Vol/Vol/Tone/tone; pots working only 80% ?

[keyboardguy]

I have a Copley bass that has two MM-style humbuckers. It originally came with Volume, blend, and a tone control for each pup.

I went to a guitar tech and had him change out the blend knob, so now I have Vol/Vol/Tone/tone.

Here's the problem. If I have say, the neck vol turned up all the way, I have to have the bridge volume on at least 20%; if not there's NO SOUND at all. Same thing if I use the bridge, the neck would have to be on at least 20% or no sound.

I asked the guitar tech and he said this is the problem with 2 volumes and two tones. One always has to be on a little way, or no sound from either of them

It this correct? Or is he a moron? And if this is not correct, can someone point me to a diagram for the "correct" wiring?

Thanks,

Mike

[bassybill]

This sounds wrong to me. On my Ric I can back either volume off 100% without taking out the sound from the other pickup. Try having a hunt round on here...

http://guitarelectronics.zoovy.com/c...ringresources/

Best of luck - go carefully!!

[Dkerwood]

Sounds like he wired them in parallel... I've run into a couple of axes set up that way, but my bass and my LP (both with vol/vol/tone/tone knobs) feature independent volume controls.

[MikeBass]

Not sure about the wiring, but Jazz basses (stack knob pre-CBS and early 60's RI's) can come wired that way and don't have that issue.
Dkerwood may be on to something.
I would take it elsewhere and have it looked at.
Looks are usually free. The work will cost you!

[keyboardguy]

Thanks for the info folks.

Bassy bill: I looked at the diagrams at the website your gave, but can't find any the DON'T have a 3 way or 5 way selector.

Does your rick hav 2 volumes and 2 tones? If so, do you know there's a diamgram of Ricks?

Dkerwood: I'll try to draw what I have now and see what you think.

Mike

[PilbaraBass]

your tech stuffed it up...

VP1 = volume pot 1
TP1 = tone pot 1
VP2 = volume pot 2
TP2 = tone pot 2

Pot connections:
(W) = wiper
(L) = left-most lug
(R) = right-most lug

Pickup connections:
(G) = Ground
(H) = hot

Jack Connections:
(G) = Ground
(S) = signal

(Ground) = overall Ground point

VP1(L) --- (Ground)
VP2(L) --- (Ground)
TP1(L) --- Capacitor 1 --- (Ground)
TP2(L) --- Capacitor 2 --- (Ground)
(Ground) --- (G)Jack


(Ground) --- (G)Pickup 1(H) ---- (W)VP1(R) --- (W)TP1(W) ---(S)Jack

(Ground) --- (G)Pickup 2(H) ---- (W)VP2(R) --- (W)TP2(W) ---(S)Jack

Your tech apparently connected to two volume wipers together....which is wrong

while your tech may not be a "moron", he is most definitely incorrect.

[keyboardguy]

PilbaraBass

Thanks so much!
I will check it out tomorrow (it's 1:45 am now ZZZZ)

Mike

[keyboardguy]

Oh, Noticed your location.

We in the USA deeply mourn the loss of Steve Irwin, The Croc Hunter.

What a wonderful human being. Every person I speak to feels that they have lost a close friend.....

Mike

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by keyboardguy

Oh, Noticed your location.

We in the USA deeply mourn the loss of Steve Irwin, The Croc Hunter.

What a wonderful human being. Every person I speak to feels that they have lost a close friend.....

Mike

Yeah, I'm a former Western Pennsylvanian transplanted into Australia (been here for almost 6 years, now).

It seems that Steve Irwin had that affect on a lot of people. I really feel for his family, I'm sure they're hurting pretty badly at the moment.

[keyboardguy]

Hi,

OK, I made a crude diagram of the bass wiring.

Pilbarabass, in your description, when you say 'left'lug' you mean looking into the cavity and the shaft is on the other side of the pot, correct? So I'm looking at the flat back of the pot? Just want to make sure...

Here's my current wiring:




The pups also have other wires that go to ground. I just showed the hot (red) wire.

And the capacitors goes from the right tone lug to ground...

Regards,

Mike

[PilbaraBass]

just as I suspected....great diagram! good job!

the wire from your pickups to the pot lug should go to the CENTER pot lugs respectively...

