The Terrible One for the win!This is the most "Freddy-esque" post I've ever seen!
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First Build - "Lucifer"
- Thread starter TerribleTim68
- Start date
Think I'll just let you guys get on with it.....
Playing around with control layouts, trying to plot this arrangement -
One volume, 3-band pre-amp, mini toggle pre-amp by-pass, mini toggle "on-off" for each pup (built-in kill switch).
I think this will work okay. I like the look of the mini toggles. I need to glue up some wenge/purpleheart blanks to turn some knobs. Just trying to think through exactly "how" I want the knobs to look, what direction the lams will run, am I adding a stripe for the "pointer", etc.
EDIT: Just got word that the pups are humbuckers and I can coil split them. Sooo......let's rethink a couple extra mini toggles.
#MoreIsMore #TooMuchIsNeverEnough
One volume, 3-band pre-amp, mini toggle pre-amp by-pass, mini toggle "on-off" for each pup (built-in kill switch).
I think this will work okay. I like the look of the mini toggles. I need to glue up some wenge/purpleheart blanks to turn some knobs. Just trying to think through exactly "how" I want the knobs to look, what direction the lams will run, am I adding a stripe for the "pointer", etc.
EDIT: Just got word that the pups are humbuckers and I can coil split them. Sooo......let's rethink a couple extra mini toggles.
#MoreIsMore #TooMuchIsNeverEnough
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You may have already thought through this, but one suggestion I would make on control placement is to actually mock it up - print that part of the drawing out full size and tape the knobs to it or something, and stick it on the bass, so you can get a feel for where things are and how they're spaced to other things.
I used to basically eyeball control layouts, but I've had a few instruments where things were a tiny bit awkward (switches too close together, or knobs too close to the strings, etc.) and now I've tried to physically mock things up first to avoid that in the future.
I used to basically eyeball control layouts, but I've had a few instruments where things were a tiny bit awkward (switches too close together, or knobs too close to the strings, etc.) and now I've tried to physically mock things up first to avoid that in the future.
This is really good advice. I got a lot of "stuff" so this will need planned out.
I'm kinda thinking I want to group the pre-amp controls together and sort of separate them from the volume. As well as grouping the pre bypass switch with the pre controls too. I gotta really think on this one, there's a LOT going on here, lol.
Oh, and I also need to think through where two 9-volt batteries are gonna live and enough room for the pre-amp itself. GAH!!!
Yeah that's the other comment I was gonna make - be sure it not only fits, but there's room for wiring and getting your fingers in there to work on it, too! Don't ask how I know... 
Really good idea, plus if you mount it on a mock up you can drop it in and only have to make a couple solder connections. I should have done this with my build.
Yeah, for sure gonna be wiring it all up on a mock up panel as much as I can! I suck at wiring, so any way I can do the bulk of it out in the open is a plus!
Thinking I'm gonna start here with the mock-up -
Yeah, that's a lot of stuff.
Pay no attention to the direction of pot lugs, just getting everything in there for now. I may turn slightly smaller knobs for the pre-amp controls too, we'll see.
Figure this cavity might shed 2 or 3 pounds. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!
One of the greatest designs for battery compartments is what Dingwall does, magnets hold the door so it is a no tool quick job (two finger pop off), also being in a separate location than with the preamp and pots you will not inadvertently loosen something fiddling with battery replacement.Oh, and I also need to think through where two 9-volt batteries are gonna live and enough room for the pre-amp itself. GAH!!!
The less you open the preamp and pot section the better. In my opinion.
Especially with all them switches and such you got going on.
Oh, yeah, the control cavity won't house the batteries. That square drawn there is the pre-amp. the batteries are gonna have to go "elsewhere".
I haven't decided if I want to just do a dual battery box like this -
Or just rout a cavity and do a cover.
Those Gotoh BB04W style boxes (not sure if the one you have pictured is actually a Gotoh or not) are nice and are also tool-less and the cover can't fall off/be lost.
Not to throw gas onto your fire, but have you considered using a push/push or push/pull set of pots to trigger your pre-amp bypass and coil splits? Could clean up some of the face.Yeah, for sure gonna be wiring it all up on a mock up panel as much as I can! I suck at wiring, so any way I can do the bulk of it out in the open is a plus!
Thinking I'm gonna start here with the mock-up -
View attachment 4145262
Yeah, that's a lot of stuff.
Pay no attention to the direction of pot lugs, just getting everything in there for now. I may turn slightly smaller knobs for the pre-amp controls too, we'll see.
Figure this cavity might shed 2 or 3 pounds. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!
I considered it. But it seems tough to find a push-pull pot that isn't super "tall" inside the cavity. I'm only going to have slightly more than 1" of depth to work with here. This style could work -
...but no way these would fit -
EDIT: And in the case of using push/pull pots for coil splitting, I'd need two. And my plan was just a single volume and then the Darkglass pots, which I ain't messing with!
Not to continue throwing wrenches at your plans here, but if you have an honest 1" depth in the cavity, accounting for the thickness of the cover and all, the Bourns brand of the traditional push pull pot (your second photo) will actually fit. You have to take off the "inside" nut and washer, so the body of the pot is right against the inside of the cavity. The ground tab on the switch will be a hair away from touching your cavity cover. But it fits fine.
Well, that's good to know. But honestly it still leaves the scenario where I'd need two pots to have a push/pull for each pickup and the current plan is to just run a volume and the Darkglass pots. Without a tone or pan pot, I'm missing a push/pull for one of the pickups. So, mini toggles it is!
Hmm.....
Okay, I need some help locating parts......or a shopping list if you will. Here's what I need (or at least I think I need, correct me if I'm wrong) -
So if someone smart can verify this list, that would be awesome. Then we'll start talking about wiring diagrams again, because I made it way harder than just swapping a blend knob for a pickup selector.
Okay, I need some help locating parts......or a shopping list if you will. Here's what I need (or at least I think I need, correct me if I'm wrong) -
- (1) volume pot - 500k, right?
- (2) on-off mini toggle switches (for individual pickup on-off) - This is where I'm having the most trouble. I see "on-off-on", or "on-on", or "on-on-on". But I can't seem to locate an on-off mini switch.
- (3) on-on mini toggle switches (one for pre-amp bypass and two for pickup coil split).
- (1) barrel jack
- (1) battery box
So if someone smart can verify this list, that would be awesome. Then we'll start talking about wiring diagrams again, because I made it way harder than just swapping a blend knob for a pickup selector.
Does the rest of that look right? 500k pot correct? I have no clue the difference between 500k vs 250k.
