Wiring configuration

[Doodaddy]

I'm planning out a project in my head and wanted to bounce an idea off of you guys.

The pickups I'm looking to get will either be Nordstrand Dual Coils or Delano SBCs. I'm open to suggestions of course, but these were my initial options that came to my head.

The design will be in a four knob configuration. This will be entirely passive. I would like the ability to swap between series and passive wiring as well as change each pickup (separately) to single coil mode.

My first thoughts are the traditional VVT, but that only utilizes 3 of the open 4 places. Also, I don't really like this configuration at all as I lose the ability to do volume swells cleanly.

So what I was thinking was a Master Volume, then two individual pickup volumes, and a master tone. The master tone knob will be push pull to change between series and parallel. Each pickup volume will be push pull to change either pickup into single coil mode.

This would allow me to have every ability I'm looking to accomplish while utilizing all current knob openings with no switches.

How feasible is this?

[Cadfael]

It's no problem!

1. SC or HB for each PU (P/P)
2. Volume for each PU
3. Series/parallel (P/P)
4. Master tone + volume

The V/V/T/MV can be found in many Guild basses ...
The SC/HB only influences "the two out going wires".
Series/parallel can be found in Jazz Basses, too.

A "problem" is the behaviour of the volume pots in series mode.
I prefer that one pot becomes a "master volume pot" in series mode but this is not necessary ...

[walterw]

The three volumes will load down the tone unless you do things like using 1MΩ pots or leaving the grounds of the two "extra" volumes unconnected.

[Doodaddy]

Is there signal loss when in series mode?

What are some cons of leaving the grounds unconnected? I don't necessarily have to have 3 volumes, but I greatly prefer a single volume. I've come to learn that I hate blend knobs so I'm trying to stray away from it.

[walterw]

there's more loss in series, because the higher impedance makes the circuit more "sensitive" to treble loss and thus more prone to being darker.

what do you hate about blend knobs?

[two fingers]

You could use a knob as a dial switch. Lots of PRS guitars have them. It would look like a knob but act like a switch. Each position could be like this......
1. Neck in single
2. Neck and bridge in single.
3. Neck in series
4. Bridge in series.

And so forth. You get the picture. Whatever combinations you like in whatever order you like them.

[Doodaddy]

I have never experienced a blend knob that was balanced in the slightest. A fraction of a millimeter away from center detent is a WORLD of difference in tone. It's just not practical to me. The idea behind it makes sense, but application has always left me wishing for more.

I have thought about the dial switch approach but that doesn't allow me the flexibility I want. It doesn't allow simultaneous scenarios and rather only offers me them one at a time.

[eddododo]

Ive baffled about this stuff a little bit... annoying problems abound, indeed
it helps to learn how to make your pots into 'no-load' pots
here
helps things a bit

other than that- I don't care for blend knobs either, but I find it much easier just to have a volume pedal for master/swells

[Doodaddy]

No load tone pots. Now that's interesting. I've never heard of it and that seems like quite an easy mod.

You're right, a volume pedal would be much easier, but I don't use a pedal board and would feel silly having just a volume pedal.

[Doodaddy]

So what are some sources I can tap to get a schematic drawn up for this?

[walterw]

Originally Posted by Doodaddy

I have never experienced a blend knob that was balanced in the slightest. A fraction of a millimeter away from center detent is a WORLD of difference in tone. It's just not practical to me. The idea behind it makes sense, but application has always left me wishing for more.

yeah, that is the tendency.

i've found that using a 250k M/N pot and leaving it ungrounded (so there's no pickup loading) makes it shade a little more smoothly. you wire the pickup ins, the jumper across the hot lugs, and then out, but don't ground the leftover contacts.

the next thing i wanna try is an ungrounded 25k M/N pot, which will definitely shade more slowly, but at the cost of leaving too much of the "off" pickup still in the circuit.

i think i can cut the traces to make it a "no-load" blend, so it will disconnect the "off" pickup entirely at each end of its travel.

if it works like i'm thinking, it'll slowly shade between pickups but still cut one pickup off entirely like a switch once you go all the way to one side, all while having no effect at all on the tone.

[eddododo]

^ +1

[eddododo]

Originally Posted by Doodaddy

So what are some sources I can tap to get a schematic drawn up for this?

I'd be happy to draw something up tonight after work if nobody beats me to it.. I'll probably just draw kind of a picture diagram rather than a schematic

[Doodaddy]

Originally Posted by walterw

yeah, that is the tendency.

i've found that using a 250k M/N pot and leaving it ungrounded (so there's no pickup loading) makes it shade a little more smoothly. you wire the pickup ins, the jumper across the hot lugs, and then out, but don't ground the leftover contacts.

the next thing i wanna try is an ungrounded 25k M/N pot, which will definitely shade more slowly, but at the cost of leaving too much of the "off" pickup still in the circuit.

i think i can cut the traces to make it a "no-load" blend, so it will disconnect the "off" pickup entirely at each end of its travel.

if it works like i'm thinking, it'll slowly shade between pickups but still cut one pickup off entirely like a switch once you go all the way to one side, all while having no effect at all on the tone.

Now this is very intriguing to me. As I mentioned before, the idea of a blend pot makes sense, but has never behaved like I wanted it to. I'd definitely be interested in something like this.

Originally Posted by eddododo

I'd be happy to draw something up tonight after work if nobody beats me to it.. I'll probably just draw kind of a picture diagram rather than a schematic

I'll tell you what, you know my goals and what I quoted above. Surprise me and then send me your paypal. A picture is more than fine and probably easier to work with as well.

[eddododo]

ha i'm flattered, but im far too young to get that respect and far too amateurish to get any kind of compensation; Im just happy that I have learned enough to finally help others!

I will post a diagram today

[Doodaddy]

If it works, I'll be happy. You'll have put in work. I don't mind paying a little something for it. shrugs

[Doodaddy]

Well, then .