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G&L Club Part 7

#21,403
My order of preference is regular series, parallel, single. I don't like omg mode.

I like series and parallel pretty equally. SCM is ok. I guess I dont really like the single tone. Inners or outers are both odd to my ears.

MFD split coil for the win! Its nice that G&L has options for everyone.
 
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#21,404
ped said:
I assume it's possible to have an original 'parallel/OMG' bass K-modded to 'parallel/OMG/single'? I think I've only seen K mods discussed on instruments with the now standard series/parallel options
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It is possible, you need the 3-way switch and need to do some re-wiring. Back when mine was built, the K option didn't exist. I believe it was standard on the Japan-export basses and word got around, users wanted it in the States and it became an option…at least that's the story I heard…
 
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#21,406
ped said:
I assume it's possible to have an original 'parallel/OMG' bass K-modded to 'parallel/OMG/single'? I think I've only seen K mods discussed on instruments with the now standard series/parallel options
Click to expand...

It's absolutely possible with a 3-way switch and a bit of wiring ambition. When you do the k-mod on a new L-series, the existing parallel-series switch is entirely removed and replaced with the 3-way, so the same could be done with yours.

I'm surprised that the early L's had parallel and OMG. Are you certain of that or have documentation to that effect?
 
#21,407
Huh...just found a posting by the late-lamented @Chef who said the following with reference to his '81 L-2000:

"The E-series have a very cool difference from current production L2000's in that the coil tap has, dual coil, and single coil with bass boost instead of dual coil series, and dual coil parallel. This lets you get much closer to "standard J and P" tones. You can dial this in (or out) further by adjusting either the pickup body, or pole pieces in the single coil side: sweet."​

That's different than OMG which is series with a capacitor on one of the coils.:bookworm:
 
#21,408
jmlee said:
I'm surprised that the early L's had parallel and OMG. Are you certain of that or have documentation to that effect?
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how early the "early" is referencing, but my '89 L2k is parallel/OMG. That configuration was billed as "humbucking/single coil with bass boost" in the marketing materials. OMG is the internet slang acronym for it. But regardless of what you call it, electronically, it's series with a cap across one of the coils.

And my '88 L1k is parallel/single (bridge side)/OMG. So yeah, it can be done.
 
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#21,409
jmlee said:
Huh...just found a posting by the late-lamented @Chef who said the following with reference to his '81 L-2000:

"The E-series have a very cool difference from current production L2000's in that the coil tap has, dual coil, and single coil with bass boost instead of dual coil series, and dual coil parallel. This lets you get much closer to "standard J and P" tones. You can dial this in (or out) further by adjusting either the pickup body, or pole pieces in the single coil side: sweet."​

That's different than OMG which is series with a capacitor on one of the coils.:bookworm:
Click to expand...

It's actually the same I think, but one describes the actual sound that results whereas the other describes what's technically happening. Hence confusion and possibly some of the general misunderstandings that surround the L2K.
 
#21,410
But yeah OMG front pickup with some bass cut (which cuts a different frequency to the bass 'boost' the mode gives, at least to my ears) does a near perfect P sound imo. I'm very glad mine does that, and the parallel mode blends all the things I've loved about my other basses together into its own sound.

I don't think I'll mod this bass with the K mod after all, despite that being the plan from the start.
 
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#21,412
If I put my Wunkay into OMG mode and tap the pole pieces of the pickup with a little screwdriver, it's clearly both coils on and one of them with a lot of high frequency content removed (presumably by the capacitor).

Maybe @ped you could do the same thing with your bass and see if the OMG setting has both coils on or, as @Chef suggested, it's only one coil and that one with the high frequency rolloff.

I'd be very interested to find out.
 
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#21,413
jmlee said:
If I put my Wunkay into OMG mode and tap the pole pieces of the pickup with a little screwdriver, it's clearly both coils on and one of them with a lot of high frequency content removed (presumably by the capacitor).

Maybe @ped you could do the same thing with your bass and see if the OMG setting has both coils on or, as @Chef suggested, it's only one coil and that one with the high frequency rolloff.

I'd be very interested to find out.
Click to expand...
I've tried this with my '81 L-2000 and it behaves the same as your Wunkay in OMG mode. Both coils on but one of them noticeably quieter when tapped with a screwdriver.
 
#21,414
jmlee said:
It's absolutely possible with a 3-way switch and a bit of wiring ambition. When you do the k-mod on a new L-series, the existing parallel-series switch is entirely removed and replaced with the 3-way, so the same could be done with yours.

I'm surprised that the early L's had parallel and OMG. Are you certain of that or have documentation to that effect?
Click to expand...
Here is a link with a page from the early manual for L-1000 and L-2000 E basses. For both basses it refers to the OMG mode position as single-coil with increased bass. I think this is a bit of a misnomer, but maybe they went with that terminology because that mode with the coils imbalanced allows for hum to be introduced, like a single-coil.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
 
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#21,415
Murch said:
Here is a link with a page from the early manual for L-1000 and L-2000 E basses. For both basses it refers to the OMG mode position as single-coil with increased bass. I think this is a bit of a misnomer, but maybe they went with that terminology because that mode with the coils imbalanced allows for hum to be introduced, like a single-coil.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Click to expand...
On mine (sold last year), the red switch selected between "humbucking" mode or "single coil" mode where "... an increase in bass ratio is provided." I've always assumed that's what you all mean by OMG mode. (And it sure was sweet...)
 
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#21,417
jmlee said:
If I put my Wunkay into OMG mode and tap the pole pieces of the pickup with a little screwdriver, it's clearly both coils on and one of them with a lot of high frequency content removed (presumably by the capacitor).

Maybe @ped you could do the same thing with your bass and see if the OMG setting has both coils on or, as @Chef suggested, it's only one coil and that one with the high frequency rolloff.

I'd be very interested to find out.
Click to expand...

I think you and Chef are describing the same thing. With mine it's clear both coils are on but one is darker. It's a great way to get a split coil sort of range from a single pickup; why it was removed in favour of a plain series I don't know. Not that I'm dissing the latter; it just seems a bit obvious whereas OMG is a special sort of magic which - although it needs applying carefully - gives a whole new voice to the pickup.

Previously to the L2K I've never been happy with the front pickup sound on any two pickup basses. They always few like the miss something of the way a P bass blooms and clatters the notes out at full chat, instead falling on the side of a wider frequency range.
 
#21,419
I have a killer Kiloton V that I'd trade for a JB5 !!!
IMG_20210829_074521573.jpg
 
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