Do I really need an on-board master volume?

4FretlessMetal · #1 05-04-2008, 11:35 AM

So I'm getting ready to add another pickup to my single pickup bass. Gonna try a mirrored P/P setup. So far the only control I have on my bass is a 1 meg vol. When I rout and then install the new pickup I want to keep my controls as simple as possible, and I don't feel like drilling for another knob. So the way I see it, my options are either a concentric vol/vol setup or an on/on/on mini toggle, where I can select either neck, B/N, or bridge. I'm currently leaning toward the toggle setup, is there any good reason not to do this, other than the lack of tonal diversity vs. a concentric setup. Could not having a vol control on my bass potentially lead to damaging my other equipment?

Willem · #2 05-05-2008, 03:23 AM

I'm kinda in the same boat. I'm getting one pickup for my bass, and I'm debating wether to wire it straight to the jack or going with a master volume. Right now I'm leaning towards the volume pot, because it's better to cut your volume in between songs and sometimes it's nice when your singer is talking to your drummer to practise with the volume pot way down. But I don't think it can damage anything.

4Mal · #3 05-05-2008, 08:45 AM

Two holes would be my preference. Three options.

1. Vol and Blend
2. Vol and Tone stacked plus Blend.
3. 2 times stacked Vol & Tone like the 62 RI.

I have option 3 on a PJ and find it really useful.

Any of those provide more tonal flexibility than the switch. I like to roll the hi's back now and again.

Pickups straight to the jack tends to sound a little raw, kinda harsh to my ear - maybe useful as an 'on-demand' sound for emphasis - but not all the time for me. IF it's the only bass on stage - then you can EQ for it but if it's going to pair with something else - you might want a more versatile setup.

Mushroo · #4 05-05-2008, 08:54 AM

One of my basses currently has no controls. I love the sound, and I enjoy the challenge of controlling my dynamics and tone with just my fingers. There is, however, one situation where I really, really missed having a volume control. I was playing live, and the soundman took a DI from my bass to the PA. Everything was great, until we get to a big drum break in our set where I'm supposed to leave the stage. Of course, the bass starts to feed back if I set it down, and I have no way to mute it! I get the sound guy's attention, and he mutes me, and I leave the stage.

A few minutes later, we return to the stage. The sound guy is gone... he stepped outside for a smoke! Since I was muted at the board, there was nothing I could do except mime through the rest of the set.

With a master volume, I could have taken control of the situation myself instead of relying on the sound man.

4FretlessMetal · #5 05-05-2008, 10:44 AM

Thanks guys, GlennW those rotary switches are pretty neat. I can understand the need for wanting a cut switch, it was another of my concerns when considering the toggle switch. Does anyone think there is a way to be able to select between pickups and have a cut switch as well with only one hole.

Mushroo · #6 05-05-2008, 10:52 AM

Just thinking out loud here, what about a push-pull volume pot that controlled one pickup (whichever one you use more) in the down position and both pickups in the up position (or vice versa)? Would such a thing be possible and/or desirable?

pingone · #7 05-05-2008, 11:00 AM

how about just one blend knob? i think that would give you more options than the 3 way toggle.

4FretlessMetal · #8 05-05-2008, 11:01 AM

I think I want to try and avoid a setup that uses pots if I can. I like the raw harshness of wideopen pickups, thanks for the suggestion though.

Mushroo · #9 05-05-2008, 11:32 AM

I think a 5-way switch could be fun, you could have bridge only, neck only, series, parallel, and mute.

4FretlessMetal · #10 05-05-2008, 11:46 AM

I think your right Mushroo, a 5-way rotary switch would give me everything I'm looking for. Now I just have to figure out how to wire the thing

Febs · #11 05-05-2008, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mushroo

With a master volume, I could have taken control of the situation myself instead of relying on the sound man.

Get a TU-2 and use it to mute the bass when you put it down.

Mushroo · #12 05-05-2008, 11:51 AM

HAS Sound (www.has-sound.com) sells a 5-way switch that is very close to what you want, except it has an out-of-phase position instead of mute. Shoot Stan an email and he will tell you if it's possible or not.

