Wiring diagram for series/parallel J-bass - Page 2

bgavin · #21 11-23-2002, 11:17 AM

Link to Switch Image

I wired my MIM P for series/parallel switching and got beaten up by two Fender Luddites as a consequence.

For the record, I get two distinct tones from my P by flipping the switch. Series is the stock sound, and Parallel is thinner and crystaline sounding.

When I get around to installing my DiMarzio Model J pair into my MIM J fretless, I will also install series/parallel switching for each pickup, but not for the pair working together. DiMarzio provides 4-wire connections to support series/parallel switching. The Model J pickup is a pair of bi-lateral coils (E-A and D-G) that work as a hum cancelling pair, similar to the P pickup.

geshel · #22 11-23-2002, 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SMASH
OK. Let's try this in ENGLISH please

Standard Jazz Bass Wiring

What's that green ".022" on the Master Tone Pot mean?

Why is the ground symbol for the neck p/u lighter than the other ground symbols?

How would this differ in "Series" (no matter about individual volume as long as you can turn the volume off - and which volume pot would do that?)

What sound differnce would there be? I see Bonafide says "beefier" and I generally agree with his statments about overkill and useful tones and such, so being that I have Antiquity IIs which as darn beefy as-is, would going series make much of a difference in your opinion or would it just be a march to fuzz?

In layman's terms please !!

THANKS.

1. It's a .022uF capacitor, for tone (shunts high frequencies to ground when it's on via the pot)

2. Uh, I think it's just a drawing quirk

3. Take the 2nd volume pot out of the picture. Connect the black from the neck pickup to the white of the bridge pickup, instead of to ground. The pickups would both always be on in this case, and the first volume pot would be the master volume.

4. The highs would roll off earlier, and the resonant peak at the point they roll off (Q) would get bigger. The volume would almost double. There might be more low-end too.

For your bass the difference would most likely be fairly noticeable. Whether or not you'd like it I can't say.

geshel · #23 11-23-2002, 04:06 PM

I think putting the MM in series is a pretty similar proposition. You can always go to the store and check out an MM5 or Sterling to get a better idea. And yeah, your RB5 should give you some indication of the difference (it's got series/parallel/single for each pickup, right?)

geshel · #24 11-23-2002, 04:06 PM

We're in sync today, eh Josh?

Bonafide · #25 11-23-2002, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by SMASH

Thank-you both.

Right. I dunno how keen the shop would be to have me opening the new StingRay 5s to check the wiring.

Ideally, for either/both the J or the 'Ray, someone would tell me exactly what switch (name, type, model number?) or pull/push pot (name, type, model number?) to buy, and exactly how to wire it (and install the switch in the pickguard or in the case of MM in the chrome) based on an existing parallel wiring.

I know that it's covered above, but I'd need it in "for dummies" parlance please. Or maybe I just shouldn't bother as involving a tech wouldn't be fun and the cost would outweigh any benefit I might get.

I'm willing to try it myself, and think I could do it with very step-by-step meticulous instructions.

All I can offer in return is my usual "THANKS" !

Here is a diagram I just drew up for you. It represents a SEymour MM pickup with a switch to wire it in Series/Parallel or Series/Parallel/Split.
Either option is a good idea and found on the original MM basses. The MM pickups are so hot (Low resistance but large magnets and large poles) that these work well.
You may find a considerable volume drop going from series to split. I have a mod where you can use a resistor from the switch to even out the difference but you would need a different switch. (A 3-way tele type).
The switch in the diagram (a standard DPDT on-on or on-on-on can be found in many places. allparts.com / stewmac.com / warmoth.com / etc. Even Radio Shack if you are in a hurry.

Hope that helps.
Cheers.

Bonafide · #26 04-09-2003, 09:58 PM

I'm not entirely sure I follow you Smash but I will try to answer your questions the best I know.

Quote:

Originally posted by SMASH

Bonafide thanks. A couple of questions :

- can this be wired so that the series is push and parallel is pull?

Yes. When A P/P pot is up, top 4 lugs are hot-When down- bottom 4 lugs are hot. The middle 2 lugs are always hot. Whichever 5 lugs you used for Series/Parallel, simply 'reverse mirror' it. You have one lug that is not being used right now, if it is 'top left lug', re-wire it so 'bottom right lug' is empty. Make sense?

Quote:

Originally posted by SMASH

- when in parallel I blend both pickups to max, the output drops somewhat from having just the neck pickup on. Also, when blended it is an overall more dark/mellow tone than just the bridge on its own. The tone and output change are not just perception - I measured them. Is that to be expected or have I wired something incorrectly?

2 things happen when you wire pickups in parallel. 1, the output drops and the measured resistance gets cut to 1/4 of the combined pickups resistance. 2. The sound USUALLY gets a little brighter due to the loss of mid frequencies. Sounds like you wired them correctly but are simply experiencing 'the' sound that happens when you wire it like you did. Nothing too scientific really, some mods work great, some work but the intended outcome doesn't serve our goals.
Honestly I didn't go back and read this whole thread to see what we are talking about here.
Give me a day or so.

Cheers.

geshel · #27 04-12-2003, 02:21 AM

What's "ground" supposed to be labeling? Do you mean "output" instead of "input"? I'm assuming that the only thing going to the output isn't just the ground.

I'm not sure what each of the three wires from the pickups is supposed to be.

