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Basses with series/parallel switches

#28
Not a bass, but a bass upgrade/component;
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I have one of these in my most-recent parts-bass projects, and I love it to pieces!
  1. Relatively inexpensive (it's the whole wiring harness, not just a single pot).
  2. Simple to install and great for quickly switching-out pickups (solder-less connectors).
  3. Offers a remarkably wide spectrum of sounds (variable capacitance via a dip-pin selector chip)
For the record, I am not a representative of the company, just a very, very satisfied customer. :thumbsup:

So, if someone decides to mod an existing bass instead of seeking out a wholly-new one just for the series/parallel switchable circuit, I highly recommend checking these out, perhaps shooting a question or two to the company as well.
 
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#31
Lots of basses have this type of option, but keep in mind that there are two types of series/parallel switches found onboard basses. One switches the coils inside of a given pickup from series to parallel. This is, of course, only an option on pickups with more than one coil. The other kind of series/parallel switch controls whether two separate pickups are run in series or in parallel. Some luthiers, like Sheldon Dingwall and Pete Skjold, have used a 4-way selector switch to allow the use of bridge pickup only, both pickups in series, both pickups in parallel, neck pickup only.
 
#32
the older Wal Pro's that have passive circuit has a series/parallel switch as well - which are two style below:


pro1front.jpg



original.jpg
 
#35
40Hz said:
Gibson Ripper. The switch settings are: series/solo bridge/parallel/series out of phase.
Click to expand...

My Ripper is my first bass. I got it 30 years ago and the wiring wasn't working well. I had a tech redo it back then, and he wired it series/neck/parallel out of phase/parallel in phase. The neck only setting is the one I've used most over the years.

I never liked the out of phase setting, so I recently changed it to bridge only. The other setting I've used a lot is parallel. The series setting is very barky, which is interesting but generally not the sound I want.

Otto
 
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#36
ofajen said:
My Ripper is my first bass. I got it 30 years ago and the wiring wasn't working well. I had a tech redo it back then, and he wired it series/neck/parallel out of phase/parallel in phase. The neck only setting is the one I've used most over the years.

I never liked the out of phase setting, so I recently changed it to bridge only. The other setting I've used a lot is parallel. The series setting is very barky, which is interesting but generally not the sound I want.

Otto
Click to expand...


Yeah, I found that out-of-phase setting only marginally useful too. I've often thought of rewiring it to be like yours because I could never see the point of why the neck couldn't be soloed. But I generally found that running in parallel and playing with the midrange setting let me dial-in everything I wanted so I never bothered. Seems a shame to mod it after all these years since it's all factory original...still...maybe...just maybe...:laugh:
 
#37
My Fernandes Atlas basses have it. I also owned a jazz bass with the switch. it was kind of useful, I used to hit it whenever I wanted to be a little louder, also, whenever I used distortion.

But I agree that it is a very easy mod that instead of haunting an instrument with the switch, I'd get the instrument I want and do the mod if I can.
 
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#39

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