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Convert a J bass to 1 tone, 1 vol?

Polk Salad

Polk Salad

Passenger, Ship of Fools
Sep 18, 2007
1,322
1,510
#1
Hi everyone,
I am clueless on modding instruments so I thought I would ask those of you who are in the know :D

Is it a difficult mod to convert a Jazz bass to P bass like controls - 1 tone and 1 vol?

Thanks!

:confused:
 
#2
Hi Polk,

Two questions you need to ask yourself before moving on.

1. How do you want to blend the pickups? Both full volume? If so, parallel or series? If not, bridge only or neck only?
2. You are going to have an extra hole where the 2nd volume was. Are you okay with that? If not, you need to get a 3-hole ('62 style) control plate.
Edit: I suppose you could leave the disconnected volume knob there as a "dummy". Which would then beg the question, what is the purpose of this mod? Why would you want to give up control over the individual pickups?
 
#3
No, it wouldn't be difficult, but you would then have to use only one of the pickups or both of them, but you wouldn't be able to change without additional switches or pots to control the changes.

If your goal is to just have one volume control, you can go with a volume/blend/tone, which allows you one volume control to control both pickups, and another control to adjust the blend between the two pickups.
 
#4
Mushroo said:
Hi Polk,

Two questions you need to ask yourself before moving on.

1. How do you want to blend the pickups? Both full volume? If so, parallel or series? If not, bridge only or neck only?
2. You are going to have an extra hole where the 2nd volume was. Are you okay with that? If not, you need to get a 3-hole ('62 style) control plate.
Click to expand...

O.k., I'm a total fool at this and my answer here may confirm that:

Both pups together at full volume - would that be parallel? :hmm:

I would indeed change the control plate to account for "one less knob."

:scowl:
 
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#8
Mushroo said:
But I have to ask.... why?
Not ragging on your idea, just really curious :)
Click to expand...

Well, I like the simplicity of a P bass - 1 tone, 1 volume but I like the feel of a J bass neck and body better.

I'm nothing more than a basement player so I really don't use (or want) anything more than volume and tone.

Probably a stupid idea :eyebrow: but I just wondered how easy or difficult it would be to switch.

Maybe I need a Jazz bass with a custom body route for ONLY a P bass pup? :rollno:
 
#10
The Fender Mark Hoppus signature has a single P pickup in a jazz body, FYI. (volume only, no tone)
I understand your idea now, thanks for clearing that up.

I am not 100% sure because I have never done it before, but I *think* to wire the two pickups in parallel to a single volume, you just solder the pickup leads to the same pot. Has anyone else ever tried this before?
 
#12
Another suggestion is to add series/parallel switching to your existing setup (usually accomplished by replacing one of the volume pots with a push/pull pot). When series mode is engaged, only one volume control will work, and the two pickups will both be on full, with a sound that is often described as "P-like."

You would maintain the ability to switch back to parallel mode, should you ever desire to control the pickups individually.
 
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#13
It's easy enough although it hardly seems worth the effort to me. The 62 RI style control plate is a 3 holer. 2 for controls, 1 for the jack.

The beauty of the J is the ability to back of the neck pickup a smidgen and bring out the mid range burpy thing - you also get a slight volume boost. Or to back off the bridge a little and get a more full sound. Personally I wouldn't want to give that up but hey - it's your bass!
 

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