Which single coil mod for G&L L-2000 is most like a J Bass

GroovinOnFunk · #1 02-01-2011, 07:57 PM

So... title says it all. Which single coil mod makes the G&L L-2000 bass sound most like a Fender Jazz bass? Inner? Outer? Neck outer, bridge inner? Neck inner, bridge outer?

***I realize that a G&L L-2000 will never sound exactly like a Jazz bass. I'm looking for the best close approximation***

mmbongo · #2 02-01-2011, 08:37 PM

Outer coils!

Congrats on the L2k

faulknersj · #3 02-01-2011, 08:39 PM

Have you considered trading for a J bass?

zuma · #4 02-01-2011, 08:44 PM

This is pretty much what that sound will be for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo5mzhbvfZU

That bass was "factory-modded." It sounds very Jazz like to me with a little more grit. More balls, less smooth. I'm not saying one is better than the other. I love them both. It certainly opens up an L-2000 though. A great mod. A must do in my opinion.

millahh · #5 02-01-2011, 08:45 PM

Outer coils will give you a fairly aggressive jazz-esque sound.

GroovinOnFunk · #6 02-01-2011, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuma

This is pretty much what that sound will be for you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo5mzhbvfZU

That bass was "factory-modded." It sounds very Jazz like to me with a little more grit. More balls, less smooth. I'm not saying one is better than the other. I love them both. It certainly opens up an L-2000 though. A great mod. A must do in my opinion.

that sounds beautiful.

GroovinOnFunk · #7 02-01-2011, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faulknersj

Have you considered trading for a J bass?

thanks...

mmbongo · #8 02-01-2011, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faulknersj

Have you considered trading for a J bass?

Why would he downgrade???

GroovinOnFunk · #9 02-01-2011, 10:05 PM

There's been a hold up with the bass I was going to get... apparently, just as the guy was going to ship it to me he plugged it in and realized there was something funky going on with the electronics. I'm hopeful some joints just need to be re-soldered or something like that.

He said volume knob was acting like a tone pot, treble pot wasnt doing anything. It may have been previously modded or something.

Anyway, he's looking into it. If that doesn't pan out, then I'm going back to getting a Tribute. I'll be happy either way, but had really started to fall in love with the idea of that USA bass

bassbenj · #10 02-01-2011, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GroovinOnFunk

There's been a hold up with the bass I was going to get... apparently, just as the guy was going to ship it to me he plugged it in and realized there was something funky going on with the electronics. I'm hopeful some joints just need to be re-soldered or something like that.

He said volume knob was acting like a tone pot, treble pot wasnt doing anything. It may have been previously modded or something.

Anyway, he's looking into it. If that doesn't pan out, then I'm going back to getting a Tribute. I'll be happy either way, but had really started to fall in love with the idea of that USA bass

It's really common for G&L L-2XXX basses to have messed up electronics, pots and switches loose and rotating, broken wires, etc. This is GOOD not bad! Lowers the price down a bunch and since the wiring diagram is easily available online anyone who knows how to tighten a pot nut and which end of a soldering iron is the handle can save some really big cash. I know I did.

And I modded mine with the three-way switch that goes series/outer coils/parallel. I used to have a second switch that selected inner or outer coils but I found I always had the thing in outer coils so I took that selector out.

Note too that the "single coil" mod is not quite a true single coil because the way the pickups are built with a single magnet gives some bleed from the other coil even when it's "off". But it's still a pretty great sound even if not exactly like a Jazz.

**lowfreqgeek** · #11 02-01-2011, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbenj

Note too that the "single coil" mod is not quite a true single coil because the way the pickups are built with a single magnet gives some bleed from the other coil even when it's "off". But it's still a pretty great sound even if not exactly like a Jazz.

They actually do have separate magnets - at least mine do. Even so, if one coil is completely out of the circuit, then it is not contributing to the tone whatsoever. The current does not travel *through* the magnet. The current is induced in the coil by the change in the magnetic field. Having an extra disconnected coil on the same magnet would not alter the current through the connected coil.

I just used my L2500 on a 3-hr gig tonight and the bass spent *most* of the time in single-coil mode (outers) with the front pickup on full and the bridge pickup dialed in as necessary (separate vol controls for each pickup). It's like a much bigger, ballsier Jazz Bass w/both pickups full up, and it's got a great punchy "single coil Pbass" tone with just the outer coil of the neck pickup.

I really need to mod my fretless L2500 for SC mode.

kai_ski · #12 02-02-2011, 12:02 AM

I just sold my L2k with the single-coil "K" mod. G&L should seriously make this standard issue on all Tri-tone electronics. Honestly, I loved having that SC growl, but also being able to solo the neck humbucker, slap it, and punch through with the same bass.

zuma · #13 02-02-2011, 10:26 AM

I wholeheartedly agree with this. It should be standard issue with any dual MDF equipped bass. I can't imagine it would add much to the price over the long haul.

bassbenj · #14 02-02-2011, 01:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowfreqgeek

They actually do have separate magnets - at least mine do. Even so, if one coil is completely out of the circuit, then it is not contributing to the tone whatsoever. The current does not travel *through* the magnet. The current is induced in the coil by the change in the magnetic field. Having an extra disconnected coil on the same magnet would not alter the current through the connected coil.

