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New wiring for my PJ

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by mbelue, Jan 4, 2015.

  1. Jan 4, 2015 #1
    mbelue

    mbelue

    Dec 11, 2010
    My wife got me a new set of pickups for my first bass. Awesome.
    It's a 90's Artist series Samick.
    Originally it was wired with passive pickups, single volume, single tone and a three-way toggle.
    Maybe 12 years ago it got a set of EMGs, still wired volume/tone/three way toggle.

    So fast forward to now, I've a fresh set of Dimarzio's.
    This time I'd like to do something different with the toggle stitch.
    Instead of neck only/both parallel/bridge, I'd like the combined position to be series.

    I'm guessing I need more than just a DPDT to accomplish this.
    A DP3T? A DP4T? Medium length shaft fits instruments without a pickguard?
    I could take it to a tech but learning DIY never hurts right?
     
  2. Jan 4, 2015 #2
    iiipopes

    iiipopes Supporting Member

    May 4, 2009
    The best way to do it is to keep your switch as is, then replace the neck volume pot with a push-pull to do the series bit, so you have all the combinations: neck, bridge, neck + bridge parallel, neck + bridge series. This is what the S1 switch on a new Fender Jazz Bass does.
     
  3. Jan 4, 2015 #3
    mbelue

    mbelue

    Dec 11, 2010
    See I suppose I should give the full detail.
    I've got a 500k Push pull in mind for the volume pot. The plan is to use it for the Dimarzo "dual sound" on the Jazz pickup.
    And the "tone" knob will be a Tonestyler.
    So that kinda runs me out of options for switched pots.
    I could go for the rotary switch but that makes the quick switch to a different sound more difficult mid song.
    Also like to keep master volume only.
     
  4. Jan 4, 2015 #4
    line6man

    line6man

    Jun 20, 2008
    Close to Los Angeles, CA
    Actually, what you need is simpler than a double pole switch. You need SPDT Center-Off switch. One throw goes to the hot, the other throw goes to ground, and the common goes to the series link between the coils.
     
    mbelue likes this.
  5. Jan 4, 2015 #5
    mbelue

    mbelue

    Dec 11, 2010
    So in one direction it shorts one pickup, in the other it shorts the other and in the middle its off and allows the pair to operate in series?
    Do I understand this correct?
     
  6. Jan 4, 2015 #6
    line6man

    line6man

    Jun 20, 2008
    Close to Los Angeles, CA
    Yes.
     
    mbelue likes this.
  7. Jan 5, 2015 #7
    walterw

    walterw Supportive Fender Commercial User

    Feb 20, 2009
    alpha-music.com
    you're not gonna much useful out of that arrangement, with split-coil pickups parallel just sounds kind of the same but weaker.

    the exception might be if you did go with series for the pair of pickups, you might find that putting both the P and the J in parallel with themselves first keeps the two combined in series from getting too muddy.

    you could use a 4PDT on-on to throw both pickups in parallel, in order to facilitate a better sound when you then switch the pair into series together.
     
  8. Jan 5, 2015 #8
    mbelue

    mbelue

    Dec 11, 2010
    Maybe so. Might be a fun experiment next.
    I'm happy to lose the EMGs because how sparkly clear they are. So right now I'm looking into the most aggressive ways to wire it.
    Thanks for the ideas though.