• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

PJ wiring opinions [HUGE poll, help me narrow it down]

What pickup layout[s] would be cool?

  • P/J with V-V-T

    Votes: 10 45.5%

  • P/J with V-V-T and a selector switch

    Votes: 5 22.7%

  • P/J with stacted V/T for each pickup and a switch

    Votes: 3 13.6%

  • P/J with stacked V/T for each, a switch, and a master volume

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • P/J with a active bass cut/boost, treble cut/boost, blend, and master volume

    Votes: 4 18.2%

  • t/boostP/J with a V-V- stacked active bass cu and treble cut/boost - master volume

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • P/J with a blend - stacked active bass cu and treble cut/boost - master volume

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • J/P/J with a stacked V/T and a on/off switch for each pickup

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • J/P/J with a stacked V/T and a on/off switch for each pickup and a master volume

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Humbucker/P/J with a stacked V/T and a on/off switch for each pickup

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Humbucker/P/J with a stacked V/T and a on/off switch for each pickup and a master volume

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • MM/P/J with a stacked V/T and a on/off switch for each pickup

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • MM/P/J with a stacked V/T and a on/off switch for each pickup and a master volume

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • Other [please enlighten me!]

    Votes: 1 4.5%

  • fool, just slap in a barolini to your passive mexican fender P and learn to play!

    Votes: 2 9.1%
  • Total voters
    22
B

billybassist

Sep 11, 2010
49
0
#1
Hey everyone, I've been doing some thinking on my bass wiring, I'm planning on a PJ, with maybe an extra J up in the telebass position [right up next to the fretboard] and I have a lot of ideas.

You can select multiple options, please vote in the poll and give some reasons why you gave that vote.
 
#2
I say no on ridiculous setups, unless you have the preference for the bass to function a certain way, because otherwise it will just be too complicated and difficult to use.

The standard VVT setup is great for most folks.

My PJ bass is VVT B/T with a 3 way switch.
When I get a PJ set with pickups that match better in volume, I'll probably switch to VT B/T with a 3 way switch.

Also, having passive tones on each pickup is not all that useful.
They interact and become masters when the volume controls are equal.
 
#3
line6man said:
I say no on ridiculous setups, unless you have the preference for the bass to function a certain way, because otherwise it will just be too complicated and difficult to use.

The standard VVT setup is great for most folks.

My PJ bass is VVT B/T with a 3 way switch.
When I get a PJ set with pickups that match better in volume, I'll probably switch to VT B/T with a 3 way switch.

Also, having passive tones on each pickup is not all that useful.
They interact and become masters when the volume controls are equal.
Click to expand...

Silly question, what does the B stand for? I'm having a hard time following your setups
 
#6
I voted "other" in order to mention series/parallel switching.

My Dingwall has a 4-way switch that goes: neck/series/parallel/bridge. Very fun AND useful. (I'm seriously thinking of wiring up my J-bass this way eventually.) Series mode punches through just about anything while parallel mode is more "juicy" (good for slapping).

I find I basically never use subtle blends of pickups so any 2-pickup axes I wire up in the future will always use a switch. YMMV.
 
#7
Jefenator said:
I voted "other" in order to mention series/parallel switching.

My Dingwall has a 4-way switch that goes: neck/series/parallel/bridge. Very fun AND useful. (I'm seriously thinking of wiring up my J-bass this way eventually.) Series mode punches through just about anything while parallel mode is more "juicy" (good for slapping).

I find I basically never use subtle blends of pickups so any 2-pickup axes I wire up in the future will always use a switch. YMMV.
Click to expand...

Hmm, this interests me.

How about a MM/P/J with a stacked volume and tone for each, and instead of an on-off switch a 3 position: /series/parallel/off.


Could this be done? any idea how?
 
#8
billybassist said:
Hmm, this interests me.

How about a MM/P/J with a stacked volume and tone for each, and instead of an on-off switch a 3 position: /series/parallel/off.


Could this be done? any idea how?
Click to expand...

Three tone controls is not a good idea, they will all interact.

If you want to do three volumes and a master tone with a series/single coil/parallel switch on the MM, that might be cool, but of course, you get no master volume.
 
#9
line6man said:
Three tone controls is not a good idea, they will all interact.

If you want to do three volumes and a master tone with a series/single coil/parallel switch on the MM, that might be cool, but of course, you get no master volume.
Click to expand...

Okay, how about a MM/P/J with all 3 having a volume and a 3-way switch for series/parallel/off leading to a stacked master tone and volume?

My main question is how the switch would work, I'm imagining a 3-way toggle where the top is series, the bottom is parallel, and the middle is off [on-off-on switch being used] Can that even be done? Can it be done with 3 pickups? Or do I need to rotary switch/only 2 pickups?
 
#10
billybassist said:
Okay, how about a MM/P/J with all 3 having a volume and a 3-way switch for series/parallel/off leading to a stacked master tone and volume?

My main question is how the switch would work, I'm imagining a 3-way toggle where the top is series, the bottom is parallel, and the middle is off [on-off-on switch being used] Can that even be done? Can it be done with 3 pickups? Or do I need to rotary switch/only 2 pickups?
Click to expand...

So the series/parallel/off switch is for what? The MM pickup, or all three pickups to go series and parallel to each other?

It wouldn't be a good idea to have three pickups in series, I would imagine it would sound terrible and be ridiculously hot.
 
#14
recnsci said:
Passive? If passive, how (if info is in public domain)?

edit: if you're that guy with 172 wiring diagrams on flickr, I've found something that fits description.
Click to expand...

Your tone knob is a passive treble cut (boosting isn't possible without a battery for supplied voltage). If you wire up a tone knob with the capacitor in series, you have a passive bass cut.
 
#15
FunkMetalBass said:
Your tone knob is a passive treble cut (boosting isn't possible without a battery for supplied voltage). If you wire up a tone knob with the capacitor in series, you have a passive bass cut.
Click to expand...

Really? I didn't know that. Could you draw me a diagram of it?


Also, new idea for signal path:

V-selector switch-V-super switch-T-Jack

super switch is an on-off-on toggle

top = to tone knob
middle = kill switch [thus eliminating the need for a master volume, as that's what I use it for anyways]
bottom = to jack [as a tone knob bypass, but now I may make top wired treble cut and bottom wired bass cut, idk]

How does that sound?
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back