I need help - Washburn wiring issue

[Keanu13]

Hi guys a few years ago I was lifted a whasburn xs5 5 string j style bass it was in rough shape and was making any sound while plugged in. Shortly after being gifted the bass I purchased a cheap basic wiring harness with one tone and two volume and a three-way switch.my understanding is the the xs5 has emg j style double stacked pickups wich requires a push pull tone nob.now my question is simply how can I get it wired up and perhaps find a wiring diagram that will work for it.thanks lot

 

[vindibona1]

Is this an active or passive bass? You can telll if it has a battery, or not.
For something simple with a passive system I recommend starting over again with standard pots, capacitors and/or resistors. There are many, many wiring diagrams for different things. You can find a lot of them on Seymour Duncan's website.

If rewiring from scratch I will recommend a Parallel/Series wiring that, with a push-pull pot or a separate witch can switch J style setup into series and provide a broader, thicker, richer sound than parallel. An inexpensive soldering iron and good solder and a little practice can provide so many options.

 

[Keanu13]

Originally it did have a motherboard of some kind , but everything was so corroded In brittle I got rid of it and it also has a battery hole but When I bought the wiring harness off Amazon it's on.It didn't come with that at the time I was just trying to get some sound out of it

 

[Minimalist]

For starters, google jazz bass wiring. Ignore the switch. This is assuming your pickups are passive and the pots are 250 kOhm or 500 kOhm. You could also just connect the pickups to one pot to make sure they work. Once you know they do, you can explore other wiring options.

 

[Jon Cowens]

OK. Let's see what we can find about those pickups. That will lead us to control values.
Found this image in an old post that provides the control configuration.
volume/volume/tone and pickup selector
tone pot is push/pull to switch between active and passive

 

[Jon Cowens]

So these would be passive pickups using an active preamp. Why use a pickup selector and separate volumes?
250k Pot values would be recommended.
Here is a stock jazz passive bass circuit with series/parallel push/pull pot.

 

[Transistor]

>I need help

Tip: your post title should state the topic which seems to be "Wiring diagram for Whasburn (!) XS5". You're much more likely to attract a reader who might have another answer.

 

[Razman]

OP, perhaps look up Les Paul wiring as that’s essentially what you are doing, minus one tone pot. Pickups go to the volume pots, hot leads to the pickup selector, then to the output. Tone lead goes in there somewhere but I’d have to Google a diagram. Should be relatively easy. It appears from your pic those are stock Washburn pickups, not EMG’s. Good luck!

 

[Keanu13]

OK. Let's see what we can find about those pickups. That will lead us to control values.
Found this image in an old post that provides the control configuration.
volume/volume/tone and pickup selector
tone pot is push/pull to switch between active and passive

View attachment 7123405

Where do u find info like that I've been looking for any info on this bass for years

 

[RWRLV]

Probably the same as the ABT series
Thread 'Active/Passive pickups' https://www.talkbass.com/threads/active-passive-pickups.1553596/

 

[Jon Cowens]

That works. If you want to find a preamp, use the circuit in post #10. Apart from the volume pots being wired CCW, it is correct. Who knows, maybe that's how they were configured.
Personnally, I would not be investing in preamp, but here is the 1990 catalog page for the bass that describes the preamp features:
"Funk control that actively boosts high and low frequencies simultaneously while mids remain flat"
Did you take any photos of the original preamp before discarding it and making all of us gasp in horror?

 

[Keanu13]

Unfortunately no I don't think I do lol can a preamp be bought ?

 

[Keanu13]

That works. If you want to find a preamp, use the circuit in post #10. Apart from the volume pots being wired CCW, it is correct. Who knows, maybe that's how they were configured.
Personnally, I would not be investing in preamp, but here is the 1990 catalog page for the bass that describes the preamp features:
"Funk control that actively boosts high and low frequencies simultaneously while mids remain flat"
Did you take any photos of the original preamp before discarding it and making all of us gasp in horror?


View attachment 7125470

I was able to find these pics but I have no idea what any of it means lol

 

[RWRLV]

Funny, seems to be exactly the same as the ABT line (1987-89) they just changed the marketing from "ADVANCED BASS TECHNOLOGY features to Funk! control. Not my pics, You will find tons of info on The Official Washburn Club pages.

 

[RWRLV]

Keanu, post a pic of your control cavity.
MEKer, who basically ran the Washburn Club until he passed away put this up.
I think this will be the best info you will find here. Pretty close to the old ABT line as I suspected.
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/tr...urn-xs-5-from-the-dead.1283991/#post-20034858