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PJ Bass rewiring (with DiMarzio PUs)

C

Caksi

Nov 28, 2008
37
0
#1
Hi guys! I have a Pbass '78. with P+J config. of DiMarzio's model P and model J.
Since they are wired with each own volume pot (with s/p switching), and single tone pot (this is "meant to be - config.), there is no way to get a blended - "mixed" (P+J) sound easy (I need to adjust volume knobs without sacrificing the output power)!

I would like to try to manage pots this way: one Master volume (with push-pull for s/p), pu selector pot (clockwise for P, opposite for J), and one tone pot (as it used to be)!

I would like to hear (read:) ) some thoughts, how would this config. apply to circuty (electrics)? Is it possible to rewire this way, and keep the old "tones"? 'Cause I really like the sound as-is, but would like to manage things easier for me (as player)!

Thanks alot for suggestions!

(sorry for my bad english)
 
#4
Well it is possible to do a blend / master volume / tone in a passive bass but it doesn't work as nicely as in an active bass because of additional pickup loading issues. Even the passive vol / vol / tone on the typical J-bass doesn't work as smoothly as I would like IME / IMO, but it seems to work somewhat better than the blend option (I've tried both). You may have searched, but here's a thread discussing this topic just in case:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=256769

It's not expensive to do and you can try it to see if you like it. I have a Brice Z6 fretless that was originally active / passive with a simple preamp that did nothing more than act as a buffer. It had a master volume, blend, and two tone pots all wired passively that either fed the preamp or bypassed it to feed the jack directly in passive mode via a push-pull switch on the blend. It didn't work very well. I wound up ripping it all out and adding an EMG preamp and my own custom dual-FET buffer / mixer with separate volume pots (so it's active only now). Actually I might look into converting that to a blend at some point.
 
#6
Oh, finally... thank you for answers guys.
I'm gonna try it anyway, in some way... some day :bassist:

@senorblues
3 way switch is not something that will do the job for me... I need a blend, for pickup "panorama", so I can make the SOUND all along the way of middle position (middle of 3way switch=P+J). Maybe a 5way switch, but it's not "user friendly" way... and again, not the real deal. But thanks anyway!

@garryjazzman
Even the passive vol / vol / tone on the typical J-bass doesn't work as smoothly as I would like IME / IMO, but it seems to work somewhat better than the blend option
Click to expand...

I've heard jazzbass with blend... and it was ok, but pu's on jazz bass are in the "same maner", sounding pretty much the same way (ignoring the position n/b), and it's like you move pickup backward-forward. IN P+J configuration, you have diferent "maners", and u can loose some tone characteristics of one pickup when the volume of that pickup is rolled off, so when u do that to a P pu (for the dominance of mid-growling J pu), u just loose low end (and complete power - output), and mid's are where they were, not in front.
 

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