How to adjust vol vol tone controls?

[shirojiro]

Ah, interesting. Yeah for me volume pedals are good only if you really intend on doing swells. Otherwise I find when in the heat of a live gig, trying to subtly tweak a volume pedal is tricky, plus it's really easy to accidentally nudge the level by mistake (or someone else steps on it!). I'd rather just have a boost pedal. But pedal-less, I dunno, maybe just approach it as you would your upright (different beast tho I realize).

This has been my experience as well.

I have a Digitech vol/wah pedal that I've been using on and off since the 90s.
I also have a Spark boost and a Joyo boost pedal, and I find the boost pedals are a little more useful for me in that I can get more volume when needed, but it's not so fiddly.

YMMV etc

 

[GrapeBass]

I bought a Fender Roadworn Jazz, with the above control layout. I was thinking I would hotrod it to active, but I’ve become intrigued with the stock passive sound. But I’ve only ever had basses with a master volume, so in the middle of a song when the band gets louder, I can’t turn up with either of the vol controls without changing the tone. Do you have to adjust both vols equally? That seems difficult on the fly. And I can’t really turn around and adjust the amp. Don’t want to use a pedal. Suggestions?

Honestly, I wouldn't touch a thing. Both p/ups work in tandem to achieve a certain balance (passive electronics do exhibit different behavior than an active circuit).

Have you considered a volume or a boost pedal? Also, you should also consider a preamp pedal, many include a boost feature and a DI out, which is useful if you need to go to the mixing board!

 

[dbsfgyd1]

It depends on action. For various reasons I have very low action so in terms of perceived volume increase, I might be limited. YMMV. But I use force partly as a gateway to different sounds, not necessarily just dynamics.

Got it. Makes sense. I have a broad dynamic range wise, and my action is probably higher than yours, but not by much. It’s within spec however. What I do is to get that extra volume pluck closer to the bridge wear I’m not as likely to “bottom out”. Thanks for responding, and hope you find a solution.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

Got it. Makes sense. I have a broad dynamic range wise, and my action is probably higher than yours, but not by much. It’s within spec however.

I typically have the action at 12th fret at 1.5 to 1.7mm with 100 to 40 or 95 to 35 strings, so not exactly typical Fender specification.

Like you, though, for dynamics, moving to the bridge can be helpful.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

It's all relative... those should be available for less than 200 usd, and it lets you keep the bass pretty much as is.

I could find a pot, a couple of jack sockets, a knob and little plastic housing for under $20.

 

[-Asdfgh-]

This has been my experience as well.

I have a Digitech vol/wah pedal that I've been using on and off since the 90s.
I also have a Spark boost and a Joyo boost pedal, and I find the boost pedals are a little more useful for me in that I can get more volume when needed, but it's not so fiddly.

YMMV etc

To be fair, for volume settings I've found it easiest to have it on a table and use my hands, not my foot. Feet... Swells.

 

[superheavyfunk]

I bought a Fender Roadworn Jazz, with the above control layout. I was thinking I would hotrod it to active, but I’ve become intrigued with the stock passive sound. But I’ve only ever had basses with a master volume, so in the middle of a song when the band gets louder, I can’t turn up with either of the vol controls without changing the tone. Do you have to adjust both vols equally? That seems difficult on the fly. And I can’t really turn around and adjust the amp. Don’t want to use a pedal. Suggestions?

I’ve always found the VVT setup to be annoying and less-than-ideal. Some folks love it but I 1000% prefer a VBT set up for the same reasons you’re talking about in this post.

Every bass that I’ve owned with VVT controls was swapped as soon as I possibly could over to VBT. Being able to easily control the volume with one knob is far preferable imo.

 

[SixtyCycleHum]

Barcus Berry make some really great clip preamps that might be right up your alley

 

[SixtyCycleHum]

hey that's cool ... what I like to do with a jazz bass is roll off the bridge volume and get some of that single coil snarl ...

also to boost try one of these

I know you just grabbed a random pedal off Google, but in all fairness? There are a huge number of companies making this exact same EQ (Saphue, Azor, Stax, Caline etc etc) and it's pretty great for $50.

 

[Chrisk-K]

VVT was one of Leo’s rare mistakes.

 

[bassliner50]

Trade it for a Precision. One knob will controll your world. Easy-Peasy.

