Question about wiring a bass with 3 bisonics

[LowWay]

I’m having a bass with 3 dagstar bisonic pickups made. I’m wondering if I can put 3 volume knobs ahead of a switch. I’m thinking a free way switch might be a way to go.

So 3 volume knobs, a switch, then a passive tone knob.?

Anyone have some good recommendations for wiring up this configuration?

The middle pup is rwrp to the other 2.

Thanks for any inspiration here.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Sure, you can have individual volume controls. This diagram looks like the blade Freeway switch will give you all the parallel options plus a couple of series. Just wire the volume pots in before the switch and the tone between the switch and output jack.

 

[BGroovy]

3 volumes is a lot of load. I've done it and was not happy. I prefer three toggles for on/off and master volume/tone

 

[ctmullins]

3 volumes is a lot of load. I've done it and was not happy. I prefer three toggles for on/off and master volume/tone

1000% agree. Three volumes is a lot of load, and isn’t particularly useful either. Switch, master volume, master tone is the way to go.

 

[BGroovy]

I've had this bass wired at least 4 different ways. 3 volumes. 3 volumes push/pull. 6 way switch.

By far the most usable and least tone suck is the current configuration of 3 on/off sliders and master volume/tone.

 

[Pdaddy1978]

Not to mention....thats gonna be alot of knobs!

 

[EdwardofHuncote]

In, just to salute 3 Darkstar Bisonics.

I know nothing about wiring... in fact, if you catch me with a soldering iron inhand and a gleam in my eye, go ahead and get a first aid kit ready. Might put the local fire department on notice too.

But 3 Darkstars is badass. Don't even matter what the bass is.

 

[ColonelZulu]

SEREK BASSES!!!

 

[ColonelZulu]

For sale Serek Midwestern 2

Custom Serek Midwestern 2 with 3 BiSonic Pickups and built in Fuzz

• derekfrank (+1 /0 /-0)
• Feb 5, 2026
• Updated Mar 1, 2026
• Views: 984
• Reaction score: 8
• Comments: 2
• Category: For Sale: Bass Guitars
• serek serek bass serek midwestern short scale short scale bass

$3,500.00

3 watching

 

[LowWay]

Not to mention....thats gonna be alot of knobs!

Bah, my resonant filter pre on this one is a lot of knobs.

 

[Saetia]

SEREK BASSES!!!

For sale Serek Midwestern 2

Custom Serek Midwestern 2 with 3 BiSonic Pickups and built in Fuzz

• derekfrank (+1 /0 /-0)
• Feb 5, 2026
• Updated Mar 1, 2026
• Views: 984
• Reaction score: 8
• Comments: 2
• Category: For Sale: Bass Guitars
• serek serek bass serek midwestern short scale short scale bass

$3,500.00

3 watching

Came here to say Serek. I’m toying real hard with the idea of 3 x Serek Singles instead of the L3 in my Walnut Lincoln. Normal 2x locations plus one toward bridge.

 

[sunbeast]

Personally I'd be inclined to make the bridge pickup the RWRP one based on my experience with 3-pickup bass instruments. N+B for the more modern scoop thing (twang + boom), M+B for tighter/honkier stuff. M+N to me usually compromises the best parts of either of those pickups soloed, so just not much there that I like. RWRP bridge pickup is how I've got my Bass VI set up and much prefer it to the stock RWRP Middle setup (and of course you still get access to the M+N sounds, they will just be noisier).

I think 3 individual volume controls + switch works fine, with the volume controls before the switch the loading issue only really comes into play when all 3 pickups are on at once which I suspect won't be a setting you'll use much if at all based on my experience. I had a J-bass with dual Darkstars (in roughly the 60s or 70s J positions depending on the orientation of the bridge pickup, as it could be flipped) long ago and really liked partial blend settings with those pickups, I think just the switch alone would mean missing out on a lot of useful tones.

