a typical PJ .... but wired in series?

[Ricky Rioli]

I'm aware of the S-1 switch on a Jazz bass and of the aftermarket Position 4 on a Telecaster guitar, and know what changes when their two single coil pickups are put in series.

But I haven't managed to find much info about how a PJ sounds when wired in series. I'm contemplating adding that option to my Yamaha BB424, as I seem to have gone off the tonal hallmarks of two pickups combined in parallel.

I'm hoping it just gently fills in the slight hollowness in the middle of the tone, but I'm wondering if would just make a nasty, constricted, overly thick parp?

So, please tell me, if you know A link to a worthwhile demo would make me very grateful.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

*admires the eloquent silence*

Right, got the message!

 

[chesapeake slim]

i actually just got parts in to add a series/parallel switch to an old Rogue P/J and plan on wiring it up over the weekend. if no one helps you out before then, i'll post a series/parallel comparison for you when i finish (assuming i did my diagram right! lol)

 

[CaptainLeisure]

I'm curious to see how it turns out, too. When I got my Tony Franklin I had the wild notion of being able to switch the p-coils to parallel, and then put those in series with the j pickup. Sanity prevailed, and I never tried it.

 

[HaphAsSard]

Have a look at the results of this query
Search Results | TalkBass.com p forum:"38"
(interspersed with questions/answers about wiring, you should find comments on resulting tone).

 

[two fingers]

Here's a PP bass with series and parallel options. To me, in this video, series is just "darker".
PP Bass + 4-Way Parallel/Series Circuit Demo - YouTube

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Have a look at the results of this query
Search Results | TalkBass.com p forum:"38"
(interspersed with questions/answers about wiring, you should find comments on resulting tone).

If I click that link I get a whole load of results that have nothing to do with series wiring, and one result about the wiring of the two coils of a humbucker.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

Here's a PP bass with series and parallel options. To me, in this video, series is just "darker".
PP Bass + 4-Way Parallel/Series Circuit Demo - YouTube

I was wondering why I didn't like any of the sounds, and then I read the small print: flatwounds. Ughhhhh whyyyyyyy. [/PERSONALTASTE] I'm trying to get my imagination to work out how those differences would transpose to nice hexcore rounds and Yamaha's unrestrained single coil bridge pickup. Wish it luck.

 

[jd56hawk]

 

[CallMeAl]

Godin Shifter Classic and Passion both come with a 4 way switch , including series / parallel. None of these demos are fantastic* but gives you some idea:





*the first one is the best production, but he plays 2 totally different lines and styles for the 2 positions. Like, cmon man!

 

[Ricky Rioli]

the first one is the best production, but he plays 2 totally different lines and styles for the 2 positions.

By adding palm muting for the series is he saying that it sounds like ?

 

[CallMeAl]

By adding palm muting for the series is he saying that it sounds like ?

Ha! Probably just trying to be flashy

 

[HaphAsSard]

If I click that link I get a whole load of results that have nothing to do with series wiring, and one result about the wiring of the two coils of a humbucker.

It came out broken when I pasted it. Try this one:
Search Results | TalkBass.com

In practice the keywords are "series" but also "p" and "j" (it seems to yield "pj" as well), with "titles only" and "Pickups & Electronics [BG]" forum selected.

 

[Ricky Rioli]

It came out broken when I pasted it. Try this one:
Search Results | TalkBass.com

In practice the keywords are "series" but also "p" and "j" (it seems to yield "pj" as well), with "titles only" and "Pickups & Electronics [BG]" forum selected.

So, a lot of threads asking how to do the wiring, interspersed with people who haven't done it guessing what it'll sound like

 

[chesapeake slim]

yo ricky, just finished up the wiring and slapped on some new strings over my lunch break today. the difference is stark and very cool, imo. the series signal is much bigger and thicker. possibly louder too. now that I hear it, it sounds pretty much exactly like the j-bass guys describe when they do it to their j/j axes. would be great for taking a solo onstage.

hope to have a moment to lay down a comparison recording for you in the next day or so.

 

[chesapeake slim]

here's the promised demo. goes without saying, but make sure you listen with headphones. it's a little sloppy - i hope talkbass will forgive me.

i recorded a little rancid riff four ways

(1) pickups in parallel - fingerstyle
(2) pickups in series - fingerstyle
(3) pickups in parallel - pick
(4) pickups in series - pick

the rig is as follows:

rogue lx200b series II (i think, 2001ish) w stock pickups, strung w/ medium gauge roundwounds straight to a steinberg UR22mkII interface. not that i think anyone will hear the difference, but the pots are 500k and i wired a 0.068 uF cap at the tone pot. the pick is a tortex orange (0.60mm).

hope this helps you out. only your ears can tell if it's overly thick parp to you!