Is it possible to have vol/vol/vol/tone?

DanHibiki · #1 07-02-2009, 10:15 AM

Hello,

I've been thinking about removing the active electronics from my bass (currently it is active/passive with a push/pull) and turning it into a completely passive one.

So I was given two options: having the usual vol/vol/tone or vol/blend/tone. But I was thinking if it was possible to mix both of these and create a vol/vol/vol/tone.

Since my bass already have 4 pots (vol/blend/low/highs), I like the idea of having a master volume control and I don't like much the control I have from the balance pot currently (it really seems like it is a on/off switch).

So, is it possible? Maybe it would it require a completely bizarre setup? Is that the reason nobody does it?

Sorry if it this has been extensively asked before, but it is kinda hard to search for something like "vol/vol/vol/tone", everything I found was related to "vol/vol vs. vol/blend"

NKBassman · #2 07-02-2009, 10:20 AM

It would make more sense if you'd tell us what kind of bass you're using, but I can't figure out what the third volume would be for...

BarkerBass · #3 07-02-2009, 10:23 AM

I'm assuming he means it'd be a volume per pickup then a master volume and tone. Am I right?

In which case you take a jazz bass wiring diagram and place a volume pot before the tone but after the 2 other volumes or just straight after the tone pot should work. Please correct me if I'm wrong, I'm not much of a wiring guru.

g4string · #4 07-02-2009, 10:26 AM

Yes it is!!!

My LE Jazz is configured mstr vol/mstr tone/stacked bass-treb/stacked vol-vol

So instead of having my separate pup volume controls laid out in a linear fashion, I have them stacked.

NKBassman · #5 07-02-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g4string

Yes it is!!!

My LE Jazz is configured mstr vol/mstr tone/stacked bass-treb/stacked vol-vol

So instead of having my separate pup volume controls laid out in a linear fashion, I have them stacked.

That's not a bad idea actually, now that I think about it...

blockinlay · #6 07-02-2009, 10:35 AM

You could probably leave your active set up, and wire in a stacked pot in place of the blend to split the volume.

**line6man** · #7 07-02-2009, 10:40 AM

Yes, it is possible. I think that it's completely redundant and ridiculous myself, but i have seen several basses with this setup.

I can draw you a diagram if needed.

Philbiker · #8 07-02-2009, 10:55 AM

Electronically it will be 100% itentical to VOL/PAN/TONE since a panpot is just two volume controls stacked on top of each other. Good idea, and it will work fine.

fullrangebass · #9 07-02-2009, 11:08 AM

The v/v/v/t exists on my custom Manne Trea 5 (it's the standard configuration for this bass). Very useful configuration

**line6man** · #10 07-02-2009, 11:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fullrangebass

The v/v/v/t exists on my custom Manne Trea 5 (it's the standard configuration for this bass). Very useful configuration

But your bass has three pickups...

The OP is talking about two volume controls plus a master.

DanHibiki · #11 07-02-2009, 12:26 PM

Thanks to all for the quick responses!

Quote:

Originally Posted by BarkerBass

I'm assuming he means it'd be a volume per pickup then a master volume and tone. Am I right?

Yes! That's exactly what I was looking for.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blockinlay

You could probably leave your active set up, and wire in a stacked pot in place of the blend to split the volume.

The reason I'm planning to remove the active electronics is related to the quality of it. I'm getting LOTS of interference from FM radios around here (even with the electronics cavity shielded) and if I switch to passive mode I get none, just some nice silence. Currently, I also like the passive sound more

So, instead of going for a more expensive kit (and where I live it will be really expensive), I will simply remove it

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

Yes, it is possible. I think that it's completely redundant and ridiculous myself, but i have seen several basses with this setup.

I can draw you a diagram if needed.

I don't think it's completely redundant and in my case I think it makes sense, since it's better to have a master volume than have a knob that doesn't do anything

If you draw the diagram to me I would be really thankful!

Another question: while I was reading some topics about vol/vol vs. vol/blend, I found people saying different pots values in different wirings (vol-vol and vol-blend) would result in different frequency responses. What would be the pot values I'll need to use to achieve the frequency response of using two 250K vol-vol setup?
I really don't understand much about these wirings, so excuse me if I'm asking something that doesn't make sense

Thanks!

**line6man** · #12 07-02-2009, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanHibiki

I don't think it's completely redundant and in my case I think it makes sense, since it's better to have a master volume than have a knob that doesn't do anything

What i mean is that you would already have the two volume controls to set the pickups. Adding a master would just be redundant.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanHibiki

Another question: while I was reading some topics about vol/vol vs. vol/blend, I found people saying different pots values in different wirings (vol-vol and vol-blend) would result in different frequency responses. What would be the pot values I'll need to use to achieve the frequency response of using two 250K vol-vol setup?

Passive volume controls aren't really volume controls per se.
They affect the tonality as well, because they attenuate the high end as you turn down the volume.
250K pots are the equivalent of 500K pots rolled back halfway (Resistance-wise that is. Rotation-wise, a 500K audio taper pot is 250K at about 4/5 of the rotation.)

For a "two-250K-volumes" tone, I would go for a 1M pot for the master volume and 250K pots for the pickup volumes.
This way you are not affecting the tone/volume too much with the extra master volume. Two 250K pots comes out to 125K, and with the 1M pot added, it comes to 111.111K, which is fairly close, assuming the 1M pot on full.

**line6man** · #13 07-02-2009, 01:22 PM

fullrangebass · #14 07-02-2009, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by line6man

But your bass has three pickups...

The OP is talking about two volume controls plus a master.

my apologies. I was too quick to reply

GODSBASSMAN · #15 07-02-2009, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fullrangebass

The v/v/v/t exists on my custom Manne Trea 5 (it's the standard configuration for this bass). Very useful configuration

That's exactly what I've got planned for my Squier Deluxe 5'er.
Q tuner at the neck, the currently mounted in Jazz configuration Bartolini 57ls single coil humfree and the OBP-3 PRE

DanHibiki · #16 07-02-2009, 03:08 PM

Thanks a lot for all the information you've given, line6man!