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63 Jazz bass!

S

suraci

Apr 11, 2005
1,014
100
#1
When I turn the pots, esp the tone pot - I get intermittent noise.
I don't mind a little noise, but more is going on.
I am thinking that. eg if pot is in the 100% open position ( fully clockwise ) on one day, it might NOT sound the same, in 100% open position on another day.. Such is the amount of interference I am hearing.
My more important question
Is it a smart idea to let a fellow bass player who seems knowledgeable about elec bass to replace pot etc?
I ask because I love the tone this instrument has.
This person has a very different set of ears than I
He does not like older school sounds or gear as I do. ( He uses SS amps, and does not own a vint fender )
Is it advisable to allow such a person to switch pots caps etc?
My lack of knowledge of electronics causes me to ask these questions.. My sense is changing a cap and or a pot COULD alter the tone of this bass!
Thank you
 
#2
If this is an actual 1963 Jazz bass then any modifications will greatly affect the instrument's value and possibly the tone. You really need to take the instrument to a reputable tech/luthier with experience in vintage instrument repairs. It is possible that the pot only needs a careful cleaning.
 
#3
Reading between the lines then:
My instinct and experience suggests this
Changing ANYTHING will change the resulting
Tone

This guy is knowledgeable but he seems
blasé about my old gear.
He would perhaps deny this.
Therefore he might change a cap and or a
Pot with less concern for the resulting
Tone change
And because I believe he leans towards
SS amps and active electronics
His bias would cause him to feel that these
Changes would improve the sound of my
Already excellent sounding bass

So, an experienced tech with vint fenders
Would be more sensitive to this issue

Where do I find such a tech ? I'm in s calif
Thank you
 
#4
I would def look into a tech that specializes in vintage stuff. The pot might not even be your problem...

If you live in SoCal, you should contact John Kallas. He lives around there (I think) and can restore vintage basses with a real passion. He's a TBer too, so look up Johnk_10 or check out his contact page here on his website

Contact Us
 
#5
not to overstress, but if this is a Jazz bass from 1963, and is currently unmodified, it can be expected to have a large market value. Changing components tends to have a significant effect (we are not talking a hundred or couple hundred dollars' difference here) on that maket value. So you need a good tech who comprehends the vintage/collector's value concept (whether it actually makes sense or not) who will work with you.

Or if you don't care (and there's nothing intrinsically wrong with that) go nuts making changes to make it suit you.

Although if that's where you're at, I'd recommend selling the '63 as is for a few thousand and getting something less rare/valuable to modify.
 
#7
suraci said:
Reading between the lines then:
My instinct and experience suggests this Changing ANYTHING will change the resulting Tone
Click to expand...

Not really. Changing a pot for the same value will not change the tone. Same is true of the tone cap. As long as they are in spec, they all sound the same. Some old caps have low tolerances, so the value they are marked might not be what they are.

Most likely your pots are dirty and need cleaning. If they are too far gone, you might need to replace them. If you have to do that, make sure you keep the originals.

By the way, you don't have to hit the return key when you reach the end of the text box, it will automatically wrap.
 
#9
If the bass were mine, I would pull the current electronics and put them away. Then I would rewire the bass using nice vintage (sounding) pickups, a new cap and some good quality pots. Then again, I might just put the bass away and buy a reissue.
 
#11
Craig_S said:
If the bass were mine, I would pull the current electronics and put them away. Then I would rewire the bass using nice vintage (sounding) pickups, a new cap and some good quality pots. Then again, I might just put the bass away and buy a reissue.
Click to expand...

In the autumn of my life, life is tooo short, for that.
But thank you for the thought
 
#14
If the tone knob has not been used for awhile, yes, it can get a bit crackly. BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE, simply take the pot and turn the knob rather quickly through its entire range of motion several times, without banging it against its internal stops at full clockwise & counterclockwise. Sometimes this is all it needs for the little bit of accumulated gunk or corrosion to simply be wiped away by the wiper in the pot.

If this doesn't work, Radio Shack has a lubricated control cleaner that looks like a small can of WD40, but is specially formulated for exactly that: scratchy pots. It is part number 64-4315. Put the tube on the nozzle, and spray the least bit possible into the pot in the gap between the casing and the phenolic wafer holding the lugs. Give it a few seconds to spread into the pot. Again, work the control through its full range of motion several times, wiping up any excess so it doesn't get on the finish or the wood.

