Circuit to Change Pickup Configuration - Any Diff?

[papmech]

Hi all.

I'm working on a circuit for my new passive bass, but I thought I'd run the ideas through you guys first to see if there's really a point in what I'm trying to come up with.

• One master Series/Parallel switch that controls how the bridge and neck pickups are connected to each other
• Two switches that allow you to turn on and off (by shorting) the neck and/or bridge pickup when in Series mode
• Two push pull pots that control the individual configuration of each pickup (Series/Parallel)

Is there really a point in having the ability to run the pickups in a overall Series configuration, other than to give myself a slight volume boost? If there isn't, I am inclined to stick to just connecting them in Parallel, since it makes the circuit much simpler and removes the need for 3 extra switches.

 

[FunkMetalBass]

You'd be better off installing a 4-way switch for solo bridge, parallel, series, solo neck.

 

[line6man]

Yeah, it would be a better idea to do the 4 way switch plus the series/parallel switches for each pickup.

 

[anubis16]

It sounds like you're talking about two humbuckers rather than single coils. If that's the case, then I don't think it would be worth having all 4 coils in series. Putting a series/parallel switch for each pickup on the other hand might be good.

If you just have two single coils, then you should just have one switch for series/parallel.

 

[papmech]

You'd be better off installing a 4-way switch for solo bridge, parallel, series, solo neck.

Yeah, it would be a better idea to do the 4 way switch plus the series/parallel switches for each pickup.

Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't really thought of this as a possibility. Will look into it.

It sounds like you're talking about two humbuckers rather than single coils. If that's the case, then I don't think it would be worth having all 4 coils in series. Putting a series/parallel switch for each pickup on the other hand might be good.

You are right, both pickups are humbuckers. Why is it not worth having all four coils in series? I heard that there are benefits to be seen from the increase in volume and tone.

 

[line6man]

Thanks for the suggestion. I hadn't really thought of this as a possibility. Will look into it.


You are right, both pickups are humbuckers. Why is it not worth having all four coils in series? I heard that there are benefits to be seen from the increase in volume and tone.

The standard configuration for most humbuckers is series, so when you put the pickups in series, all coils should be in series.

Series gives more midrange and a higher output than parallel.

 

[lumerino]

do not complicate use a switch for each pickup maybe this can help you Invalid Link Removed the example is for a double coil humbucker(4 conductor cable) but in some wiring examples can works with normal humbucker(2 conductor cable),check at the end in the document the polarity of every 4 conductor cable and in the diagrams only find the positive and negative terminals is the same principle

 

[thrashingbass]

The standard configuration for most humbuckers is series, so when you put the pickups in series, all coils should be in series.

Series gives more midrange and a higher output than parallel.

I hope I am not rudely hijacking this thread, but since it touches a similar (yet much less complex) subject, I am interested in your opinions. I recently had someone rout my bass to install a new pickup (humbucker) on the bridge, and I already had a P on its usual spot. I had two new 500k volumes installed, one of them a push/pull switch, and did away with the tone. Due to a misunderstanding, the pickups were installed both in series or parallel. However, I enjoyed the final result, as the tone was much beefier and still was not muddy at all (or maybe I like a very oomphy sound.) I do enjoy playing them simply together in parallel, but admit the "beef" (humbuckers in series) mode will probably be very useful in a live situation.

Should I rewire one day my pots so that instead of having both humbuckers in series, I might have the push/pull, series/parallel switch pot applied only to the bridge humbucker (Delano SBC 4 HE/S bridge.) I am just curious because then I guess I have to choose between extreme clarity of the Delano bridge pup in parallel, or the extreme beefiness of both pickups in series, and I already know that the beefiness might work, but haven't tested my new pickup in parallel on its own yet. The P pickup is also Delano, but is the "vintage", PC 4 AL.

I am happy with the current sound, I am just not sure if its worth the pain and anguish to mess with the wiring, just to explore having the Delano bridge soapbar pickup sampled in parallel, as was my original intention.

And hope this helps the OP at least regarding whether it is useful or not to wire humbuckers in series. I guess it all depends on your bass, pickups, strings, and personal preference and/or need for the beefier sound.

 

[line6man]

I hope I am not rudely hijacking this thread, but since it touches a similar (yet much less complex) subject, I am interested in your opinions. I recently had someone rout my bass to install a new pickup (humbucker) on the bridge, and I already had a P on its usual spot. I had two new 500k volumes installed, one of them a push/pull switch, and did away with the tone. Due to a misunderstanding, the pickups were installed both in series or parallel. However, I enjoyed the final result, as the tone was much beefier and still was not muddy at all (or maybe I like a very oomphy sound.) I do enjoy playing them simply together in parallel, but admit the "beef" (humbuckers in series) mode will probably be very useful in a live situation.

Should I rewire one day my pots so that instead of having both humbuckers in series, I might have the push/pull, series/parallel switch pot applied only to the bridge humbucker (Delano SBC 4 HE/S bridge.) I am just curious because then I guess I have to choose between extreme clarity of the Delano bridge pup in parallel, or the extreme beefiness of both pickups in series, and I already know that the beefiness might work, but haven't tested my new pickup in parallel on its own yet. The P pickup is also Delano, but is the "vintage", PC 4 AL.

I am happy with the current sound, I am just not sure if its worth the pain and anguish to mess with the wiring, just to explore having the Delano bridge soapbar pickup sampled in parallel, as was my original intention.

And hope this helps the OP at least regarding whether it is useful or not to wire humbuckers in series. I guess it all depends on your bass, pickups, strings, and personal preference and/or need for the beefier sound.

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking, but you may be confusing master series/parallel switching with series/parallel switching of the coils of each humbucker.

What I would do is just add a second push/pull pot so you can do master series/parallel switching, as well as series/parallel switching for the bridge pickup's coils.

 

[thrashingbass]

I'm not sure exactly what you are asking, but you may be confusing master series/parallel switching with series/parallel switching of the coils of each humbucker.

What I would do is just add a second push/pull pot so you can do master series/parallel switching, as well as series/parallel switching for the bridge pickup's coils.

Yep, that's what I was exactly talking about. I guess I would have to get another push/pull volume pot for the bridge pickup, as you said. For now, it's only one or the other, as I have only one push/pull volume pot. Thank you for your kind advice.