T-40 pickup, wiring help.

[Hopkins]

I bought a set of T-40 pickups off of the TB classifieds. They haven't arrived yet, but searching the internet I haven't found the answer to my questions.

These are going in a custom build, and I have no intention of wiring them like the original T-40. The T-40 is an awesome bass, capable of many different tones, but I don't want or need that many options, so I'm just going to keep it simple. I'm probably just going to wire them in series and do a standard VVT set up.

How do these pickups sound wired in series? I like a lot of upper mid snarl, and don't care to get to muddy.

If I find them to be to muddy in series, how anemic do they sound wired in parallel? I want this bass to have balls.

Also I'm guessing that red and white are positives and the bare and black wire are the grounds. Correct me if I'm wrong here.

[Cadfael]

The original T-40 wiring can be found on many websites (and my 424 pages wiring compilation).

The T-40 PUs are wired in series within themselves and can't be wired in parallel. You can split the coils, but not wire the PUs parallel within themselves.
Bare + Green (or Black) wire are GND.
The White wire is HOT.
The Red wire should be isolated as this id for CoilSplit.

I wouldn't wire both PUs in series with each other. Especially not, if you want "high mids". A series wiring would boost the punch mids and low mids. A series sound would be "more muddy" than a parallel sound ...

I would first try the parallel wiring with a normal Jazz Bass VVT (Green+Bare = GND, White = HOT, Red isolated).

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by Cadfael

The original T-40 wiring can be found on many websites (and my 424 pages wiring compilation).

The T-40 PUs are wired in series within themselves and can't be wired in parallel. You can split the coils, but not wire the PUs parallel within themselves.
Bare + Green (or Black) wire are GND.
The White wire is HOT.
The Red wire should be isolated as this id for CoilSplit.

I wouldn't wire both PUs in series with each other. Especially not, if you want "high mids". A series wiring would boost the punch mids and low mids. A series sound would be "more muddy" than a parallel sound ...

I would first try the parallel wiring with a normal Jazz Bass VVT (Green+Bare = GND, White = HOT, Red isolated).

Exactly the information I was looking for. I would have never figured out that the red wire was a coil split. I thought they were a regular 4 wire pickup that could be wired in series or parallel, thats what I meant by wiring them in series. My plan is to just wire them VVT like a standard Jazz bass. Thanks a ton man.

[mech]

Originally Posted by Hopkins

Exactly the information I was looking for. I would have never figured out that the red wire was a coil split. I thought they were a regular 4 wire pickup that could be wired in series or parallel, thats what I meant by wiring them in series. My plan is to just wire them VVT like a standard Jazz bass. Thanks a ton man.

You may want to make provisions to use the coil tap on the neck PU. Just as an FYI my favorite setting for T-40 pickups is the bridge PU in humbucking and the neck pickup in single coil with the volume on the bridge pickup backed off a taste to compensate for the difference in output. May be the sound you're looking for. Good round fundamental but aggressive.

I'm going to take this TL-5 with T-40 pickups to a jam tonight. I've been well satisfied with the sound. Hope your project turns out well and please post pics.



Edit: I totally agree with Cadfael about wiring the pickups in series. Good info.
mech

[Andyman001]

Just in case you need it.

[xaxxat]

Another option.

[Hopkins]

Thanks for the diagrams, but this build calls for a pretty simple control lay out. Its going to be a V/V/T set up, because its going to be mounted on a Jazz control plate.

Its going in a bass like this one, except its going to be a gold sparkle, rosewood board, and T40 pickups. I hated the mudbucker in the neck position, so I epoxied another Jazzbucker without the cover into the mudbucker cover. Then I cut the head off of some screws and glued them in the holes. It looks the same but sounds so much better now. The T40 pickups should look and sound even better.

[mech]

Check out xaxxat's diagram. Only takes three controls with pull pots. Easy peasy and you'll probably like it.

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by mech

Check out xaxxat's diagram. Only takes three controls with pull pots. Easy peasy and you'll probably like it.

Yeah, If I don't like using them both as humbuckers, I will probably try that. This bass is being built for fat growly rock tones. I'm not really building a bass that can do everything. I want it to do one thing and do it awesome.

EDIT: On xaxxat's diagram, what is the purpose of the selector switch. Couldn't that just be left out and and, use the pots to kill either pickup, and just have the push pull as the single coil selector? If the switch isn't necessary I will probably go with that.

[mech]

The selector switch and how the pots are wired let you select between the PUs with them being set at different volume levels but in the center position either volume will turn the overall level of both PUs down since the volume controls would be in parallel.

If the selector switch is eliminated, the input and output of the pots on xaxxat's diagram will need to be reversed to keep one PU volume control from affecting the other. The wiring would be the same as a Jazz bass with the PU feeding the wiper of the pot and the high side of the pot feeding the output jenny.

mech

[Stealth]

You could always go with two stacked pots (for each pickup's V/T) and put a phase switch in the leftover pot hole. You'll get the flexibility of the original T-40 circuit, with a smaller footprint. The only thing you won't have is a pickup switch.

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by mech

The selector switch and how the pots are wired let you select between the PUs with them being set at different volume levels but in the center position either volume will turn the overall level of both PUs down since the volume controls would be in parallel.

If the selector switch is eliminated, the input and output of the pots on xaxxat's diagram will need to be reversed to keep one PU volume control from affecting the other. The wiring would be the same as a Jazz bass with the PU feeding the wiper of the pot and the high side of the pot feeding the output jenny.

mech

Cool, I'm thinking that this is my plan now.

Thanks
Paul

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by Stealth

You could always go with two stacked pots (for each pickup's V/T) and put a phase switch in the leftover pot hole. You'll get the flexibility of the original T-40 circuit, with a smaller footprint. The only thing you won't have is a pickup switch.

Yeah I thought about that, but I'm trying to keep it simple. The guy who will most likely be using this bass would prefer P bass simple.

[Cadfael]

What about MV/BV/MT???
You have a master volume and tone.
The bridge PU can not be played alone but rolled on or off. The neck PU is always on and it is easy to adjust a lower level, no matter if the bridge PU is on or off ...

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by Cadfael

What about MV/BV/MT???
You have a master volume and tone.
The bridge PU can not be played alone but rolled on or off. The neck PU is always on and it is easy to adjust a lower level, no matter if the bridge PU is on or off ...

I don't understand the reason for that, what advantage would there be over a V/V/T setup?

[Cadfael]

The advantage is that you can change the master volume with one pot.
If you like the position N10 B7, but want to decrease the general volume, you have a problem with a normal VVT.
If the bridge PU is never used alone or louder than the neck PU, this is much better.

[Hopkins]

Originally Posted by Cadfael

The advantage is that you can change the master volume with one pot.
If you like the position N10 B7, but want to decrease the general volume, you have a problem with a normal VVT.
If the bridge PU is never used alone or louder than the neck PU, this is much better.

This bass is going to be my bass, but a friends band is going on tour, so I'm going to try and get it ready so he can use it on the road.

I often use only the bridge pickup, or play with the neck pickup rolled off slightly. But thanks for the info

[Cadfael]

You could also do it with Bridge always on an a neck roll-off.

I don't wanna say you should do it!!!
But these are option players seldomly think of but may perfectly fit.
Depends on every player and his needs.

If you use "neck alone" and "bridge alone" this is no option for you ...