Is the thin wire connected to "D" on the switch, or just passing over it?

geshel · #28 04-12-2003, 03:12 AM

Well, if the thick black wire is ground, as far as I can tell, you'd never hear the neck pickup.

I'm not sure I can make much sense of it even if I start guessing what things really were. It might not be that far off. . .just that it's hard to guess which direction to go in.

Jazz Ad · #29 04-12-2003, 03:29 AM

Parallel / series switch mod for Jazz Bass

You need a DPDT (double pole double throw) switch to achieve that.
They have 6 legs arranged like this :

.\.
ACE
BDF

First, cautionously unsolder the wire connected from the neck PU to the ground.
It's usually black.

Then do the same with the one connecting the bridge PU to its volume pot.
It's yellow, white or red depending on basses.

Install your switch and link like this

A : to ground
B : to bridge PU volume pot
C : to neck PU ground (the first wire you unsoldered)
D : to bridge PU signal (the second wired you unsoldered)
E : to F
F : to E

In one position you will get your regular Jazz Bass sound.

In the other one, your PUs will be wired series. Bridge volume will be deactivated, and neck volume will act as a general volume.
The sound is very surprising coming from a Jazz Bass. Beefy, with a huge low medium rumble.

You can also get a 3 position on/off/on switch, in this case central position will act as a mute.

geshel · #30 04-12-2003, 04:12 AM

Hmm, that looks better but I still don't quite get it.

When in one position (D is connected to F), the bridge pickup is shorted out, and the bridge volume acts as a secondary volume for the neck pickup.

When in the other, (C connected to A and therefore F), with both volumes full up, both pickups are full up. Bridge volume acts as a master volume, I think (turning it down puts resistance between the neck pickup and the output, and decreases the resistance between + and - of the bridge pickup, shorting it out).

I think.

geshel · #31 04-12-2003, 04:14 AM

P.S. What it sounds like, but I'm not quite seeing, is that as you reduced the volume somehow it put the two pickups out of phase with one another. Not sure how to do that exactly though.

Jazz Ad · #32 05-14-2003, 05:38 AM

You can't series EMG pickups.
It would mean feeding a preamp with the signal from another one, and it only results in blur.

**David Wilson** · #33 05-31-2003, 01:24 PM

Hey Smash,
glad it worked out well. Did you end up doing the active/passive bypass thing? I guess with EMG's there was no point.

I really like the sound of my Hot Rod Precision with EMG pups and BTB-01.

radiogoon · #34 09-14-2003, 06:13 PM

Just found this at Seymour Duncan.

http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/support/duo.html

Will wiring my Jazz this way get me single coils in the top and bottom positions and a Parallel tone in the center position?

I currently run my Jazz with a three way (Gibson type)switch 1= neck 2=neck/bridge series 3=bridge

I use a master volume and master tone with this setup. I am looking for the fatter tone of the parallel wiring in the #2 (center switch position).

Thanks

radiogoon · #35 09-19-2003, 06:41 AM

radiogoon · #36 09-20-2003, 08:18 PM

I may be getting confused, I do that as I get older. Yes toggle instead of two volumes.

Groovin_Joe · #37 09-23-2003, 04:05 PM

Hey all...

I Have just read the entire thread because i am wanting to rewire my MIM J for Master Volume, Balance and Master Tone. Now i don't want to intall any new pots or switches. Would this be advisable? or would you suggest a small 2 position switch for Series/parallel? Honestly i don't really understand the difference. Is it that parallel pickups you can control independantly? and series not?
Simple terms please.

thanks for any help.

Adam

Jeff Moote · #38 09-23-2003, 08:30 PM

While we're here can someone explain a DP3T (on-on-on) switch to me? I know and have used a DPDT, but is the DP3T like this:

ACE
BDF

switch left: C-E, D-F
switch centre: A-C-E, B-D-F
switch right: A-C, B-D

??

Thanks for the help in advance.

HotRoded · #39 02-18-2004, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

Parallel / series switch mod for Jazz Bass

You need a DPDT (double pole double throw) switch to achieve that.
They have 6 legs arranged like this :

.\.
ACE
BDF

First, cautionously unsolder the wire connected from the neck PU to the ground.
It's usually black.

Then do the same with the one connecting the bridge PU to its volume pot.
It's yellow, white or red depending on basses.

Install your switch and link like this

A : to ground
B : to bridge PU volume pot
C : to neck PU ground (the first wire you unsoldered)
D : to bridge PU signal (the second wired you unsoldered)
E : to F
F : to E

In one position you will get your regular Jazz Bass sound.

In the other one, your PUs will be wired series. Bridge volume will be deactivated, and neck volume will act as a general volume.
The sound is very surprising coming from a Jazz Bass. Beefy, with a huge low medium rumble.

You can also get a 3 position on/off/on switch, in this case central position will act as a mute.

Do you know the procedure when replacing the neck volume with a push/pull pot?

**David Wilson** · #40 02-18-2004, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HotRoded

Do you know the procedure when replacing the neck volume with a push/pull pot?

It's the same idea, and the same connections.
Using the same schematic and A to F references, if you look at the pot from the front with the pot shaft up, you have the lugs as follows:

E F
C D
A B

connect these as per that schematic (A to ground, B to neck vol etc) and all will work - pull up on the push/pull pot to engage series mode, down is regular parallel.