 

[Engle]

Thanks, everyone. Leaning towards rewiring to a vol, blend, tone setup, just wondering if that will significantly alter my tone options, assuming I keep the same pups, pots, etc.

It works for me.

 

[Ric5]

Or just do the unthinkable: Wire it like I did mine with a volume, blender, and tone control.

I played active basses with a blender for years, and bought my first Jazz Bass a few years ago. TWO volumes. Prehistoric. Get it just like I want it, and now I got to turn TWO knobs up and down. No. There's always some blowback from the crowd about it it's never completely solo'd on one or the other, you can get tones with two you can't get with a blender, etc. All I can tell you is mine works just great, and if I'm missing anything, I can't hear it, and it's a very popular mod here in Nashville with lots of Jazz guys.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Seymour Duncan graciously posts a zillion different wiring diagrams at seymourduncan.com, and I've included the schematic I used on my Squier James Johnston Signature Bass. All 250k CTS pots, .047 cap, and a Super Jack while I was in there, and this was wired into some Fender Yosemite Jazz pickups I installed at the same time. Works great, and SO much easier to deal with. TWO volumes, that's like dial-telephone stuff.

I prefer a master volume and a blend with active basses

 

[Not yet]

Depending on song I boost the bridge to cut thru for more treble or neck for more P-Bass low end....and use tone to color as I need, often adjusting during a song as appropriate

Wouldn't change a thing personally

 

[Jazzdogg]

My jazz combo plays with a lot of dynamics. Any song can get a lot quieter or louder depending on who is soloing and their volume and phrasing. Fingers can only do so much in this context, turning around to reach down to the amp is out of the question. I don’t want to be dragging a pedal and extra cord around, it’s bad enuf (from other jazz player’s standpoint) that I’m no longer playing upright. I’m gonna try the vol, blend, tone rewire. If that doesn’t work I’ll go back to VVT, get some knurled knobs and try to effect a ‘double volume swipe’ up or down.

Thanks to all!

In 50+ years playing jazz on double bass and electric bass I don't recall having difficulty controlling my dynamics with my hands. I have often played a quiet set first, followed by somewhat louder music on successive sets, but that entails only a single change to the Amp's master volume at the beginning of the second set. I typically use the master volume control on my amp as a de facto limiter for stage volume.

Most of my electric basses have a blend control, and the few I have with dual volume pots still drive me crazy. I set the pickup volume knobs to give me the tone I'm after, and use the master volume on my amp to set my maximum stage volume. I typically don't adjust the volume on my basses during a set.
Hope this helps a little.

 

[2thAche]

If i was gonna gig my VVT Jazz I'd get a volume pedal and use the VVT just for tone. Pretty much the simplest way without modding your bass, and easy to use.

 

[JazznFunk]

Volume pedal. During sound check, set up your amp volume at the loudest point that you might need with your bass and volume pedal full-on. It could be quite loud! Then back off the volume pedal, leaving both of your bass volume controls up. This ensures you get the best tone with volume to spare just a foot push away. I've used an Ernie Ball volume pedal for years and it's never failed me. There's no need to mod a perfectly good bass for more dynamic control when a volume pedal will accomplish everything you need.

 

[JazznFunk]

Ah, interesting. Yeah for me volume pedals are good only if you really intend on doing swells. Otherwise I find when in the heat of a live gig, trying to subtly tweak a volume pedal is tricky, plus it's really easy to accidentally nudge the level by mistake (or someone else steps on it!). I'd rather just have a boost pedal. But pedal-less, I dunno, maybe just approach it as you would your upright (different beast tho I realize).

Depends on the pedal. A pedal like the Ernie Ball units with a physical cable and linear resistance setup allows for much more fine adjustment margin of error. It's the fancy active pedals which have given me far more trouble in the past with twitchy adjustment.

 

[FullumMusic]

Many years ago i had a tech rewire my PJ layout bass. Originally a PV/JV/MT, i had them drill another hole and add a Master Volume pot, making it MV/PV/JV/MT. It's an option if you have a cavalier attitude towards your bass's finish and resale value.

 

[rmayer]

Thanks, everyone. Leaning towards rewiring to a vol, blend, tone setup, just wondering if that will significantly alter my tone options, assuming I keep the same pups, pots, etc.

I favor the VBT setup, my basses have them. The slight amount of tone options you might give up will be outweighed by the ease of using the new setup in the real world. Just my opinion.