So you're working at a guitar repair shop. Some clown brings in a bass wired like this: PASSIVE, VOL/BLEND/TONE. The Blend control is busted. The customer asks that you replace the BLEND with a volume control. How do you wire the bass?
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Passive bass repair question aka "Am I an idiot?"
- Thread starter Philbiker
- Start date
yup, here's another diagram from SD showing the same thingbigbeefdog said:
http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/support/schematics/jazz_bass.html
Well, you wouldn't run two volume controls in series, so you would put each pickup on a volume control, and keep the tone pot. It is commonly called V-V-T or Vol-Vol-Tone is is the way that most passive Fender Jazz Basses were originally wired (the other was VT-VT, aka "stackpot"). I do a fair amount of wiring and repair and I got the request for that job I would describe the conventional VVT setup and if it was OK I would proceed. If the owner wanted series volume controls I would hand the bass back 
BTW, that V-B-T setup is actually, Blend-Volume-Tone, because you run the blend before the master volume. Their order on the control plate doesn't matter. On the odd chance that you had a stacked volume control before the blend... well, I've never seen it but i guess it could happen. All I can say is "ICK!!!!!!!"
BTW, that V-B-T setup is actually, Blend-Volume-Tone, because you run the blend before the master volume. Their order on the control plate doesn't matter. On the odd chance that you had a stacked volume control before the blend... well, I've never seen it but i guess it could happen. All I can say is "ICK!!!!!!!"
Right, obviously.fretlessrock said:
My Brice V2 (not the bass in question) is the most bizarre passive wiring ever. Blend-Vol-Vol-Tone. What's the point of two volumes and a blend? I'd like to set it up VVTT but I'm far too lazy. I just never touch the blend and use it as a VVT bass, which is the configuration I prefer.
Back to the subject.
Would there be any reason at all to put series volume controls in a two pickup bass with a VVT?fretlessrock said:
Philbiker said:
Well, there are two situations where it COULD be useful.
First, yeah passive single coil pickups sound different at different volumes. That's why people like VVT--because you get that magic 100/80 mix that sounds so darn good. But the problem is you can't execute a clean volume fade with one hand (unless you can master a rather tricky motion). So, many people go with VBT because its easier to control volume. Hence, VVT gives more sonic options while VBT is more practical to use.
I guess one thing you could do would be to wire the two volumes to one side of the blend and use it as a master volume control. You'd want to run it at 100% all the time, except as a fade to keep from losing your tone. But kept wide open, it would be like having a passive volume pedal on the floor.
Alternatively, you could make use of the blend if you had a third pick-up, like a piezo.
