High-spec loaded control plate for Fender Jazz (recommendations?)

[Kentish Bass]

Greetings low-enders,

 

I've been point to this: https://fatbasstone.com/products/pre-wired-passive-harness?variant=37581741883555

 

And I've also been interested in: https://obsidianwire.co.uk/products/jazz-bass-wiring-harness?variant=43340925337776

 

This looks OK too: https://www.axesrus.co.uk/TOP-SPEC-Bass-Control-Assembly-p/topspecbassassemb.htm

 

 

Anyone out there experienced with these or others you'd recommend? 

 

Thanks, in advance,

 

Robert

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The fatbasstone one looks like a no-no for me as it has knurled pots, and you'd really need solid shaft pots (or a kludgy workaround) to be able to fit proper vintage-style jazz bass knobs.

 

I'd suggest spending the money on top quality components (CTS pots, switchcraft or pure tone jack etc) and a soldering kit. If you've not done it before, soldering is a useful skill to have and it really isn't difficult. With a little practice you'll be able to make something just as good as any of these with the satisfaction of putting it together yourself and using exactly the components you want.

 

If you are upgrading something like a squier to use better quality pots, and reusing the original control plate, you will probably also need a tapered reamer to open up the holes for the pots as the mini/far east pots commonly fitted in cheaper instuments typically use a smaller diameter hole.

[Boodang]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/282279109716?itmmeta=01HX2FW2Q5WEDWZKBYT0S543NP&hash=item41b9256454:g:dLUAAOSw2fpaqBNo

 

Starr Guitars. Got mine with a parallel/series switch.

[tauzero]

@KiOgon does assorted Jazz prewired looms.

[ossyrocks]

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

@KiOgon does assorted Jazz prewired looms.

^this 100%. No need to look elsewhere.

[Hellzero]

Certainly the best replacement fully loaded with the best components Jazz Bass control plate you'll find:

 

https://www.bassparts.de/JB-PASSIVE/en

 

https://www.bassparts.de/JB-PASSIVE_VBT/en

[Boodang]

PS give serious consideration to a series/parallel switch as this adds versatility (every jazz bass should have one!). Coupled with a stacked vol/tone vol/tone configuration (why have one tone control when you can have two) and you'll have the widest tonal palette for something that is still passive. 

[Downunderwonder]

No love for homegrown John East?

[Boodang]

2 hours ago, Downunderwonder said:

No love for homegrown John East?

John East is great if you want an active preamp on your bass, but not necessarily if you want passive. Vintage ‘vitamin’ caps not really his thing. 

[Dan Dare]

On 05/05/2024 at 08:42, Downunderwonder said:

No love for homegrown John East?

 

Not if you want the classic J bass sound. I had a J Retro in my Jazz. Made it a little more versatile, but I couldn't quite get that J sound any longer. Made it sound like a generic active bass, so I removed and sold it. Of those listed by the OP, the Axesrus one looks the best option. It's the cheapest and uses the same parts as the original spec'. £100 is having a laugh for three CTS pots, a cap, socket, plate and a few inches of wire. 

[itu]

4 minutes ago, Dan Dare said:

£100 is having a laugh for three CTS pots, a cap, socket, plate and a few inches of wire. 

True.

 

And CTS is a plain carbon track pot, not a plastic track or a cermet. And even then a decent price should be less.

[Kentish Bass]

Some of these companies/people are operating under the assumption that soldering is some kind of alchemical art. It's not, it's easy. 

[BigRedX]

What's wrong with the current controls on your bass?

[Kentish Bass]

22 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

What's wrong with the current controls on your bass?

 

Noisy pots. After one year of use. It was a cheap (£23) short-term purchase to stick in a Franken-bass I was assembling (and had sunk my money at the time into other parts). 

[BigRedX]

Just looked at the three options from your first post and to me that seems like a lot of money to spend when all you really need to do is swap out the three cheap pots for a set of CTS or Alphas. Also I notice that only one of those three actually specifies the brand of pots they are using. If the others were fitting something decent you'd expect them to include that detail in the spec.

[lemmywinks]

I'd be spending that money on a soldering iron, the S99 on AliExpress is meant to be a very good and inexpensive USB Type C iron, also get some decent solder, a cleaning tin with wire wool in it and one of the little stands, all cheap eBay/AE stuff. Realistically three good quality pots will set you back £10-£12, practice soldering/desoldering on your old pots.

 

 

1 hour ago, Kentish Bass said:

Some of these companies/people are operating under the assumption that soldering is some kind of alchemical art. It's not, it's easy. 

 

This.

[jrixn1]

Another thumbs-up for one of KiOgon's solderless looms/control plates.

 

The details are here: https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/334251-bass-wiring-looms-for-sale/

 

You get your order in by sending him a private message: https://www.basschat.co.uk/messenger/compose/?to=7835.  Particularly if your bass is not a standard Fender, chat everything through with him as he can accommodate different hole sizes or locations.  I once posted him a non-standard control plate which had unusual hole sizes, and he drilled them out to the correct size and sent it back with the new loom installed.