Another project bass and I've gone switch crazy!

rojo412 · #1 01-15-2011, 10:32 AM

I have another Squier Deluxe Active Jazz V en route... the last one I had, I managed to make it super crazy awesome with a few more bells and whistles. This time, I'd like to take it further...

So here's the skinny on what's getting done, right off the bat:

Sadowsky Pickups
Aguilar OBP-3
Series/Parallel switch (given)
Active/Passive switch (given)
Passive tone control (given)

I have room for more switching, but not sure what to do with it. So I'd like to see what the feasibility is of doing any of these mods, as well as how they'd be done.

- 9v/18v switching
(doubt I'd ever want to drop down, but could help in a situation with a touchy input on an amp)

- More frequency options for the mid on the Aguilar
(it's only 2 options as is. Figure with a 3 way or 5 way, I could have more options, possibly?)

- Tone cap switching
(.047/.1 for example)

- Kill switch

I have a lot of push/pull pots, a few 3 way on-on-on, a rotary 5 way, an on-on switch... and plenty of room to work with.

Vakmere · #2 01-15-2011, 10:38 AM

Put in one of these and you'll be the talk of the town.

**line6man** · #3 01-15-2011, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

- 9v/18v switching
(doubt I'd ever want to drop down, but could help in a situation with a touchy input on an amp)

I'm not sure what you mean by that?
The input of your amp is completely unrelated to the voltage you run the preamp at.

In any case, I think 9V/18V switching is absurd, but I know one member of the Warmoth forum has done it.

I would just do a killswitch, and maybe the mid selector switch or the tone cap value switch.

rojo412 · #4 01-15-2011, 11:06 AM

The only reason I mentioned the 9/18 was because it was possible. But every amp I use is fine with my current 18v basses and I like the headroom it provides, so it really was just a passing thought.

Kill switch, I'd rarely use, but it'd be a use for a switch. What's the proper wiring for that, if it were a PULL seeting on a push/pull pot?

The mid freq selectors would be the most usable and I am not sure what would be required, but any insight into that would be much appreciated. I have various caps that could be used for that application.

Also, I've tried the 500k dual pot setup (not a pan pot, a dual 500k linear), where it should act like a sweep... but it failed, worked like a tone knob. Anyone ever get that to ACTUALLY WORK?

Hellbastard · #5 01-15-2011, 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

I'm not sure what you mean by that?
The input of your amp is completely unrelated to the voltage you run the preamp at.

In any case, I think 9V/18V switching is absurd, but I know one member of the Warmoth forum has done it.

I would just do a killswitch, and maybe the mid selector switch or the tone cap value switch.

Probably the OP believes that running a pre with 18v gives more gain.

joeyl · #6 01-15-2011, 11:10 AM

and after you do all this you will see that you preferred a simple vol-tone setup anyway

**line6man** · #7 01-15-2011, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

Kill switch, I'd rarely use, but it'd be a use for a switch. What's the proper wiring for that, if it were a PULL seeting on a push/pull pot?

The grounded side should be closest to the pot terminals on the push/pull.

Clark Dark · #8 01-15-2011, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

The only reason I mentioned the 9/18 was because it was possible. But every amp I use is fine with my current 18v basses and I like the headroom it provides, so it really was just a passing thought.

Kill switch, I'd rarely use, but it'd be a use for a switch. What's the proper wiring for that, if it were a PULL seeting on a push/pull pot?

The mid freq selectors would be the most usable and I am not sure what would be required, but any insight into that would be much appreciated. I have various caps that could be used for that application.

Also, I've tried the 500k dual pot setup (not a pan pot, a dual 500k linear), where it should act like a sweep... but it failed, worked like a tone knob. Anyone ever get that to ACTUALLY WORK?

Isn't that the mod for the OBP-3 to remove the toggle switch and have continuously variable mid sweep from mid hi and mid low ? That may've been working as it should.

rojo412 · #9 01-15-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joeyl

and after you do all this you will see that you preferred a simple vol-tone setup anyway

Hehehe... you're probably right. The 3 basses I've added switching options to sounded just fine with the pickups wired series each/runniing parallel (ala std jazz).
But I like options, switches, bells, whistles, icing, gilded edges, purfling, etc. More so installing it than using it.

