3, 2014 Share Posted January 3, 2014 I prefer the original too, I like the bass boost it adds as you roll off the treble! The greasebucket is good if you just want to tame the harsh treble without affecting lows if you're say using a pick and rounds, but if you're using flats and want that old school Motown sound, the original circuit where it's at. I bought a greasebucket-esque Precision wiring harness from Kiogon, tried it out but ended up not using it. I've been meaning to list it with a bunch of other items but if anyone wants it, PM me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) My favourite Jazz config is 500k pots and a .1uF tone cap, and a series/parallel switch. The 500k caps will give you tons of brightness which with the bass switched in series will give you a really bright precision-ish pick sound. The .1uF tone cap gives you loads of treble roll-off so you can do truly deep dub tones without touching the amp. That setup with a good set of flats gives you pretty much all the worthwhile '70s bass sounds. OK so not the slap funk sound but really, when will you use that? Edit: BTW you can wire the series/parallel switch using a push/pull pot on the tone control (look it up) so you don't need a special control plate or anything and it's totally reversible. Well worth having though. If you haven't heard a Jazz wired in series you haven't lived, it is PROPER beefy! Edited January 4, 2014 by thisnameistaken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanEly Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 I loved the tone of my AM special jazz. Leave her be I would say. I likes the greasebucket stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 What's all this about a tone control on a bass, is this a new thing lol. Must admit I like the slight bass boost you get with the traditional wiring, and when I got my last HW-One Bass I was all set to re wire it to take it back to traditional, but I actually found it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and I fact I found the lack of that low end mud a bit easier to control on hollow stages. IME it's only a very subtle difference, although it's definitely audible. Way off topic but what is the Ti flats reference about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 [quote name='DanEly' timestamp='1388796875' post='2326309'] I loved the tone of my AM special jazz. Leave her be I would say. I likes the greasebucket stuff! [/quote] Ditto. But then again, I have an irrational dislike of modifying any of my instruments. I've never changed anything from stock, unless it stopped working properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1388793160' post='2326272'] Pardon my ignorance, but what's a greasebucket? [/quote] I would like to know also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_bass5 Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Have you tried googling it ;-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat Burrito Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 I didn't care for Greasebucket at the time although it does have a few fans. I like old school tones so have always followed old 50s diagrams and recommendations for those tone caps / pickups etc. If someone was after a more vamped up sound I guess it would be a case of looking at overwound pickups and more modern adjustments. Depends what you are after. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 [quote name='ead' timestamp='1388793160' post='2326272'] Pardon my ignorance, but what's a greasebucket? [/quote] [quote name='Thunderbird' timestamp='1388858394' post='2327008'] I would like to know also [/quote] [quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1388858941' post='2327018'] Have you tried googling it ;-) [/quote] Or indeed looking through the forum? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/178616-cabronita-cs-pbass-grease-bucket-circuit/page__p__1687179__hl__greasebucket__fromsearch__1#entry1687179"]http://basschat.co.uk/topic/178616-cabronita-cs-pbass-grease-bucket-circuit/page__p__1687179__hl__greasebucket__fromsearch__1#entry1687179[/url] I had KiOgon make me one for my build, and I like it very much. No mud Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Arkadin Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 (edited) Intrersting. I didn't know they Greasebucketed (sic) basses, thought it was just a guitar thing. Is it the same part values or somehow bass-specific (resistance, capacitance values)? I actually had a Greasebucket installed in my Fender Tele Baritone as I don't use tone knobs very much so thought it would make it more interesting. Haven't reached a conclusion yet as I haven't used it enough. I won't be turning it back though. My Jag Baritone has a Stellartone Bari-ToneStyler installed which is very interesting compared to the unused tone pot. I'd put them in more of my guitars if they weren't so expensive. Edited January 5, 2014 by Mr Arkadin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Apple Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Mr Arkadin' timestamp='1388886502' post='2327404'] Intrersting. I didn't know they Greasebucketed (sic) basses, thought it was just a guitar thing. Is it the same part values or somehow bass-specific (resistance, capacitance values)? I actually had a Greasebucket installed in my Fender Tele Baritone as I don't use tone knobs very much so thought it would make it more interesting. Haven't reached a conclusion yet as I haven't used it enough. I won't be turning back though. My Tele Jag has a Stellartone Bari-ToneStyler installed which is very interesting compared to the unused tone pot. I'd put them in more of my guitars if they weren't so expensive. [/quote] This explains a bit more and shows values on a Strat circuit. It's a mod that you would be able to do yourself. [url="http://www.premierguitar.com/articles/Mod_Garage_The_Fender_Greasebucket_Tone_Circuit"]http://www.premiergu...et_Tone_Circuit[/url] Edited January 5, 2014 by Billy Apple Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 [quote name='Billy Apple' timestamp='1388859521' post='2327034'] Or indeed looking through the forum? [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/178616-cabronita-cs-pbass-grease-bucket-circuit/page__p__1687179__hl__greasebucket__fromsearch__1#entry1687179"]http://basschat.co.u..._1#entry1687179[/url] I had KiOgon make me one for my build, and I like it very much. No mud [/quote] Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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