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Originally Posted by spideyjg Got part sources and diagrams Karl?
Jim |
I kind of just did it out of my head- except the original Parallel/ single coil/ series switch - which I started a thread about when I first did it. I originally wanted to try the "single coil w/ bass boost" instead of series, so I just wired a .1uf capacitor (metal film from Radio Shack) to each side of the switch ala the wiring schematic for the older L2000s (I linked this on the switch mod thread).
I had it that way for a couple days before deciding- "why not make it switchable between single coil w/ bass boost and normal series wiring?"- I already had a couple 500K push/pull pots ( you can use any 500K push/pull pot- I always get mine from
www.guitarelectronics.com or
www.guitarnucleus.com ) sitting around from other abandoned projects (or guitars I returned to stock to sell!)- which was a lucky coincidence, as I always found myself wanting to be able to dial in a little more treble- especially in the new "single coil w/ bass boost" setting. A larger value pot sends less signal through the capacitor, and therefore retains more treble- but the full scope of the original 250K pot is also represented in the last half of the 500K pots turn. I wired the pot lugs the same as the original pot.
For the push/ pull switch, I wired it like this
a b
c d
e f
-a and b are not used
-c is attached to the series side of the series/ parallel switch for one of the pickups (where there is a wire connecting 2 of the lugs together on each pickup)
-d is attached to the same part of the switch for the other pickup
- e is attached to one side of a .1uf capacitor, the other side is attached to ground
-f is attached to one side of another .1uf capacitor, again the other side of the cap is attached to ground
When the switch is down, c connects to a, and d connects to b- it is essentially a dead end and the entire signal returns through the switch- so the series mode works as normal.
When the switch is pulled up, c connects to e and d connects to f- the highs from the signal are pulled through the capacitors, and the lows return through the series circuit.
Because of the way that humbuckers cancel noise (any signal picked up by both coils is essentially phased out), the single coil w/ bass boost setting will not cancel hum unless both pickups are on (because the capacitor creates an uneven balance between the coils)- even though all the coils are still functioning. If you tap on the coils, one side will click and one side will "whoom"- as the highs are being sucked out of the 2nd one.
Despite the noise, I am in love with the "single coil w/ bass boost" setting on both pickups and with them together- it basically sounds like my Jazz bass sounded through my old SVT with the bass and low-mids on the amp cranked almost all the way ( maybe a little less jarring!)- the neck pickup soloed ( as L1000 users can attest) sounds like a really ballsy + deep P pickup to me. The extra treble from the 500K pot gives the sound a little extra clarity.
I originally removed the preamp because it was attached (with adhesive foam) to the rear of the treble- cut pot, and with the added height of the push/ pull switch- it wouldn't fit in the control cavity without rewiring it and moving it. I never really used the preamp anyway, so I just left it out! This left a 3 way switch free, so I decided to wire each pickup to seperate series/ single/ parallel switches to add even more possibilities. I have had very little time to play around with this change however- I imagine that the neck pickup in single coil coupled with the bridge pickup in single coil w/ bass boost will be pretty killer! ( and possibly very noisy
- but I can live with that!).
If anyone has any more questions, feel free to ask- I feel like I'm not very good at describing technical things in writing!
Karl
G&L L2000 mods. 
You've got some great ideas though! Another possible option i thought about was ripping out the electronics and replacing them with the same system they use in the Musicman Sterling bass. I'm amazed at how much tonal variation you can get out of the MM's with just one pickup! However i do like the mellower passive side of the G&L too, but I think i would probably be able to achieve that tone as well with the Musicman system.
