Favorite PJ bass wiring

[Fourever]

Hello, I'm planning to build a P-bass with a Nordstrand Big Split at the bridge. But I want to retain the original Fender neck P-sound. If I combine a three-way switch (neck-both-bridge) with two volumes and a tone, can I preserve the original P-sound while having the possibility to blend the two pickups (in parallel) when both activated? In other words, if I add a bridge volume pot to the Tony Franklin Precision wiring do I mess with the tone of the neck pickup? Do you know if there's a way to get the same result with two push-pull volume pots instead of the three-way switch? Thank you.

 

[soundtweakers]

Here you go:

Love to do this, but does anyone have a more idiot proof drawing of this in a wiring diagram. Can't seem to find any on the web.

thanks

 

[bassbenj]

Hello, I'm planning to build a P-bass with a Nordstrand Big Split at the bridge. But I want to retain the original Fender neck P-sound. If I combine a three-way switch (neck-both-bridge) with two volumes and a tone, can I preserve the original P-sound while having the possibility to blend the two pickups (in parallel) when both activated? In other words, if I add a bridge volume pot to the Tony Franklin Precision wiring do I mess with the tone of the neck pickup? Do you know if there's a way to get the same result with two push-pull volume pots instead of the three-way switch? Thank you.

Well sure. You can use the push-pull switch on each volume to turn that pickup on or off! Hence say if pull is "on", when just the P pickup is on (you wire the pull switch to disconnect the whole pickup AND volume pot) you have the same circuit as original. When both are pulled you have the PJ circuit. Both in is "mute" etc. A nice advantage to push/pull switches is you can change pickup combos or go to mute without changing volume settings.

Note one thing. When both volume pots are connected they are in parallel. Hence if you have both pulled but the bridge volume turned all the way down, It's a pure "P" bass, but you've now got TWO volume pots in parallel even though one is turned down. This means that you've just gone from say a 250k load (if they are both 250k) to a 125k load which will be a little less bright. One solution to this is to bump the volume pots up to 500k which in parallel returns to the original 250k value.

Note also that in general you do NOT want a simple 3-way switch on a PJ bass. The reason is that output levels of the P and the J pickup typically don't quite match. Hence optimum blend is NOT at both pickups up full. For this reason some PJ basses underwind the P pickups so they do match. But this then gives rise to complaints that the PJ bass set for P solo doesn't quite sound like a "real" P bass.

So on mine which is vol/vol/tone with a series/parallel pull up switch only on the P pickup (down (normal) is series, UP is halves in parallel for brighter thinner tone) I find a nice blend with J max and P about 80-90%. (or equivalent at lower volumes) And since it's a real Fender P pickup it sounds like a real P-bass soloed.

 

[levis76]

A pair of stacked Vol/Tone pots and a master vol to control overall output.

 

[jetbike]

neck volume, bridge volume, master tone & killswitch for dj effect-fun.

 

[acebase62]

I had a Jazz Special(aka *duff* sig)w/the old TBX dealio; can't recall what it was exactly, but LOVED it. Faux-active w/no battery. I need to put that in something to see if it was half as sweet as I remember.

My 1985 Fender Jazz Bass Special came stock with V-V-T and a 3 way toggle.

It gives the ability to isolate each pickup or (middle position) provide various mixes of both.

Without the 3 way switch, I still prefer V-V-T on PJ or JJ basses, usually 500k volume pots and a Fender TBX tone control.

 

[PSYCHOTIC]

P-straight to jack, J-volume only

 

[acebase62]

Does anybody tried to move J pickup closer to P (away from bridge)? Something like "oposite" 70´s jazz position.
How does it sounds like? Or is it for some reason generally bad idea?

It looks like Bacchus did it(?).

My Warmoth PJ routed P body (late 1990s) came with the J pickup route closer to the neck than 60s Jazz bass position.
It makes the J pickup sound a little thicker than usual.

 

[eddododo]

What do you guys think about using a 'no load' type device on these options, to create a switching effect at the extreme of blends

For example I like the idea of a blend pot setup such that at either extreme the 'lowered' pickup gets removed and the other is 'nonloaded'.. Would a 500k or even 1meg blend pot(s) be enough to remove enough of the 'lowered' signal while maintaining an ungrounded blend? Sorry if thats was blabbery, im in between sets

Ps im more of a stacked vol kind of guy

 

[Fourever]

Thank you very much for your help, each one of you. Thank you Soundtweakers, I'll study your diagram. Just give a look to the Gibson Thunderbird wiring, I'll appreciate your opinion:

Thank you Bassbenj. I know, you are right: more pots, more load, less output. I've chosen the Nordstrand Big Split because is very hot, it can match in parallel the Fender Precision split output. Nordstrands are powerful and good good sounding, with clever features. Check 'em out. Eddododo, I agree with you: a no-load blend pot would be a good upgrade from actual blenders. Many players have asked for it. So I'm sure one day they will make it. Thank you all again and bye!

