Bass humbucker wiring

[Adam York]

@mech @Killed_by_Death @Stempelloos

 

[mech]

Pickup grounds can be soldered to any metal piece that is connected to the output jack ground. I use the most convenient location for the wire lengths on the PUs.

 

[Stempelloos]

Can I solder the pickup grounds to the toggle switch or does it have to be to the pots?

You can solder the ground to the toggle switch and from there to the back of the pots.
Or directly to the back of the pots and from there to the jack output ground.

 

[Adam York]

Great!! Thanks!

 

[Adam York]

Hey everyone! Got the wiring all finished! Thought I'd post a pic of the finished product! I plugged it in and it plays, so now I just have to tweak the pickup heights and adjust the neck. Which leads me to my next questions.

I put flatwound strings on the bass (first time using FW) and for some reason the winding started coming apart from the core (see photo) I've never seen this happen and I'm wondering if it's cause the strings are defunct or if I had too many winds around the peg. Also, the E and A strings keep slipping. They won't stay in tune. I'll get closer to the right note and the string will slip and drop the tuning.

Second question is I was trying to adjust the truss rod and it started stripping. It probably hasn't moved in over 10 years and I'm wondering if you guys have any advice on what I can do to avoid putting a new one in.

Thanks!

 

[ctmullins]

1. That is most likely a short-scale bass. Did you use short-scale strings? If not, then (and your photo seems to show this) you wind up with full-width windings on the tuner post, which can lead to separation.

2. Don’t rely on the rod to move the neck. Use clamps and blocks to move the neck, then snug up the rod, then unclamp. Repeat if necessary.

Also, why did you wind your E and G strings backwards around the posts?

 

[Adam York]

Haha novice mistake.

I thought it might be the shorter scale. Thanks for the input! Here's a video I found about straightening a neck with blocks and clamps. Is this what you're referring to? Do you think I could do it without removing the neck?

 

[ctmullins]

Haha novice mistake.

I thought it might be the shorter scale. Thanks for the input! Here's a video I found about straightening a neck with blocks and clamps. Is this what you're referring to? Do you think I could do it without removing the neck?

That’s it exactly! As Dan said, the rod “doesn’t have to do the work, it’s just holding it there.”

You might be able to do it with the neck still attached, since the adjusting nut is at the headstock.