Talk me though the wiring process TalkBass!

[xJasonSmithx]

Ok so Im getting ready to wire this project bass Im working on, the body and pickups are from an essex but the control plate is from an MIA jazz. Everything on the plate seems to be wired right it just needs the pu's and the ground wire connected. I have a little experiance soldering but that has just been fixing some cables. Here is a pic of the control plate.



Here is a pic of one of the pu wires and some spare wire my dad had, its just normal copper wire, is that ok to use for a ground wire? Also Im not sure which wire on the pu is hot. On both there is a wire that is wrapped in white and one that isn't wrapped at all. Here is a pic




Thanks ahead of time.

-Jason Smith

[GlennW]

I'd solder the insulated white wire to the left leg of the volume pot and solder the uninsulated (braided?) wire to the back of the volume pot. Solid copper is ok, but make sure you put some gentle bends in it so it'll have some slack.

[xJasonSmithx]

What do you mean by gentle bends?

[xJasonSmithx]

Also how much ground wire needs to be exposed touching the bottom of the bridge?

[LoveThatBass]

Originally Posted by GlennW

I'd solder the insulated white wire to the left leg of the volume pot and solder the uninsulated (braided?) wire to the back of the volume pot. .

I looked closely at the photos and it shows the signal wire from the jack connected to the outer lug of the volume pots and the other outer leg grounded. From what I can see, the center lug has nothing connected to it, correct?

If so then connect your white wire from the bridge pickup to the center (bridge volume) pot's center lug and the braided shield to the back of that pot.

Connect the white wire of the neck pickup to the last pot (neck volume) and connect the braided shield to the back of that pot.

Connect the black ground wire from the bridge to the back of the bridge volume pot.

[xJasonSmithx]

Thank you guys so much for the help!

No the center lug has nothing connected to it. Sounds pretty simple, I will try this on Monday when I get back in town.

one more thing, does the ground wire need to be soldered to the bridge or just touching it?

-Jason

[GlennW]

I couldn't tell much from the pictures. Usually the center lug on the volume pot is connected to the hot side of the input jack. I regret any misinformation I may have given.

You don't need to solder the ground to the bridge. I like to put a small piece of shielding tape on the body underneath the ground wire. If you don't have any you could fold up some aluminum foil. That way the ground wire is sandwiched in between to conductive surfaces which should remain in contact.

[keyboardguy]

Is that a jazz type of essex bass?

Here's some wiring diagrams:

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/I-0032.html

http://guitarelectronics.com/category/wiringresources/



regards,

Mike

[LoveThatBass]

Originally Posted by GlennW

I couldn't tell much from the pictures. Usually the center lug on the volume pot is connected to the hot side of the input jack. I regret any misinformation I may have given.

You don't need to solder the ground to the bridge. I like to put a small piece of shielding tape on the body underneath the ground wire. If you don't have any you could fold up some aluminum foil. That way the ground wire is sandwiched in between to conductive surfaces which should remain in contact.

No Problem, the photo was not that clear and the signal wire from the bridge volume pot kind of looped over toward the center lug which made it that much harder to determine.

I personally prefer the pickup connected to the center lug so one volume pot will not kill both pickups when turned to minimum as will happen if the signal wire is connected to the wiper (center) lug. On a P bass with one pickup it really does not matter and actually is probably better to put the signal onto the center lug and the Pickup on the outer lug so the pickup always has minimal loading for better tone. Unless you turn the volume down more than 1/2 way.