OK LETS FIX THIS THING!

lets do this carefully...for convention (left is left on your diagram...and right, is right on your diagram)...

1) on your your Neck Volume Pot...switch the left most lug on your diagram (one from the pickup) and the center (one to the output jack)...the left-most lug should STILL go to tone pot as you have it..

2) do EXACTLY the same thing with the Bridge Volume Pot...the same problem exists...

3) your diagram doesn't show both caps going to ground...they should just like you show on the neck tone pot

4) the right-most lugs on both volume pots should be grounded (I think that's what you show, I want to be sure)


Now for the explanation...

the way your tech wired it, when you have the pot turned completely off, it shunts the entire signal to ground

the way it should be, as I described, will effectively shunt the PICKUP to ground when the pot is off, NOT the signal...and conversely "raise" the signal from the pickup when the pot is turned the other way...

this tech needs some instruction...perhaps you should tell him about talkbass

I'd take it to another tech with this thread, and have this fixed up, and you really should have a talk to the owner of the shop where this guy works.

I'd also suggest that if you decide to do this yourself, that you first make a correct diagram and then run it by here, so that it can be verified and study it so that you understand it.

[keyboardguy]

Wow! Great info Pilbara bass...

Yes, the cap are both grounded. (it was late when I drew the diagram. And the right volume lugs are going to ground.

I will solder this puppy on the weekend..

PS Will the actual 'sound' of the bass stay the same? Just curious...

Mike

[PilbaraBass]

Originally Posted by keyboardguy

Wow! Great info Pilbara bass...

Yes, the cap are both grounded. (it was late when I drew the diagram. And the right volume lugs are going to ground.

I will solder this puppy on the weekend..

PS Will the actual 'sound' of the bass stay the same? Just curious...

Mike

you're welcome...the sound of the bass won't change, except that you'll be able to get every sound you have now plus more.

[keyboardguy]

" on your your Neck Volume Pot...switch the left most lug on your diagram (one from the pickup) and the center (one to the output jack)...the left-most lug should STILL go to tone pot as you have it.."

IT WORKS !!!
Thanks again for the great info; TalkBass rules! Below is the revised diagram for vol/vol tone/tone::





Thanks again Mate

Mike

[PilbaraBass]

I'm happy for your success...

it's always a good feeling to help someone out.


Now that I've seen your mod, I may get to putting a stacked tone knob on my P/J...so that I can have Vol/Vol/Tone/tone, too

[BeyondFiredUp]

Originally Posted by keyboardguy

" on your your Neck Volume Pot...switch the left most lug on your diagram (one from the pickup) and the center (one to the output jack)...the left-most lug should STILL go to tone pot as you have it.."

IT WORKS !!!
Thanks again for the great info; TalkBass rules! Below is the revised diagram for vol/vol tone/tone::





Thanks again Mate

Mike

WHERE DOES THE BRIDGE GROUND WIRE GO TO? And since I am doing Vol, Vol, Tone , Tone, Doesn't the bridge ground wire need to go to each tone pot SEPERATELY?
Sorry, this is my first wiring and the v,v,t,t diagrams are few to nil. any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

[line6man]

Originally Posted by BeyondFiredUp

WHERE DOES THE BRIDGE GROUND WIRE GO TO? And since I am doing Vol, Vol, Tone , Tone, Doesn't the bridge ground wire need to go to each tone pot SEPERATELY?
Sorry, this is my first wiring and the v,v,t,t diagrams are few to nil. any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

The bridge ground goes to the nearest ground point.

Either the back of a pot, or the sleeve terminal of the output jack.

It only needs to be grounded one time.

BTW, this thread is 4 years old.

[BeyondFiredUp]

Thanks Line6Man,
I wasn't sure if it needed"more" than what seemed like the obvious. Sorry about the old link/posting. I meant to only qoute the diagrammed post from which I am working off of

Your advice IS appreciated!

[line6man]

Originally Posted by BeyondFiredUp

Thanks Line6Man,
I wasn't sure if it needed"more" than what seemed like the obvious. Sorry about the old link/posting. I meant to only qoute the diagrammed post from which I am working off of

Your advice IS appreciated!

I'm glad to see that you used the search function though.
Too many people don't...

[keyboardguy]

Wow, this IS an old post!


Mike