If you take it to a specialist in restoration, as my luthier is who works on all my instruments, from refretting a @1936 Gibson L-00 back to original spec (I got an offer I couldn't refuse on it after that, but that's a different story), to my Rickenbackers, to my custom fanned fret instruments. All he's going to do to start with are these first two steps. This will fix 99 44/100 of all scratchy pots.

Now, if you don't think you can be careful and discreet about spraying just the tiniest bit of the cleaner into the pot, then yes, of course, take it to a pro.

Unlike capacitors, which can die over time as the dielectric disintegrates, potentiometers are relatively stable and have a life measured in multiple decades with careful use and maintenance. So I doubt the pot is bad, more than likely just needs cleaning. Just like we all do from time to time.
 
#15
Craig_S said:
It's a bass, not a Rembrandt. You put the parts back when you sell it.
Click to expand...

I'm well aware of that but you mean to tell me that if you had a 100% working All original 63 Fender Jazz (otherwise never even had the neck off or a soldier joint touched) that had some scratchy pots you'd rip them all out and slap some new pots and pups in?

Ok so if this bass had been tampered with and I was going to start making this my player, then sure, I'd do it, but otherwise untouched, a little scratchy pot wouldn't upset me at all.

Dead pickup? dead pot? A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do, I'd have the pickup re wound or find an era pot to replace it, but to rip everything out and put new everything in, you spent the money on it do whatever floats you're boat.

I myself wouldn't start chopping up any of my vintage basses... just cause I can'
 
#16
Craig_S said:
It's a bass, not a Rembrandt. You put the parts back when you sell it.
Click to expand...
In this particular case, you don't take it off unless you absolutely have to, and then put it back on immediately. The plastic in the pickguards from this era tends to shrink. So if you take it off to "preserve" it, all you're doing is letting it shrink so you can never get it back on properly.
 
#17
stingraysvt said:
I'm well aware of that but you mean to tell me that if you had a 100% working All original 63 Fender Jazz (otherwise never even had the neck off or a soldier joint touched) that had some scratchy pots you'd rip them all out and slap some new pots and pups in?
Click to expand...
Rip out? Chop up? LOL! Nice word choice. I'd RIP 'em out with channel locks and a pry bar. :p

I understand where you're at. I guess I'm assuming the pot is worn out, not dirty. If I'm removing one worn pot to replace it, I'm removing everything and putting it away. I'll save what's left of the original stuff and keep playing the bass with suitable replacements.


iiipopes said:
In this particular case, you don't take it off unless you absolutely have to, and then put it back on immediately. The plastic in the pickguards from this era tends to shrink. So if you take it off to "preserve" it, all you're doing is letting it shrink so you can never get it back on properly.
Click to expand...
Who said anything about the pickguard?
 
#18
Craig_S said:
Rip out? Chop up? LOL! Nice word choice. I'd RIP 'em out with channel locks and a pry bar. :p

I understand where you're at. I guess I'm assuming the pot is worn out, not dirty. If I'm removing one worn pot to replace it, I'm removing everything and putting it away.
Click to expand...

I'm a dramatic guy in type I suppose.... I have a 73 p that was heavily modded, to me that's a free for all, I dig it the way I received it but when it comes to Pre CBS I just take a step back and everything is approached from a restorative, conservative manner. Unless it was completely stripped before hand then I diggs the thought of doing what you're talking about. But channel locks take too much time , I beat em out with a Hammer! ;)
 
#19
Craig_S said:
Who said anything about the pickguard?
Click to expand...
Depending on how much slack is in the wiring, the OP may or may not have to take the pickguard off as well in order to free up the wiring to the neck pickup to be able to position the control plate properly to clean it, while putting a soft cloth or other shield between it and the bass body. Or it could be so tight that even the bridge has to come loose to give slack to the grounding wire. Rare, but it's happened to me working on other instruments.

Hopefully there is enough slack in the wiring that the OP can simply undo the control plate, flip it over, put a soft cloth between it and the body, clean the pots as described above, and put it back together again. But when getting under the covers with something that hasn't been touched in, well, decades, one never knows what one may find...

(cue Twilight Zone theme....)
 

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