 

[eddododo]

Shucks I JUST realized that the blend pot on my worktable will be significantly trickier to open up and modify than a regular ol' single pot. bummer

 

[Bobster]

I have a Jazz stack knob setup on my P/J and I'm very happy with it. Gives me a much better range of tones than straight VVT.

All the best,

Bob

 

[rberry7777]

After a bit of experimenting I am going try this setup:

Volume for the p-bass pickup ( I like to roll it off a bit sometimes) ,
On Off Switch for the bridge pickup ( I have never used it any other than one of these two ways)
and master tone pot .(47uf.) I am anticipating that a slight roll off of the tone pot will kill that irritating snappiness (see below).

My last incarnation was simply a switch for each pickup- no tone control. Unfortunately there was a snappy high end without the pots I did not find pleasing ( though it was easily taken out with a smudge of eq.). If adding in the tone pot doesn't tame it, I will toss the pot back in for the treble pickup as well. Also, I like the basic 250k -.47 tone pot. And last but not least a simple Kill Switch.

Everything I do is tested in live playing because any other option is just not a practical scenario for me.
If it sounds great live it will sound plenty awesome in the studio. Vice versa is not the case - in my humble experience.

I am intrigued by the talk of the three way switch however. And the really cool thing about the switch for each pickup -no tone pot scenario was that it forced you to work your sound from your amp - which is a great learning experience and you have two Kill switches - something I never realized I liked so much.
So The no treble pot and the kill switch are really the only "innovations" here - nothing earth shaking - but I am curious how it will work live and I know already that the kill switch is great. It's such a simple thing but man i love it.

 

[revdangerfield]

My apologies if this has been brought up before, but I have a P bass with the standard P bass split pickup and a J for the bridge. What I would like to do is have the J bass pickup be activated by a push-pull pot, and when it is activated, it will be in series with the P bass pickup. Obviously the J pickup is intended as a boost of sorts. Is there a way to easily do this, and if so, is there a diagram out there? Thanks so much!

 

[sensei_steve]

My apologies if this has been brought up before, but I have a P bass with the standard P bass split pickup and a J for the bridge. What I would like to do is have the J bass pickup be activated by a push-pull pot, and when it is activated, it will be in series with the P bass pickup. Obviously the J pickup is intended as a boost of sorts. Is there a way to easily do this, and if so, is there a diagram out there? Thanks so much!

I have a hot rod precision originally made in 2001, which I wouldn't mind selling by the way. I had the bass professionally wired to volume, tone, blend as is my preference. I also had the volume control replaced with a push/pull volume control. With respect to line6man's (and others') comments, the push/pull causes the jazz pickup to be bypassed as well as the blend control to be bypassed. Thanks for the comments line6man. Perhaps this bass is as close as possible to a precision while also having the jazz pickup and blend option while being easy to operate and not permanently modifying the bass with switches and/or more tone controls. Just my two cents.

 

[revdangerfield]

I have a hot rod precision originally made in 2001, which I wouldn't mind selling by the way. I had the bass professionally wired to volume, tone, blend as is my preference. I also had the volume control replaced with a push/pull volume control. With respect to line6man's (and others') comments, the push/pull causes the jazz pickup to be bypassed as well as the blend control to be bypassed. Thanks for the comments line6man. Perhaps this bass is as close as possible to a precision while also having the jazz pickup and blend option while being easy to operate and not permanently modifying the bass with switches and/or more tone controls. Just my two cents.

I think you meant to quote line6man and not me, lol

 

[thingsis]

Hi,

I have a hard time deciding on the wiring for my PJ bass project. After reading this thread I discarded a couple of the ideas that I had. Now this seems to be what I want to do: VVT with 3x push/pull. The first puts the P pup in series, the second puts both pups in series, the third detaches the j pup and its volume pot from the system.
Now my question is whether this is even possible with those three switches. And if so, maybe somebody can point me in the right direction as to how to wire this thing up...

Thanks a lot!
Henrik

 

[AngryBison]

I have a MIJ Squire SQ P/J . . still trying to figure out how its wired . . . What does the 2 way switch do? (For sale if anyone wants it)

 

[Growlmonkee]

My Jazz bass has 250k pots, a .047uf cap v/v/t, tone is a no load pot, I don't like to play with knobs on stage, and always use it everything on 10, and adjust my amp a bit. On my p/j I have 250k pots, .047uf cap, v/v/t also, but I play with all 3 knobs to get a sound I like. I have tried a 500k stacked pot as v/b/t, because it's a bit easier to dial in, but to me, it lost something, as far as tone, so I went back to v/v/t. I know there are many options, but, I am used to it, and wish to spend as little time as possible turning knobs.

 

[ObeyDaRiffness]

Individual tone and volume for both pickups.

Not to mention the series/parallel switch between pickups.
And the series/parallel switch for the P bass dual coils.
And the individual active/passive switch for each pickup.
And the reverse tone knob (low pass filter) that cuts bass frequencies.
And the 4 way active EQ w/ middle frequency selector (also known as presence)

Now that would be my dream bass.