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2nd and 3rd pot lugs interchangeable?

CPplaysBASS

CPplaysBASS

Mar 17, 2007
1,021
1,780
Ontario
theradiosonics.com
#1
Note: I edited the thread title after my first question was answered rather that start a whole new thread. My "new question" is post #7.

Hi all,
After trying to solder in replacement pickups on my Fender Jazz and failing miserably (replaced all the pots as well so I had several opportunities to make a bad connection), I decided to order a pre-wired control plate.

At least if it doesn't work this time, I can narrow down where the problem is :)

I was just hoping someone can confirm what the long wire coming from the first volume pot is? The control plate didn't come with any diagrams.

DSC08893_zpse3c5a3a4.jpg


I am assuming that is simply a ground for shielding? I read that shielded paint has to be grounded for it to work and I have a grounding screw in the one of the cavities already. I'm just surprised that is pre-soldered since not all Jazz basses are shielded and they didn't pre-solder the ground wire that usually goes from underneath the bridge to the tone pot.

For the moment, I think I just need to ground that extra wire, send a ground between the bridge and tone pot, and connect a pickup to each volume pot ... errrrrr, sounds easy! lol

Thanks for any and all comments!

CP
 
#3
gjbassist said:
Hard to tell from the photo, is the wire soldered to the top of the pot or to a terminal? If it's on top of the pot it's a ground wire. It could be the ground wire for the bridge, although it looks too short .
Click to expand...

It's soldered to the third lug on the pot which is bent over and touching the pot itself. It's soldered together with another wire going from the same spot to the top of the second volume pot.

I think it's a ground wire. It actually can reach the bridge comfortably but with no extra wire to spare.

Thanks!
 
#5
CPplaysBASS said:
It's soldered to the third lug on the pot which is bent over and touching the pot itself. It's soldered together with another wire going from the same spot to the top of the second volume pot.

I think it's a ground wire. It actually can reach the bridge comfortably but with no extra wire to spare.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a ground wire for sure. Typically the wire to the bridge is attached to the tone pot but sometimes it is put in other places. As long as there are grounds between each pot it really doesn't matter.
 
#7
Arghh ... quite honestly I'm doing searches on TB and Google wide trying to figure stuff out here before plugging in a soldering iron, but seem to hit one barrier after another.

Last question about the pre-wired Jazz bass control I bought. It's difficult to see in the pic, but there is a black wire going from the bottom lug on the first volume pot to the CENTER lug on the second pot (and another black wire going from there to the center lug of the tone pot).

In every wiring diagram I'm looking at the wire from the bottom lug on the first volume pot goes to the same lug on the second volume pot.

Did I receive a pre-wired control plate that is wired incorrectly or are the middle and bottom lugs interchangeable?

I'm assuming I need to correct the lugs on the second volume pot but, with little experience, I'm hoping to confirm first. Many thanks.

In case it matters:
The pots, I discovered after getting it in the mail are all 500k, which I'm OK with (more treble as I understand it). The pickups are Dimarzio Area J's which are actually humbuckers in a single coil casing (and have boosted treble, so I may have a treble monster when all is said and done but I'm curious enough to at least try it out).
 
#9
CPplaysBASS said:
In case it matters:
The pots, I discovered after getting it in the mail are all 500k, which I'm OK with (more treble as I understand it). The pickups are Dimarzio Area J's which are actually humbuckers in a single coil casing (and have boosted treble, so I may have a treble monster when all is said and done but I'm curious enough to at least try it out).
Click to expand...
yeah, the two volume pots need to be wired the same, those lugs are not interchangeable.

as for the area Js, they have plenty of treble for humbuckers; they'll probably be just right with the 500k pots.

(i will say, that pre-wired plate has got some pretty cheap components on it! i'm not sure you gained anything by getting it, except maybe a tonal change by going to 500ks if that's what happened.)
 
#10
Thanks for the confirmation Tedward and Walterw ...

Yes, the pre-wired template cost a grand total of $12.99 ... wired incorrectly (the capacitor on the tone pot is connected to the wrong lug as well).

I'm going to bring the bass to a local tech tonight and get the job done right, with different 500k pots and other components.

What a process! I definitely had to replace the stock pickups, which were very dark and muddy. I have custom MJS pickups in another bass which are incredibly awesome but cost $160 per pickup. I made a rather quick decision on the Dimarzio Area J's ($110 for the pair I think) without even realizing they were humbuckers. I actually don't mind single-coil hum and have actually learned to embrace it given the overall tone advantages and the fact no one hears hum while playing.

It's not my main bass so the Area J's will live in the bass for awhile regardless. Learned a few things along the way, and hopefully the Dimarzio Area / 500K combo will deliver enough crispy top end to at least be "good enough" :)

Thanks again.
 
#12
tbplayer59 said:
Is this one of those pre-wired plates available on ebay that says "From China" or "From Hong Kong"?
Click to expand...

The ebay posting didn't specifically say from China, but that would be my guess. Looks like the same components in the pictures. There is no stamping on the pots to specify the values (the ad said they are 500k).

Here's the exact ebay listing: Invalid Link Removed

Was $16.99 actually, not $12.99.

I don't blame the retailer since I knew to keep expectations low given the price I was paying, but I certainly don't recommend the control plate!
 
#13
A chrome plate, three Dome Speed knobs, three pots, a cap and a jack for $16.99 ...
What else can this mean than manufactured "in Chines Green Miles" ...

It's hard to see on the ebay photos ...
But already there, the HOT > Center Tone pot wire seems to go to the center lug of the "middle volume" pot? This would be wrong.
HOT jack > center tone pot is right. But then always to "left" volume pot (like the upper volume pot).

HOT from the PUs has to be soldered to the center lugs of the volume pots ...
 

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