RE: Mid sweep

I've had EMG and East pres with the mid sweep and it has that "wah" effect when you mess with it. The Ag, not so much, just got mufflier.

Thx for kill switch wiring, btw, line6man

rojo412 · #10 01-15-2011, 01:40 PM

Borrowed this diagram from another thread. This would be the push/pull tone cap selector switching, I take it?

And this, as well, was from that:

"This will do what you want if you add a third capacitor to the unused terminal of the switch"

If I were wiring up a 3 way switch, and adding that 3rd cap to the setup, it would be on the lower left lug and grounded?

bassbenj · #11 01-15-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

I have another Squier Deluxe Active Jazz V en route... the last one I had, I managed to make it super crazy awesome with a few more bells and whistles. This time, I'd like to take it further...

- Tone cap switching
(.047/.1 for example)

- Kill switch

I have a lot of push/pull pots, a few 3 way on-on-on, a rotary 5 way, an on-on switch... and plenty of room to work with.

I installed a rotary switch instead of "blend" my Jazz Deluxe and faced a similar problem. What to do in addition to the usual pickup selector and series/parallel stuff? I started playing with tone caps even though I was convinced that the "varitone" thing was nothing but a big fad... Would you believe I now have a couple of cap selections on the switch. That really IS useful!

That and a kill switch are very useful additions.

**line6man** · #12 01-15-2011, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

Borrowed this diagram from another thread. This would be the push/pull tone cap selector switching, I take it?

And this, as well, was from that:

"This will do what you want if you add a third capacitor to the unused terminal of the switch"

If I were wiring up a 3 way switch, and adding that 3rd cap to the setup, it would be on the lower left lug and grounded?

Yes.

darkstorm · #13 01-15-2011, 02:00 PM

If you want more mid center freq options you should get a preamp with mid sweep pot rather then just switch selections. Imo.

rojo412 · #14 01-15-2011, 02:06 PM

I know. But I have the Aguilar already.
FWIW, my main bass has the J Retro Dlx.

What would it take to alter the mid selection from just 2 settings?

rojo412 · #15 01-16-2011, 12:18 PM

I'm pre-wiring pots/switches to be used. Just making sure I have them right.
(Kind of fried my brain looking over old notes)

Neck Volume / Series Parallel switch (minus wiring, pull for series):

Bridge volume / Bypass switch (minus wiring, pull for bypass):

Am I good to go or do I need to fix anything?

**line6man** · #16 01-16-2011, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rojo412

I'm pre-wiring pots/switches to be used. Just making sure I have them right.
(Kind of fried my brain looking over old notes)

Neck Volume / Series Parallel switch (minus wiring, pull for series):

Bridge volume / Bypass switch (minus wiring, pull for bypass):

Am I good to go or do I need to fix anything?

You have the wiper terminal of the bridge volume wired as the output to the active/passive switch. It needs to go to the first terminal, since there are two volume pots.

rojo412 · #17 01-16-2011, 12:52 PM

Fixed. Thanks for catching that, I appreciate the help.

And back to the 3 way selectable tone cap value... if I don't use the 3rd cap on the 3 way switch, is it like a tone bypass in the setting without it?

I'm debating whether to bother with that in the first place. A 3 way mid would be more usable. By looking on the Aguilar page that has the diagrams,
http://aguilaramp.com/pdf/support_wiring_obp3.pdf
it seems like you'd just have to wire in the correct caps for the various mid freq selections. Wouldn't I be able to wire different caps to an on-on-on switch for 3 different freq levels? Or am I on crack?

PilbaraBass · #18 01-16-2011, 07:52 PM

mid sweep on an OBP-3 IS possible... you need a ganged pot to do it (like a blend pot), but you CAN do it.
rather than a passive tone control & switchable cap, I'd opt for something like a varitone...you'll get wayy more options and it will interplay with the active controls nicely, as well...

kill switches are over-rated...that's what volume controls are for.
9V/18V switch...a complete waste of time...but then, I think 18V preamps are a waste of time, as well.