I just used my L2500 on a 3-hr gig tonight and the bass spent *most* of the time in single-coil mode (outers) with the front pickup on full and the bridge pickup dialed in as necessary (separate vol controls for each pickup). It's like a much bigger, ballsier Jazz Bass w/both pickups full up, and it's got a great punchy "single coil Pbass" tone with just the outer coil of the neck pickup.

I really need to mod my fretless L2500 for SC mode.

Mine do have a single magnet at the bottom across both coils. It's true the second coil is out of the circuit, but what happens is that magnetic field goes around through both sets of pole pieces. Thus strings induce a signal by way of the pole pieces in the coil that is on (the loudest) but ALSO induces a signal by way of the second set of pole pieces leaking magnetism into the COIL THAT IS ON! Prove this by setting your bass to "single coil" and then tap on each set of pole pieces in turn with a paperclip or tiny screwdriver. The selected coil gives a loud signal the other coil pole pieces give a weaker but not zero signal. What that does is give just a "touch" of humbucker to the single coil tone. Still sounds great though.

And yes, the "outer" single coil setting is a killer on L-2500s! And while the single single coil does hum just a bit, it's not bad live!

GroovinOnFunk · #15 02-02-2011, 02:23 PM

might you be able to point me towards the schematic for this bass? I've seen diagrams for the single coil mod, and thats fine and I certainly plan on doing that, but first I want to get the bass back to its normal factory settings.

The seller out in Texas said he pulled it apart and could not really make head or tails of the insides. He's going to take it to somebody as soon sometime later this week I believe.

I guess I wont give up all hope, as I previously had. Perhaps this can work out after all.

The price is certainly right...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassbenj

It's really common for G&L L-2XXX basses to have messed up electronics, pots and switches loose and rotating, broken wires, etc. This is GOOD not bad! Lowers the price down a bunch and since the wiring diagram is easily available online anyone who knows how to tighten a pot nut and which end of a soldering iron is the handle can save some really big cash. I know I did.

And I modded mine with the three-way switch that goes series/outer coils/parallel. I used to have a second switch that selected inner or outer coils but I found I always had the thing in outer coils so I took that selector out.

Note too that the "single coil" mod is not quite a true single coil because the way the pickups are built with a single magnet gives some bleed from the other coil even when it's "off". But it's still a pretty great sound even if not exactly like a Jazz.

zuma · #16 02-02-2011, 02:40 PM

Personally, I never used anything but the single coil sound. I love the clarity of that sound and rarely even used the parallel setting.

I would just re-wire it to a simple passive vol, vol, tone with a 3-way switch for series, parallel, single coil. I really don't think you will be missing anything with bypassing the G&L pre altogether. The magic is in the pickups. I know some people can get the G&L pre to work for them but I never found much in it. It's more like a buffer I believe. Someone more technical should chime in at this point.

Or, you could just wire the pickups up with an Audere pre. I've heard of a couple of folks who really dug that.

GroovinOnFunk · #17 02-02-2011, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuma

Personally, I never used anything but the single coil sound. I love the clarity of that sound and rarely even used the parallel setting.

I would just re-wire it to a simple passive vol, vol, tone with a 3-way switch for series, parallel, single coil. I really don't think you will be missing anything with bypassing the G&L pre altogether. The magic is in the pickups. I know some people can get the G&L pre to work for them but I never found much in it. It's more like a buffer I believe. Someone more technical should chime in at this point.

Or, you could just wire the pickups up with an Audere pre. I've heard of a couple of folks who really dug that.

i think i'd like to have the seller return it to factory settings first. my roommate has a L-2000 tribute (which is what got me hooked on these in the first place) and I actually like it in active. i've used a few times (and am going to use it again for a gig saturday since i dont have a bass at the moment)

i cant help but feel like i'd be "wasting money" to not use the preamp when its there you know?

plus, i'm always looking for as much growl and punch as i can... don't you get that with the preamp on?

zuma · #18 02-02-2011, 03:27 PM

That's the thing...those pickups are so powerful to begin with. The preamp is not like most basses that boost or boost and cut. I am pretty sure you can only cut even in active mode.

Handyman · #19 02-02-2011, 03:31 PM

As everyone else has said, the outer coils will get you closer to a J bass sound. Running both inner coils will sound pretty much like a G&L L1500, which has its MFD pickup in the Stringray location.

kai_ski · #20 02-02-2011, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zuma

That's the thing...those pickups are so powerful to begin with. The preamp is not like most basses that boost or boost and cut. I am pretty sure you can only cut even in active mode.

yeah, controls are cut-only on the tri-tone equipped basses.

there are specific boosts built into the preamp modes, step one is just a flat boost across all frequencies. step two has some additional high-range boost, but I'm not sure at what frequency.