Based on my dual DS bass, I would recommend potentially playing around with the "vintage capacitor" ala Rickenbacker 4001/3 basses- its a simple high-pass capacitor on the bridge pickup that makes the blended settings a whole new vibe! I can't remember what cap I used in my DS bass, but it was a really useful switchable mod for me.

3-pickup bass, you could even just do an homage to the Bass VI switch plate for the switching and use the 4th switch for a bridge-only HPF capacitor. That's probably what I'd do! In fact, a Bass IV with three of those Dagstars sounds like a cool concept to me!

 

[edwinhurwitz]

I have a three pickup bass and my goal is to have individual volumes, but to have each pickup buffered before they are combined. My experience is that this works well.

 

[DJ Bebop]

My 3 pickup P Bass of Doom I did as a kid in da 70s with little to no knowledge on the subject.

1962 P bass
Guild-DeArmond humbucker
The original 62 P
Late 60s Jazz bridge
Fretless
String though body

Vol-vol-vol with phase switches on P and J pickups. The single coils with the humbucker end up being half out of phase with the switches. No tone control. I change the tone by blending the pickups with the volume controls, especially with use of the phase switches. It's kinda striking as you blend one against the other.
It can get buzzy


I have been thinking of pulling the pickguard, redoing the electronics on a new pickguard. Replace the Guild with some sort of Bi-sonic derivative. That would be a good time to look into the loading situation.

Anyway dis ting…

Hey, it was da 70s, I was a kid into that hippie San Francisco sound and seeing my heroes modding their bases I thought I could and should, even though I didn't know what I was doing, maybe an occasional article or hippie friends' suggestions.

 

[TomB]

My 3 pickup P Bass of Doom I did as a kid in da 70s with little to no knowledge on the subject.

1962 P bass
Guild-DeArmond humbucker
The original 62 P
Late 60s Jazz bridge
Fretless
String though body

Vol-vol-vol with phase switches on P and J pickups. The single coils with the humbucker end up being half out of phase with the switches. No tone control. I change the tone by blending the pickups with the volume controls, especially with use of the phase switches. It's kinda striking as you blend one against the other.
It can get buzzy


I have been thinking of pulling the pickguard, redoing the electronics on a new pickguard. Replace the Guild with some sort of Bi-sonic derivative. That would be a good time to look into the loading situation.

Anyway dis ting…

View attachment 7477586

Hey, it was da 70s, I was a kid into that hippie San Francisco sound and seeing my heroes modding their bases I thought I could and should, even though I didn't know what I was doing, maybe an occasional article or hippie friends' suggestions.

I hear ya! You shoulda seen what I did to my Oly white ‘62 P back in ‘70! For better or worse, the bass was stolen in ‘71 and no pics survive. I can’t help you at all on the rewire, but I can at least share empathy . BTW, string -through? How did that happen?

 

[DJ Bebop]

I hear ya! You shoulda seen what I did to my Oly white ‘62 P back in ‘70! For better or worse, the bass was stolen in ‘71 and no pics survive. I can’t help you at all on the rewire, but I can at least share empathy . BTW, string -through? How did that happen?

With a drill

Someone gave me some Telecaster bass ferrules, so I installed them.

 

[ColonelZulu]

Came here to say Serek. I’m toying real hard with the idea of 3 x Serek Singles instead of the L3 in my Walnut Lincoln. Normal 2x locations plus one toward bridge.

I’d love bisonics in my upcoming MW2, but it’s going to be a 5-string. I believe David Novak has made prototypes for a 5 string. I’m not sure if we can get those into it next year. We can hope.

 

[TomB]

I’d love bisonics in my upcoming MW2, but it’s going to be a 5-string. I believe David Novak has made prototypes for a 5 string. I’m not sure if we can get those into it next year. We can hope.

Just curious what you currently plan to use - Serek singles?

 

[ColonelZulu]

Just curious what you currently plan to use - Serek singles?

Nordy Big Blades

 

[andare]

I looked up those pickups. I can't afford one, let alone 3

I think 3 volume knobs would be impractical. How many different tones do you really need? With a 3 way switch you'll have 5 tones plus the tone control.