500k pots with the SPB-3 Quater Pound P Pickup?

[bassphreak]

Question:
Has anyone wired up the SPB-3 Quarter Pound Bassline pup with 500k volume and tone pots?

I don't think 500k volume pots will have a major impact, but will a 500k tone pot open up the tone too much. The SPB-3 pups are high output and scooped with higher bass and highs, I'm worried that a 500k tone pot would bring out more highs. I'm leaning on a 500k/500k concentric pot for volume or a 250k for master tone. Other option would be a 250k/500k (tone/volume) and 500k blend.

I'm not looking to debate the tone of the pup. I'm sold on it and it works for me.

I've searched and read a number of threads either related to the 500k vs. 250k or the SPB3 pups. I haven't found one that talks about both (sorry if I missed it).


Background if you'd like:

The bass is a passive PJ bass with 250k volume pots but no tone. because of the current configuration I'm not going to drill and add another pot so I'm going to go with a concentric pot. SD wiring diagrams show that the recommended SPB-3 They don't seem to make a 250k/250k concentric pot. So I have to go 500k/500k or 500k/250k.

The rest of the story here:
Rewiring a PJ Bass - From V - V to V/B-T

[bassphreak]

I think I'm going to change direction and have it wired up like a 62 Jazz with two concentric pots (V/T for each pup).

[mmbongo]

I love mine with 500k pots, then again the sound I'm looking for is the opposite of vintage

[Metal Mitch]

500k is fine. Here's the deal - 500k will get you more of the resonant frequency of the pickup. Which is 10k for the SPB3. If you don't want as much emphasis on that frequency, a 250k pot will compress the signal slightly and tame down that resonant frequency. It will sound "more midrangey" but in fact it's just less peaky.

[JGR]

Huh? All you are doing is dumping less signal to ground when you have everything full up - so it will load the pickup less. Output gets hotter, but with single coils, the tone can get harsh and out of balance - worth a shot, though that pickup is already boomy, so I don't think it is a step in the right direction.

[walterw]

the QPs are pretty overwound, so i find the 500ks to fit them pretty well, especially into a rig with a bit of compression and/or overdrive.

with 500ks, you definitely want linear volumes and an audio tone. audio volumes (especially at higher ratings) drop off really fast from "10" to "8".

[bassphreak]

Thanks guys. I'm not sure if they make a linear/audio concentric. Again, I'm working with only two pots and want to keep the clean aesthetics but add tone. The output of the QP had me concerned with going the 500k route. But the addition of the tone pot would help offset.

Ideally I'd like to use 250k all around - as it's currently wired and recommended on the SD site. But the only 250k concentric pot I can find is a mini one from AllParts.

[Coolhandjjl]

I have push/pulls in two of my basses, and the only standard sized push/pulls readily available are 500K. I made a 500K into a 250K relatively easy via 'pot swamping'. I went to the Shack, picked up some 470K resistors. (Closest I could find to 500K). Clip the leads to about 1/2", slip on some shrink tubing, and solder it across the two outer pot lugs. Done. Now install pot in normal fashion.

[Stealth]

If they don't make a stacked linear/audio, make your own.

[bassphreak]

A little beyond my capabilities at the moment.

I'll discuss with my tech. The V/T - V/T approach seems to give me the best tonal control. But that pushes me down the road of dual concentric pots. Does anyone have experience using the 250k/250k mini pots from AllParts (or any other similar)?

I do like the stock sound I'm getting under the current wiring (V-V) but I would like to roll off the highs on some songs or when I need to switch to a pick for those limited number of songs.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by bassphreak

The V/T - V/T approach seems to give me the best tonal control.

not really, as the two tones are redundant; they will both affect everything that's "on", not just their own pickup.

as such, one concentric and one regular pot would do, for two volumes and one tone.

also, if you're not blending so much as switching, one volume and one tone with either or both pots as push-pulls would let you switch pickups.

[Budbear]

How about this: Alps Stacked 250K Dual Concentric Pot

[vistacruiser]

"I think I'm going to change direction and have it wired up like a 62 Jazz with two concentric pots (V/T for each pup)."

I did my passive P/J that way, with SD Q/lb's. I have since gone to a simple V/T/selector switch.
Heres why.
With 2 tones, each works as a master, unless you incorporate some resistors into the circuit, to isolate each P/up from the other tone pot. Detailed info can be searched if you need it.
Also, I had a cast bridge, 2 rather heavy p/up's and those stack-pots with their concentric metal knobs. Believe it or not, those pots+knobs add weight. I don't miss them, if you must have a vol for each, I suggest a 3 knob jazz style or V/Bal/T.
I used a Tele style switch (4 way) with series/parallel ability. (see Tony Franklin P-Bass)
There are a lot of options, stacks are heavy man, but cool if you do 'em right.

(The ones I used were larger and probably heavyer than the ones in Budbear's link)

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Budbear

How about this: Alps Stacked 250K Dual Concentric Pot

Here's a 500k and 250k:

CTS Stacked Dual Concentric Audio Guitar Pot 250K+500K

[bassphreak]

Thanks all. I went into this 'knowing' exactly what I wanted to do.....then started doing a little more research and got myself where I am now :-) Vista- as you mentioned there are a LOT of options. I don't need a master volume for each but started looking that route when I found some cool wiring diagrams. I didn't realize that each tone would be a master (speaks to my lack of wiring knowledge).

I may go back my original thought: a V/T and Blend. My overall goal is to add tone control and keep it simple.

For those interested the spec for the bello is here:

http://support.fender.com/service_di...-306A_SISD.pdf

The 62 AV Jazz looked interesting since it had the two knob configuration and seemed simple (plus a lot of folks seemed to like that design)

http://support.fender.com/service_di...0209C_SISD.pdf

[Coolhandjjl]

Originally Posted by walterw

not really, as the two tones are redundant; they will both affect everything that's "on", not just their own pickup....

Not necessarily. Depends on how it's wired. Ric 4001/4003 have a tone/volume for each pup with the tone first in the chain.

[Stealth]

In that case, the pots provide some (but very limited) resistance towards the parallel junction and so give some isolation from the controls of the other pup - but I'm not sure if it's enough.

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by Coolhandjjl

Ric 4001/4003 have a tone/volume for each pup with the tone first in the chain.

But they aren't independent unless you are running the bass in stereo.

Since I mostly used mine in mono, I rewired the treble tone control as a bypass for the treble pickup bass rolloff cap. That was much more useful.

[bassphreak]

Am I missing something in the 62 wiring? I don't see anything additional in the wiring.

[walterw]

Originally Posted by bassphreak

I may go back my original thought: a V/T and Blend. My overall goal is to add tone control and keep it simple.

that would make the most sense.

check out some TB threads referring to "unloaded blend" or "ungrounded blend" for the cool way to do that.