P Bass series-parallel switch?

[frits51]

Hi, everybody.

Using info and schematics I found here, I installed a series-parallel switch (push-pull on the vol knob) on my MIJ Jazz and wow, what a difference! New sounds available.

I now own a P bass as well. I'm installing Bill Lawrence's P46 pickup, CTS pots and tone cap switch per this TB thread - Multi-capacitor tone control

Wondered if series-parallel switching would get me anything.

I don't have any sound in particular I'm looking for.

Anybody done that to a P bass before?

Thanks.

[walterw]

meh.

on a J, series gives a big fat boost and a new, chunky sound.

on a P, parallel just gets you the same sound but weaker.

the one exception i've run into is with super-hot pickups like the dimarzio split P, where each side is itself a little humbucker; that one sounds great in parallel, almost as strong but a lot clearer.

[frits51]

Thanks Walter!

That's all I needed to hear.

Mark

[JTE]

I had my Jazz Bass Special (P/J bass) wired with a S/P switch on the P coils, using Duncan Quarter Pounders. Switching the P coils to parallel worked nicely with the J coil, but I never cared for it with the P coils soloed.

When I went to a Duncan Steve Bailey preamp, I discarded the S/P switching.

John

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by JTE

I had my Jazz Bass Special (P/J bass) wired with a S/P switch on the P coils, using Duncan Quarter Pounders. Switching the P coils to parallel worked nicely with the J coil, but I never cared for it with the P coils soloed.

When I went to a Duncan Steve Bailey preamp, I discarded the S/P switching.

John

I'm still using the S/P on my P/J but I agree with the above only being perhaps a bit less impressed with it. I put in looking for new tones, but really never found anything I liked. It's still there but basically never used. So all I can say is what JTE said.

[soulman969]

I'd tend to agree with Walter. Wiring a JBass for series makes some sense as far as adding some tonal options but when you wire a PBass for parallel I think you're subtracting rather than adding.

Those split coils in series in the "sweet spot" are almost all of what makes it what it is.

[Angel LaHash]

well i was thinking of making adding a Jazz/MM pick up to my P-Bass
i know the pickups are a lot differnet and was told not to mix them as too much out
Maybe put in a 2P2T (on-on-on) or a 3way switch .

i got another filter switch to make tho i am a bit scard
as i think i would have to cut in to the guitar to make space
(i got exam coming up so have to put back doing it)
{i could make it outside the guitar, wire it in and see how it sounds before putting it in tho}

[soulman969]

Originally Posted by Angel LaHash

well i was thinking of making adding a Jazz/MM pick up to my P-Bass
i know the pickups are a lot differnet and was told not to mix them as too much out
Maybe put in a 2P2T (on-on-on) or a 3way switch .

i got another filter switch to make tho i am a bit scard
as i think i would have to cut in to the guitar to make space
(i got exam coming up so have to put back doing it)
{i could make it outside the guitar, wire it in and see how it sounds before putting it in tho}

If you're not certain how well you're gonna like it why not just stop by a music store and pickup a bass with a P/J pickup configuration and try that first before you start experimenting.

If you like the combination then you can do the mods or better yet simply trade your PBass in for a P/J model and save yourself all of the headaches involved with the mod. Especially since you'll need to rout the body for the Jazz pickup and add a volume and tone pot for it.

[Angel LaHash]

oh no sorry .. not the mm P/J pickup
its a MegaTone Switching what im worried about cuttign in to the guitar
I dont mind about the P/J thing as its normaly so i know it works

[Steve Dallman]

I put a series/parallel switch on my 64 P bass back in 1976. Parallel was slightly thinner, with a little less volume and quite like a J pickup, but still humbucking. If I added a J pickup between the P pickup and bridge, I'd add a push/pull pot and wire the P pickup in series/parallel.

In a headless, zeebrawood Explorer bass I built in 1980, I had a Dimarzio J pickup and P pickup, but I reversed the order. (why put the weaker pickup by the bridge?) For switching I put a Series/off/Parallel switch for each pickup. I used both series and parallel with both pickups and loved the tone of each.

[iunno]

It could be useful if you need a thinner tone, it pretty much sounds like a Jazz neck pickup. Some songs don't work as well with a thumpy tone.

[-Asdfgh-]

I think one of the switching options in a Westone Thunder 1A (Single P pickup, but later versions are under a soapbar like cover) is series-parallel. But that is also combined with an active-pass switch and a filter-type EQ in active as well as standard tone so those additional options cloud the picture a bit.