Pickups Straight to the Jack!

Punkster · #1 05-12-2010, 04:54 PM

Hello TB!

Ok, so here's my thought so far....

I always play my bass with both pickups on full.. volume/tone at max. so i kinda thought this:

What if i get rid of ALL knobs and directly weld the pickup cables into the jack?

Is this possible? and if the answer is YES, could someone please help me with the wiring scheme?

I have 2 Pups in my bass.. it's a P+J configuration, so i would like both pickups wide open at the same time..

BTW, i only have 1 cable running out of each pickup, i don't know if this changes something...

I mean, in the control cavity there's 2 cables, one is black, one is white.. im guessing those are the pickup cables because they come out of the pickup route hole.. so..

Thanks in advance, Forum!

Sorry for my crappy English! i'm from Venezuela

**line6man** · #2 05-12-2010, 05:02 PM

Running straight to the jack will result in a hotter/brighter tone, because there is no loading effect from the pots.
Some people like this, and some don't.

If you want the tone to stay the same as having the controls on full, you might want to consider adding in some fixed resistors and a capacitor, to simulate the loading of the pots.

NateS · #3 05-12-2010, 05:03 PM

i can't answer your question, but i've been thinking the same thing for a bass...no knob look. i'm interested in somebody's reply

**line6man** · #4 05-12-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punkster

directly weld the pickup cables into the jack

You would want to solder the connection, not weld it...

Punkster · #5 05-12-2010, 05:13 PM

Hmm, so.. the picture shows 2 cables, pickup hot and pickup ground, turns out i dont have 2 cables per pickup

I only have one cable per pickup (the p-pickup has a white cable and the j-pickup has a black cable)

I think i like the 'Hotter/Brighter' tone so i think i will give it a shot, if i dont like it, then i will just do it the other way around

The thing i noticed is that each cable has a less thick cable inside and like some copper cables acting as a shield... on the original wiring of the bass, the copper cables were welded on the back of the pots and the less thicker cable was the hot one (i guess) and welded into the pot lug...

Punkster · #6 05-12-2010, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

You would want to solder the connection, not weld it...

Hehe sorry about that, i just couldn't find a translation for 'Soldar' (the spanish term for solder)

**line6man** · #7 05-12-2010, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Punkster

The thing i noticed is that each cable has a less thick cable inside and like some copper cables acting as a shield... on the original wiring of the bass, the copper cables were welded on the back of the pots and the less thicker cable was the hot one (i guess) and welded into the pot lug...

The inner wire is the hot, the shield around it is the ground.

bongomania · #8 05-12-2010, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

Running straight to the jack will result in a hotter/brighter tone, because there is no loading effect from the pots.
Some people like this, and some don't.

Yes. I happen to love that crisp sound, but if you want a "warmer" more "vintage" tone then he's also right that you need to add some loading to the circuit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

The inner wire is the hot, the shield around it is the ground.

Yes.

Consider the shield and the center to be two separate wires.

fu22ba55 · #9 05-12-2010, 10:36 PM

Mmmmm.... no knobs.

line6man has helped me out with this mod in the past.

(See attached pick of my Franken-fender (on the left), currently sporting just one '60s Thunderbird pickup and no knobs. (Sounds GREAT!))

I'd definitely fool around with some alligator clips and some fixed resistors. It takes a while to dial in the correct balance before you start soldering.

Correct me if I'm wrong line6man, but you want the resistors to be about .5 watts?

bongomania · #10 05-12-2010, 10:38 PM

Quarter-watt is fine. The signal going through this circuit is very small.

M0ses · #11 05-12-2010, 10:41 PM

I guess I don't see the point of putting in fixed resistors. If I'm gonna take the knobs off of my bass, it's because I want it to sound like there's no knobs. This way you're just decreasing flexibility with no gain.

BTW, don't worry about your English, it's better than a lot of natives I know.

**line6man** · #12 05-12-2010, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Quarter-watt is fine. The signal going through this circuit is very small.

Yep. Even 1/8 watt resistors should work.

We're talking a couple of volts peak-to-peak at the absolute maximum, and a very low current.

There is very little power being passed through the resistors, so the wattage is not important.

southshoreconor · #13 05-12-2010, 10:58 PM

did this to my MIM p bass with dimarzio model P's. i love how it sounds, but i don't use it all the time. i may bring it out in the studio when i need an over the top gritty p bass sound.

sloasdaylight · #14 05-12-2010, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0ses

I guess I don't see the point of putting in fixed resistors. If I'm gonna take the knobs off of my bass, it's because I want it to sound like there's no knobs. This way you're just decreasing flexibility with no gain.

BTW, don't worry about your English, it's better than a lot of natives I know.

What people are saying is that the loading of pots changes the sound because the path the signal follows through has some built in resistance. A true direct wired signal will have a hotter and brighter signal than one with resistors or caps installed because the signal doesn't change at all from pickup to output.

etherealme · #15 05-12-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0ses

BTW, don't worry about your English, it's better than a lot of natives I know.

Agreed! In fact, I think it's better than most!

Kudos to you!

And... subscribed!

I may just try this myself. Thanks!

rbd · #16 05-13-2010, 04:16 AM

Hey, I was looking to do this too! I always thought that when a pot, volume or tone, was fully open, it was like it was shorted, or as not being there. From what you're saying, it looks like it ain't so. Is this correct?

So, even if it is, and considering I'm using the bass just for recording using simulations, the shaping you can do with the bass pots can't be done just by adjusting settings in my "amps" and "pedals"?

stiles72 · #17 05-13-2010, 06:03 AM

Sure it can be done...

"Rock and roll is either on, or it's off" lol

**line6man** · #18 05-13-2010, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rbd

Hey, I was looking to do this too! I always thought that when a pot, volume or tone, was fully open, it was like it was shorted, or as not being there. From what you're saying, it looks like it ain't so. Is this correct?

A volume control turned all the way up provides 0 ohms resistance between the input and output, but the full pot value (250K, 500K, etc.) between that signal and ground. This allows some of the signal to be diverted to ground.

A tone control turned all the way up provides the full value of the pot between the signal and capacitor. This provides a small amount of signal for the capacitor to cut.

rbd · #19 05-13-2010, 07:54 AM

oh, ok. thanks.

Punkster · #20 05-13-2010, 09:53 AM

Holy O_O haha! apparently i started a good thread

So, i have some news... i kinda f...ed up the input Jack

I guess i'll just buy another one tomorrow (most likely a Switchcraft one) and re-do the wiring...

Hmm, another question.. since theres NO pots at all, the ground cables should be:

1) Split Coil Pickup ----> Ground Lug on Jack
2) Jazz Pickup --------> Ground Lug on Jack
3) Bridge -------------> Ground Lug on Jack

Do i need to shield the cavities? (Copper Tape) since im not using any Pots and/or Capacitors...

Also i was thinking:

What cable should i use? 22 AWG? 20? (For bridge ground)

And, could i attach another cable into the shielding of the pickup cables and then run that cable to the ground lug on the jack? because its kinda uncomfortable try to solder everything so tight, i was thinking attaching another cable to the shielding on the pickup cable and use some non-conducting tape to keep them together, and then THAT wire is going to the jack...

I don't know if i explained myself haha

BTW, will this weird wiring be quiet? (Hum or Hiss)