Humbuckers and control setup?

[headtrip762]

Hi all,

I have a few questions about pickup placement and electronics.

As for pickup placement, its for a shortscale P-bass body rear control cavity no pickup routings yet. Im
considering 60's EB-3 style pickups and routing, either a EB-0 or darkstar in the neck, and hofner staple, EB-3 or Seymour Duncan blade Rickenbacker bridge pickup. Not to sure on the best combo yet.
Ill probably be ordering Curtis novak pups at least the neck for sure.

As for controls I would like to do a modified 62 Jazz bass setup with concentric volume/tone pots and a mini 3 way toggle, In place f the 4 knob and choke of the EB-3. Are their any pros and cons to this?

output jack will be on the side instead of normal spot(face of guitar usually in pick guard)

Does anyone have any recommendations? Any other options?

Im trying to make this bass versitile and clean looking hence no pick guard and minimal knobs and switches. This bass is a mutt, Im trying to go along the lines of Fender PBass and jazz, Gibson eb-3, and the woods would be warwicky/rickenbackerish (walnut body, wenge bubinga neck)

 

[Jazz Ad]

Double check string spacings before doing anything.
Hofners are meant for 15-16mm which is very narrow compared to a pbass. A typical p bridge will be 19mm.
Double tone controls are rather useless on a bass.

As for pickup choice it's hard to answer without knowing what tone you're after.

Also, you're talking about humbuckers. Most of the models you quoted are single coils.

 

[headtrip762]

Roger that! Do you happen to know which bridge pickup would be closer to a fender Pbass spacing? Like I Stated
Im going for the eb-3 style pickup placement, and basing off those controls. Ill be mainly using this build for vintage tone to stoner rock/jam type music. Most likely putting flatwounds on it. Im going for a darker, thicker sound, warm not super boomy from the neck, id like to get some grunt and growl out of the bridge, im not looking for zingy or hifi. I play mainly finger style and for this bass their wont be downtuning or slapping. I currently have a 98 warwick thumb 4 and a 95 streamer 5 both bolt on necks both have Jbass pickups, I also have a Jazz bass. I think they cover modern tones quite well.

Do you have any minimalist type options on controls? I mentioned vol/tone stack pots. Would a mini switch work for a pickup selector?
are their better ways to blend pickups?
Sorry I have so many questions, Ive been out of the loop for a while, just playing bass not trying to put one together.
Im all ears on this set up, Id like more opinions or guidance. Im not a solo type or looking for the cleanest most articulate and versatile tone.
I know theirs going to be mud involved, Im inviting it, but I still want useable definition in notes played.

 

[Axstar]

It sound a bit complex! If you are anything like me you will have one or two settings you use 90% of the time, a nice contrasting setting you use 10% of the time and then a whole bunch of settings you never use.

 

[headtrip762]

I wouldn't say too complex, its just a short scale Pbass blank waiting to be routed out for pickups. Im just trying to keep knobs an switches
to a minimum. P bass and 62 jazz bass are both 2 pot+jack, jazz has concentric pots. EB-3 has 2 tone and 2 volume+jack and a rotary switch.
Im trying to combine these all into 1.

My idea is to put it simple a pbass with eb3 pickups and 62 jazz controls with toggle between pickups.

 

[Jazz Ad]

For this kind of tone a pair of Thunderbird pickups would work wonders.
A pair of reverse P pickups could also do the job. The tone of Steely Dan, Leland Sklar era, which was a lot like what you describe.

 

[headtrip762]

Its funny you say that! I considered thunderbird pups. Thanks! Ill tell ya what, trying to find pickups for a bass you haven't even played yet is
harder than it seems. Keep the options coming! Any other options on the controls?

 

[Jazz Ad]

Anything is possible with controls., really.
Do you prefer switching or panning between pickups ?

 

[headtrip762]

I just thought of another option to consider: volume/volume concentric push/pull pot as a pickup bypass? Its funny I can figure out
electrical in a car, sure do have a lot of questions about wiring for a bass Maybe Im thinking to simple about this?

Id use each volume as pickup blend.
pull would bypass the bridge pup.
in would run both pickups?
This would take everything down to one control, I could eliminate tone controls and toggle?
I dunno, Im a knucklehead that needs to go to bed!

 

[headtrip762]

Ive been doing a little reading around the interweb, and it seems this last mentioned setup can be done?

Ive found wire diagrams for 2 pickups separate volumes no tone switch or toggle. Nothing really mentioning how to wire
into a concentric/stacked pot with push pull. especially, no way to bypass the bridge circuit completely, pushing everything
in just the neck pickup position.
If this is possible, I think for me it would be a good set up since I mostly mess with volume, not so much tone or blend. Like axstar
said, only a couple settings. I run biamped so I can get a lot of my tone out of the amps and a couple pedals I use.

If this isn't feasible, fill me in, or its back to option A.

 

[headtrip762]

Something along these lines? Item #p-1061 Noll electronic.