P/J Bass wiring schematic help (is this possible?)

[Lukejt]

I just wired up my P/J Special Deluxe per the above schematic, only difference is I put the push pull in the top. Works as advertised, but for the life of me I cannot hear the difference between the volume turned off on the bridge vs pulling the switch, the tone sounds the same to me. Maybe overkill? Dunno, it was a fun project.

I think the company I ordered the pots from sent linear taper, I don't like them at all. The volume/tone being turned down has almost no effect until the very last 1/8 of a turn or so.

Finally, I prefer the function of volume/blend/tone to volume/volume/tone.

 

[line6man]

I think the company I ordered the pots from sent linear taper, I don't like them at all. The volume/tone being turned down has almost no effect until the very last 1/8 of a turn or so.

That is typical of a tone control with a linear taper, but certainly not typical of a volume control with a linear taper.
Linear volumes should give you a nice smooth sweep from "10" to "0".

Are you sure you've done everything correctly?

 

[Lukejt]

Yeah, I've got experience with wiring, soldering etc. Everything works great, just not happy with the taper. All my other guitars/pots work correctly.

Thanks for posting the diagram!

 

[rodgersk24]

My personal preference is the two volumes plus a pickup selector switch configuration.

You get the traditional P vibe with the P soloed, and the traditional J vibe with both volumes on, and the P rolled all the way down.

Any chance you could point me towards that diagram in your flickr library? That sounds really interesting!

When you say two volumes, do you mean two volumes and a tone, or no tone? Also, is that a 2 or 3 way switch?

Thanks line6man!

 

[line6man]

Any chance you could point me towards that diagram in your flickr library? That sounds really interesting!

When you say two volumes, do you mean two volumes and a tone, or no tone? Also, is that a 2 or 3 way switch?

Thanks line6man!

Three way switch, and the tone control is optional.

Worth noting, this scheme is set up with the wiper terminal of the volume pots feeding the output rather than the pickup, so if you roll either volume all the way down when both pickups are selected, it mutes the total output.

You can swap terminals one and two of the volume pots if you want to be able to have two volume controls with the J pickup soloed, like on a typical Jazz bass, but a similar effect could probably be had by just rolling down the J pickup's volume a touch to simulate the second pot's load.

 

[Lukejt]

I took a pic before I installed the PG....

(man that's a big cap...)

 

[satrams]

If it's an 80's Jazz Bass Special, then the 3 way toggle switch in neck position already solos the P pickups.

 

[walterw]

I have 3 fender P bass specials from the late 80's with passive P and J configurations. I know that they underwind the P so it does not overpower the J in this type of design...

yeah, i don't know that at all.

they usually have the same pickup as any other P bass; the jazz is never gonna "balance" with it anyway, it just changes the tone of the P when you dial it in, giving you that characteristic mid-scoop.

 

[Larry Noodles]

What about the effect of a blend pot on the P pickup tone? If you roll the pot completely to solo the P, it's cutting the J out of the circuit just like a switch would, correct?

I have to admit that I don't really know how blend pots work though, so I'm guessing here.