PJ bass tone pot variations

Petronius · #1 11-07-2009, 03:20 AM

Hi there,

I want to do some variations of the pot's connection in my bass, but I can't figure it out how to control only the J pickup by a tone pot. You know what I'm trying to say?? P vol+ J vol + J tone.

Or there's another idea - push-pull tone to separate control both of the pickups.

Have anyone tried to do such thing or maybe knows how to do this thing working??

P.S. Please excuse me my English

Piotr RQ

Jazz Ad · #2 11-07-2009, 03:30 AM

You can't apply tone to only one of the pickups in a passive circuit, unless the other one is turned off.

Petronius · #3 11-07-2009, 03:42 AM

Ok, I thought so, but I wasn't sure if that is impossible. Now I am

But what about the second option with push-pull?? I know that there are some basses with separate tone controll of each pickup - but they have 2 tone pots and I need only one.

Jazz Ad · #4 11-07-2009, 03:47 AM

Even with 2 tone knobs, you will affect both pickups.
Instruments of this kind typically have a selector switch so you get a different tone setting when switching from one pickup to the other.

**line6man** · #5 11-07-2009, 07:40 AM

The way it works in a passive setup is that when you have tone controls applying only to one pickup, anytime that pickup is matched in volume to the other pickup, it's tone control will also effect that pickup.

If you want a tone control on just one pickup, that is do able, but it will only be functional when the pickups are running at different volumes.

Edit: I think what you are referring to is a concentric pot, not a push-pull. A push-pull pot is a regular pot with a DPDT switch on it. What you want is a concentric pot, which has two potentiometers stacked on top of each other, so that one tone control would be on the bottom, and one on the top.

M0ses · #6 11-07-2009, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

If you want a tone control on just one pickup, that is do able, but it will only be functional when the pickups are running at different volumes.

How different do those volumes need to be for the tone pots to work independently? Also, am I correct and assuming that if the volumes are the same, then the net effect will be the same as whichever tone pot is sending more to ground?

**line6man** · #7 11-07-2009, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M0ses

How different do those volumes need to be for the tone pots to work independently? Also, am I correct and assuming that if the volumes are the same, then the net effect will be the same as whichever tone pot is sending more to ground?

I have never played on an instrument with more than one tone control, except for my single-volume control based Stratocaster, so I couldn't tell you.

Whichever tone control is at the lower setting (More signal to the capacitor.) will affect over both pickups.

dmusic148 · #8 11-07-2009, 04:13 PM

If you decide to go active, it's quite easy.

Jazz Ad · #9 11-07-2009, 04:42 PM

Yeah with a 2 way buffer it is very easy to achieve.