L2K Output Question

[Ancient Mariner]

I was playing around with the knobs/switches on my USA L2K, enjoying the myriad of sounds and tones from this great bass, when I tried a setup I apparently had not tried before...the pickup and active/passive switches both pointing toward the bridge, and the middle (bass enhance) switch pointing toward the neck. The output on my bass, with this configuration, is...zippo! Not exactly nothing at all...you can hear it if you turn the amp volume WAY up, but just barely. Every other switch/knob combination I've tried with this bass delivers as expected..and then some.

What's up with that? My USA L2.5K has no volume problems at all with this same switch configuration.

[spideyjg]

The bridge pickup has a bad coil or a broken wire on the switch.

Those positions are series and bridge pickup alone.

Jim

[Ancient Mariner]

Originally Posted by spideyjg

The bridge pickup has a bad coil or a broken wire on the switch.

Those positions are series and bridge pickup alone.

Jim

Thanks, Jim. But wouldn't I therefore have issues with any solo bridge pickup config? If I place all three switches toward the bridge, or put it in active mode with the other two switches toward the bridge...no problems. It's just when I try and solo the bridge pickup in series that I have an issue.

Anyway, it sounds like a trip to the luthier is in my future. Thanks for the response.


Mike

[spideyjg]

Originally Posted by Ancient Mariner

Thanks, Jim. But wouldn't I therefore have issues with any solo bridge pickup config? If I place all three switches toward the bridge, or put it in active mode with the other two switches toward the bridge...no problems. It's just when I try and solo the bridge pickup in series that I have an issue.

Anyway, it sounds like a trip to the luthier is in my future. Thanks for the response.


Mike

Listen close and you will hear a difference using both pickups in series compared to your 2.5K.

The scenario I painted would do exactly what you describe due to the way electronics work.

Jim

[Ken Baker]

Are you fearless and handy with a small soldering iron?

Remove the knobs from the pots. Then turn the bass over, open the cavity, and remove the battery. Turn the bass back over and remove the nuts & washers from the pots only, leaving the switches in place. Flip the bass back on its front again and carefully lift the preamp & pots enough to expose the backs of the switches. Note that there may be more washers on the shanks of the pots inside the cavity. Once exposed, carefully wiggle each wire looking for a loose one, paying particular attention to the wires coming from the bridge pickup.

It's really tight in there, but you might even heat each solder lug with your iron. Work carefully and without too much caffeine in your system.

Here's a little something to help:

Click the image to download a PDF suitable for printing.



When you re-assemble, be sure you get any interior washers back on the pot shanks (it's an adventure) and don't go crazy tightening the nuts on the pots.

Also understand this: If you aren't comfortable doing this, then DON'T. You can break your bass in there. This is why good techs earn the bucks they get. Please work carefully.

Ken...

[Ancient Mariner]

Originally Posted by Ken Baker

Are you fearless and handy with a small soldering iron?

Also understand this: If you aren't comfortable doing this, then DON'T. You can break your bass in there. This is why good techs earn the bucks they get. Please work carefully.

Ken...

Ken...


Wow! Many thanks for this diagram and explanations, the most valuable (for me) of which are the admonitions above. I'm afraid I have 4 thumbs on each hand when it comes to this type of work, and I definitely am NOT handy as you say, nor would I be comfortable attempting to do it.

The bass sounds great other than that one switch configuration; I can easily use it for the gigs I do. I'll get it fixed, but there's no real hurry to do so since it performs so well every other way.

Thanks again, Ken, and to you also, Jim, for the help...much appreciated.


Mike