So... I had chance to buy a decent P-Bass body really cheap, so I did. I am starting to look at buying all the other parts to put a a good bass together... But i know jack-sh!t about the electronics... I recenty saw on eBay a PBass pickup earthing plate... Do I need this? I'm planning to buy the pickups and pots soon second hand, ideally lifted straight out of another bass so i can drop in to mine without having to do any soldering, just wondering if i'm over-simplifying this and that there could be more to do...?!
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P-Bass Project Question: Earthing?
- Thread starter UK_Lefty
- Start date
IMO, no you don't need it , especially if you plan on doing a full shielding job (Which is probably a good idea anyway).
Yes, shield it and you're probably good to go. It will require you to make a couple of solder connections though.
You can buy wiring looms for a P and this saves a lot of bother. All you have to do is solder the pickup leads to the potentiometers. Good looms even come with a blob of solder, so you're as prepared as you can be!
Davo
Davo
I once tried SLUG TAPE for Shielding as the PAINT on Black stuff can be Dear 30ml=£6.
P-Bass is nice and simple 2 Pickups in Series
down to a TONE POT (with one Capacitor coming out of it)
and then on to the VOLUME POT
Then off to the TIP of the Jack Socket
Metal Casing and the other end of the PICKUP to GROUND and the Rest of the JACK.
After all that its down to MODs if you want, Mainly Tone Switching and Bleeding.
One thing Ive been doing with my P-Bass, is putting the Jack on the Side
P-Bass is nice and simple 2 Pickups in Series
down to a TONE POT (with one Capacitor coming out of it)
and then on to the VOLUME POT
Then off to the TIP of the Jack Socket
Metal Casing and the other end of the PICKUP to GROUND and the Rest of the JACK.
After all that its down to MODs if you want, Mainly Tone Switching and Bleeding.
One thing Ive been doing with my P-Bass, is putting the Jack on the Side
In your experience, is it possible (with a good earthing) to have a completly silent P bass (passive)? I got a new P-bass and the earthing seems to have been done well but, if the tone is open and i do not touch the strings or metallic part i can hear a little buzz...i'm wondering if maybe it's normal regardless of the goodness of shielding/earthing...i'm speaking about something you can hear only with high volume and open tone..
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
The fact it stops when you touch metal/strings/bridge indicates that it is RF interference. Your bass requires shielding in order to stop that noise.
could it be something else ? like for exemple the cable or the building earthing? I mean...100% sure that is the bass?
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
Sorry for the long delay, I forgot to do some follow-ups. If you have checked your bass with another set of cables and amp then it is definitely the bass and that is your solution. I have never had an amp cause RF noise issues but I have had bad cables cause noise.
These plates are completely and utterly worthless, and that is why Fender ditched them like 50 years ago. It was a failed concept. The only time that people use them now is to be period-correct.
