xilddx Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 (edited) I building a bass and wondering what wiring options I might have. It will be passive but I want it to be versatile and get the best from the pickups. Meant to say it's a four string 34 scale. 1 x MEC MM style HB near the bridge. 1 x MEC J-type SC near the neck and on an angle. Like this .. [b]ll /[/b] I was thinking Volume & Tone for each pickup, 3-way pickup selector and a series/parallel/Coil Tap switch for the HB. Any better ideas? I'm clueless with electronics so any help will be really appreciated. Cheers. Edited July 19, 2010 by silddx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 not a blend knob instead of the pickup selector. although if you have a volume on each pup do you need a selector? you could also have a series/parallel switch for both pups a'la danelectro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 +1 for the series/parallel switching. Also, how about a Villex passive tone thingy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 [quote name='LukeFRC' post='898849' date='Jul 19 2010, 12:50 PM']not a blend knob instead of the pickup selector. although if you have a volume on each pup do you need a selector? you could also have a series/parallel switch for both pups a'la danelectro[/quote] Thanks man. Re your first point, I like the instant change of tone with a switch and I see volumes as subtle tone controls, so I thought my idea of a three-way pup selector switch and a volume for each would be a good way to go. Second point, good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 [quote name='Rich' post='898864' date='Jul 19 2010, 01:01 PM']+1 for the series/parallel switching. Also, how about a Villex passive tone thingy?[/quote] Ahh! This is the kind of thing I need to know! Like this [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2462"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2462[/url] Brilliant, thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 My mate just told me about the Kent Armstrong Tone Choke. Anyone with any experience of one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 IME series/parallel switching works best with two pickups of similar impedance, so humbucker/single coil set-up isn't probably going to very good. However series/parallel when your humbucker is coil-tapped might be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 [quote name='BigRedX' post='898988' date='Jul 19 2010, 02:32 PM']IME series/parallel switching works best with two pickups of similar impedance, so humbucker/single coil set-up isn't probably going to very good. However series/parallel when your humbucker is coil-tapped might be worth it.[/quote] Thanks BRX, this is the sort of thing I have no idea about. I need to check impedance with a meter, but it's interesting to note (perhaps) that the Rockbass from which the pups were taken had 500k pots for both pickups (and a 250k for the pickup pan), and both pups seem to have similar output level, so I'm wondering if the SC is really hot. They seemed very well matched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 [quote name='silddx' post='898997' date='Jul 19 2010, 02:38 PM']Thanks BRX, this is the sort of thing I have no idea about. I need to check impedance with a meter, but it's interesting to note (perhaps) that the Rockbass from which the pups were taken had 500k pots for both pickups (and a 250k for the pickup pan), and both pups seem to have similar output level, so I'm wondering if the SC is really hot. They seemed very well matched.[/quote] Or the HB is pretty weak. What was the characteristics of the SC? Treble shy/mid heavy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 [quote name='EBS_freak' post='898999' date='Jul 19 2010, 02:42 PM']Or the HB is pretty weak. What was the characteristics of the SC? Treble shy/mid heavy?[/quote] Could of course be that too. The SC (while on the Rockbass) was very throaty, deep and with a snarly high end, I reckon a bit of mid-scoop. Seemed powerful, even compared to my active Warwick $$. It sounds great to my ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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