McSpunckle · #13 05-05-2008, 12:05 PM

Another fun option with a rotary switch...

A stacked master volume/tone (you could use high value volume and make a no-load tone, if you wanna have a wide open sound).

And for the rotary..

Neck Pickup
Both Pickups
Bridge Pickup
Both Pickups in Series (fatter, somewhat hotter tone)
Both Pickups out of phase (thinner tone, with lots of bright snap, but a bit quieter)

That would be cool.

4FretlessMetal · #14 05-05-2008, 12:55 PM

the HAS Sound switch looks to be what I need. There is a disclaimer: PLEASE NOTE: Your pickups must have a positive lead and a negative lead to be used with this switch. Pickups with a single conductor plus braid cannot be used. The delano p-pickups I'm using have a hot lead and a sheild ground, will this work or will I have to do some further modifications. Or should I e-mail Stan at has sound since he is the who would most likley know

Rickett Customs · #15 05-05-2008, 01:00 PM

Don't know if this was mentioned, 2 stacked: 1- vol+blend and 1- bass+treble or 1 stacked: volume+blend and the other- just a tone.

Arx · #16 05-05-2008, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4FretlessMetal

So I'm getting ready to add another pickup to my single pickup bass. Gonna try a mirrored P/P setup. So far the only control I have on my bass is a 1 meg vol. When I rout and then install the new pickup I want to keep my controls as simple as possible, and I don't feel like drilling for another knob. So the way I see it, my options are either a concentric vol/vol setup or an on/on/on mini toggle, where I can select either neck, B/N, or bridge. I'm currently leaning toward the toggle setup, is there any good reason not to do this, other than the lack of tonal diversity vs. a concentric setup. Could not having a vol control on my bass potentially lead to damaging my other equipment?

if you're just worried about having a kill-switch type thing, maybe put in a 3 way switch, leave out the volume control and build a cable using one of neutrik silent plugs. Or just have a box with a shutoff.

Simplicity is good. I just built a bass with some crazy-ass controls. (5 pots, 4 on-on-on switches) So far, the pots pretty much all stay on full. The switches I use a bit, but have had it on one setting about 90% of the time so far. I probably could have done without.

-Nick

McSpunckle · #17 05-05-2008, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4FretlessMetal

the HAS Sound switch looks to be what I need. There is a disclaimer: PLEASE NOTE: Your pickups must have a positive lead and a negative lead to be used with this switch. Pickups with a single conductor plus braid cannot be used. The delano p-pickups I'm using have a hot lead and a sheild ground, will this work or will I have to do some further modifications. Or should I e-mail Stan at has sound since he is the who would most likley know

Delano's site says they use single conductor wiring.

So, sadly, no, you couldn't use it. (or my suggestion... for the record. Pretty much the same thing)

The problem is that, with the negative going through the shielding, in a reverse phase mode, you could get some pretty bad hum.

Though, with plastic pickup covers and such... it seems like it would just be the shielding around the wire itself.

4FretlessMetal · #18 05-05-2008, 03:04 PM

Crap so there is no way I can wire two single conductor pickups to a two pole 5-position rotary switch to get the following configuration

P1-mute
P2-neck pup
P3-neck+bridge in parallel
P4-neck+bridge in series
P5-bridge pup

...that sucks

Arx · #19 05-05-2008, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4FretlessMetal

Crap so there is no way I can wire two single conductor pickups to a two pole 5-position rotary switch to get the following configuration

P1-mute
P2-neck pup
P3-neck+bridge in parallel
P4-neck+bridge in series
P5-bridge pup

...that sucks

I don't see why not. as long as the shields aren't tied to ground elsewhere there's very little difference between a single and a 2 conductor.

of course the noise immunity won't be as good when you're running it in reverse polarity because the braid is the signal line.

-Nick

4FretlessMetal · #20 05-05-2008, 04:11 PM

So does anyone have a clue about how I should go about wiring this setup assuming I'm using the 5-position rotary (4-pole) switch available from stewmac

...should probably post under a new topic