Carvin TBS Wiring

[jglunt]

Does anybody have any info about how the Carvin TBS jazz bass is wired? Is that single pot wired in parallel or in series? Or is it also a push/pull switch that switches between parallel and series?

 

[songwriter21]

Does anybody have any info about how the Carvin TBS jazz bass is wired? Is that single pot wired in parallel or in series? Or is it also a push/pull switch that switches between parallel and series?

Knowing Tim Schmit's style, I doubt it's series. Series is way more in-your-face, so probably wired parallel. The push-pull is usually active/passive, but I recall Tim wanting only passive, sooooo pethaps you're right.

 

[jglunt]

Knowing Tim Schmit's style, I doubt it's series. Series is way more in-your-face, so probably wired parallel. The push-pull is usually active/passive, but I recall Tim wanting only passive, sooooo pethaps you're right.

So more than likely, that pot was just a plain old volume pot, but we don't know for sure. Has anybody out there in Talk-Bass-Land owned one?

 

[timsgeekery]

Has anybody out there in Talk-Bass-Land owned one?

I still own one. Here's a pic of the wiring:

 

[jglunt]

Thanks. It looks like it's just wired with the pickups in parallel like a regular jazz bass would have. I believe if it were me, I'd use a volume control with a push/pull switch so I could run the pickups either in parallel or series. Series offers a much bigger sound, though it does rob the bass of it's normal jazz bass sound. But with the series/parallel switch, you'd have an option for a different tone if you wanted. I love the whole idea of a bass with nothing but a single control, but I don't have one.

 

[micguy]

That is with the pickups wired in parallel. The grounding of the pickup wires is not how I'd have done it, and those solder connections look sketchy, but it probably works fine regardless.

 

[timsgeekery]

I'd use a volume control with a push/pull switch so I could run the pickups either in parallel or series.

I am this -> <- close to putting in a stacked pot to have volume and pickup fade from neck to bridge.

The grounding of the pickup wires is not how I'd have done it, and those solder connections look sketchy

Yeah, there's a ground issue in this bass. In the next day or two I'm going to rip it all out, re-shield it all, and re-ground everything.

 

[jglunt]

That is with the pickups wired in parallel. The grounding of the pickup wires is not how I'd have done it, and those solder connections look sketchy, but it probably works fine regardless.

I wonder if that's Carvin's original wiring or if somebody changed it.

 

[TrustRod]

I am this -> <- close to putting in a stacked pot to have volume and pickup fade from neck to bridge.

Do you have a source for the pot yet? A stacked volume/blend is not an off the shelf thing. I think Warwick had some custom stuff made but I don't know of anything available that will do that.

Unless you're just going with two volumes which is easy

 

[timsgeekery]

I wonder if that's Carvin's original wiring or if somebody changed it.

I wish I knew. I did buy it used, and like I said, it has a grounding/shielding problem I need to fix. The tape that's in there is a bit flaky, I can tell it's not stuck down in a number of places.

Do you have a source for the pot yet?

Nope, it exists only as an idea in my head at this point. To clarify the above, I would have someone do it, my local guitar shop for instance. So I figured I'd go over my options with them.

 

[jglunt]

Do you have a source for the pot yet? A stacked volume/blend is not an off the shelf thing. I think Warwick had some custom stuff made but I don't know of anything available that will do that.

Unless you're just going with two volumes which is easy

I've never heard of a volume/blend stacked pot. Two volumes would be the way to go. Stacked 250kA pots. However, if it was me, I'd keep it just a single volume with a push/pull switch wired for series/parallel. You can switch it to parallel for that regular TBS sound or into series for a beefier sound. At least it's another option to think about.

 

[micguy]

Yeah, there's a ground issue in this bass. In the next day or two I'm going to rip it all out, re-shield it all, and re-ground everything.

I’d ground the pickups, bridge, and jack ground all to the back of the pot. The way the thing is wired now, you’re relying on the pot to be grounded to the foil - if the pot gets loose, you’ll lose signal and grounding. Also, soldering to foil is risky - it can tear from stress, and again, you lose signal and/ or ground.

 

[TrustRod]

I did some checking

Warwick Parts - Warwick Modular Bass Electronics - Stacked Volume/Balance Module

$214 for the module

Here's some cheaper stuff with push pull

https://shop.warwick.de/en/parts-fo...0276/mec-volume/balance-push/pull-pot-modules

There's a few variations with some saying they're for passive basses.

There's 2 kinds of balance designs and you have to find values that work for you.

 

[timsgeekery]

I’d ground the pickups, bridge, and jack ground all to the back of the pot.

Yup, that's my plan.

$214 for the module

Wowzers, that's a bit o' cash. I don't know that I need that full module, I was thinking something more along these lines:

Noll 500K/220K Volume/Blend Stacked Control - Best Bass Gear

Of course, I don't know if the sizes and values are what I'd need, so I'd have to validate all of that. It may turn out to be not viable. *shrug*

 

[TrustRod]

These look like AC blends, versus MN blends. Looks like the Warwicks are also AC. AC blend pots are not full volume at center detent while MN are. Lot's of people use the AC but I refer the MN and that's my go to for passive blends.

There's also some variation if you ground the pot or not but I forget the specifics. Something to do with being able to 100% turn one pickup off which sounds important but is not something you can hear.

Good luck in your quest, let us know what you end up using.