Pics of Musicmaster Electronics????

the blast · #1 12-02-2009, 11:15 AM

Hi guys, I bought a 76 or 77 Musicmaster bass here a while back. After I purchased it it stopped working so naturally I took it apart. Looks like a lot of the soldering is really poor so I'm gonna redo it & hope the problem is just a cold solder. Any pics of the stock wiring harness (pots, jack & everything else) would be greatly appreciated. I've looked around online & can't really find anything.

Also, any recommendations on potentiometer values & a new capacitor would be great. While I'm in there, if I can improve it I might as well.

Thanks guys, -john

Jefenator · #2 12-02-2009, 07:35 PM

This was a snap to photograph because the original harness - including pickup - is not in the bass because IMHO it's a bunch of junk.

I rewired using this (from the old Lane Poor web site) as a reference (minus the second volume, of course).

I used 250K audio CTS pots - very easy to come by - and a .047 cap. There are lots of subtle variations on this, all covered & debated vigorously 1000 times I'm sure in this sub-forum.

But I've been extremely pleased with the results of my rewire. With that & the upgraded pickup, my 78 Musicmaster absolutely kills onstage - I have no urge to ever further change it, or sell it.

HTH - good luck with yours!

the blast · #3 12-03-2009, 03:05 PM

Thanks, this is helpful. Mine only has one Cap in it. SHOuld it have 2 & if so, what is the value of each in your harness? I know one is .047 but am unsure of which.

Thanks, -john

Jefenator · #4 12-03-2009, 07:16 PM

The blue cap appears to be a .022 which would bleed highs off to ground, even when the tone control is all the way up. (That would explain why things always seemed so muffled, before.

)

The ceramic disc beneath is a .05 which would bleed even more top end when the tone knob gets turned down.

I'm starting to wonder if this is stock or if maybe someone was monkeying with it. I've heard of a second cap being used (in some peculiar way to prevent volume loss w/ the tone control) but never like this. Maybe they did it to take the edge off that g****r pickup?

At any rate, I'm a lot happier with just the one .047 cap that gets (mostly) bypassed when the tone knob is dimed.

HTH

Matt R. · #5 12-03-2009, 07:41 PM

My Musicmaster had 2 caps as well. Has to be a stock thing. I replaced it with an Aero pickup and just wired it like a regular Fender Precision (I replaced pots too). Sounds so much better now.