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PBass Wiring w/Phase switch

iriegnome

iriegnome

Bassstar style
Supporting Member
Nov 23, 2001
11,263
5,574
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Kenosha, WI 53140
#1
I am working on a bass and I need some guidence. I have a regular old D'marzio p-bass pickup. I also have a phase switch for it.
Can someone please help me with this.
Here is everything I have
P-Bass Split coil pickup
2 Position (on/on) phase mini switch
Volume
Tone
Jack..
HELP!!
 
#3
I can do you a diagram for this later, but I don't understand why someone would want a phase switch on a P pickup?
Phase switches usually just give you a useless thin sound that is not good for much outside of weird sound effects.

Although not all that usable either, I think a series/parallel switch would probably be a better option.
 
#4
Since it's probably been drawn up 1000 times and I don't want to risk giving you a bad description, I'll point you here:

http://www.seymourduncan.com/support/wiring-diagrams/

Specifically, I think you want a variation on this:

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I presume you want Series/Parallel. Not really phase. Actually, I don't think parallel is that desirable on a P-Bass. Series just sounds so good. Phase is pretty useless - who wants a bass with no low end at all?

KO (Minneapolis)
 
#8
iriegnome said:
Sorry, the whole point is that this is a P-bass split coil with 1 volume, 1 tone, a 2 position phase switch and jack. The pickup only has a black wire and a white wire off it, not 4 wires.
Click to expand...

If you have only a two conductor output (Which is typical of most all P pickups.) you will need to convert to a four conductor output by replacing the short lead that connects the two coils in series with two wires that will run into the control cavity.
 
#9
iriegnome said:
I am working on a bass and I need some guidence. I have a regular old D'marzio p-bass pickup. I also have a phase switch for it.
Can someone please help me with this.
Here is everything I have
P-Bass Split coil pickup
2 Position (on/on) phase mini switch
Volume
Tone
Jack..
HELP!!
Click to expand...

Wiring a p-bass pickup out of phase would really sound bad. All nasal and no low end. Perhaps the switch is for series parallel?

Here's a standard p-bass wiring diagram
P-Bass.GIF


Here is an out of phase p-bass wiring.
p-bass_wiring_diagram.jpg


Here is one with a series parallel switch
pbass_4conductor.gif
 
#11
My fault, I am trying to rewire my Hondo Longhorn bass. It has a Dimarzio Split coil pick up with a black wire and a white wire coming off the p'up. I need to wire in the phase switch, Volume & Tone knob and the jack.
There are not 4 wires coming off the pickups, just 2.
 
#13
Bluesbob said:
I don't understand "why?" either, but you could just use the switch to reverse polarity at the output. I don't know if that would be the same as phase, though.
Click to expand...

Reversing the polarity at the output would do just that - reverse the polarity of the output. It wouldn't affect the tone in any way.

The in-phase or out-of-phase tones rely on the mix between the two sound sources - the two pickup halves.
 
#14
I am wondering if you really want series/parallel instead of a phase switch. Since there is only one pickup, you are not going to hear any difference in the phase as you play only one string at a time.

Phase switches are usually used with 2 pickup basses where the same string is picked up at 2 different pickups at the same time.
 
#16
Gio S said:
I am wondering if you really want series/parallel instead of a phase switch. Since there is only one pickup, you are not going to hear any difference in the phase as you play only one string at a time.
Click to expand...

Though the P-bass-tetris-block pickup acts (towards the volume and tone controls) as a single pickup, both coils are still going to register some upper partials of any played tone - some interference is going to be heard, I'm certain.
 
#20
iriegnome said:
I just posted in the WTB.. I am in need of the illusive 4 wire + ground exposed pole piece P-bass pickup.
Click to expand...

Any non-epoxy potted P pickup can be wired for four conductors plus a ground if you want it to. All you have to do is replace the short lead interconnecting the two coils with two wires running to the control cavity.

There is no need for a ground lead, though, unless you are shielding the pickup.

FWIW, AFAIK, the only production model P pickups with four conductor outputs are the DiMarzios.
 

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