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Schematic help needed

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by LowB-ing, Jul 31, 2009.

  1. Jul 31, 2009 #1
    LowB-ing

    LowB-ing

    Aug 3, 2005
    I have a bass with 2 passive single coils and a preamp.
    The single coils are mixed passively (in parallel) before the (single channel) pre.
    There's no blend pot nor is there any individual volume pots. Both pups are always on full, and that's how I like it. Volume is controlled by the pre.

    A guitar builder is modding this bass for me, and the mods I've requested are:
    - Series/parallel switch
    - Passive tone pot with bypass switch. (EDIT: This is not a preamp bypass or passive mode, just an extra passive tonepot before the pre)
    - Ric style bass-cut capacitor on the bridge coil only, with bypass switch

    Everything works fine in parallel mode. Both the tone pot and bass cut works as expected. Switching to series works fine with the tone or bass-cut (or both) bypassed.

    The problem arises when you switch to series mode and turn on BOTH the tone pot and bass-cut. No sound. The builder says he does not know how to solve this.

    If someone could provide a schematic on how to correctly wire this, I would be very thankful!
     
  2. Jul 31, 2009 #2
    Silent Fly

    Silent Fly Commercial User

    May 8, 2006
    London - UK
    Owner/designer [sfx]
    I think it would help if you could show us the schematics of the current configuration.
     
  3. Jul 31, 2009 #3
    JTE

    JTE Gold Supporting Member

    Mar 12, 2008
    Central Illinois, USA
    Yeah, let us see specifically how it's wired now. And, BTW, a real schematic would be more helpful than a pictorial.

    John
     
  4. Jul 31, 2009 #4
    LowB-ing

    LowB-ing

    Aug 3, 2005
    Thanks for your input.

    Unfortunately The bass is at the builders place, an hour and a half away. And I'm not shure I'd be able to make a schematic if I had it. I can sort of read them, but if I made one I'd most likely make mistakes. The builder knows this stuff better than me, but he's not really an electronics expert as far as I know (builds beautiful guitars, though). I'm not shure he could whip up a schematic but I know he could follow one if he had one.

    Anyway, lets not approach this like a trouble shooting session just yet. Rather, how would you wire this up if you did it from scratch?
     
  5. Aug 2, 2009 #5
    LowB-ing

    LowB-ing

    Aug 3, 2005
    No takers?

    To rephrase the question. How would one wire the following:

    2 single coil pickups
    Series/parallel switch
    Bass cut capacitor on only the bridge pickup, with bypass switch.
    Tone control with bypass switch.

    No blend or volume controls at all.
    Let's ignore the pre for the time being and start passive.

    I would be very grateful if someone could make a schematic or wiring diagram for this.
     
  6. Aug 2, 2009 #6
    line6man

    line6man

    Jun 20, 2008
    Close to Los Angeles, CA
    I'll do you a diagram, but you're going to have to explain this bass cut switch to me first.
     
  7. Aug 3, 2009 #7
    LowB-ing

    LowB-ing

    Aug 3, 2005
    It's a Rickenbacker style capacitor in series with the bridge pickup to cut bass. It has a switch that takes it out of the circuit.
     
  8. Aug 3, 2009 #8
    line6man

    line6man

    Jun 20, 2008
    Close to Los Angeles, CA
    Like this?

    3784940349_4cc3a34e7c.png
     
  9. Aug 3, 2009 #9
    LowB-ing

    LowB-ing

    Aug 3, 2005
    Thank you!

    Very kind of you line6man. I appreciate it.

    On a related note. Does a bass cut capacitor work the same if it's placed before or after a pickup? What I really want to know is if it will filter only the bridge pickup in series mode too, or will it filter both pickups in series mode?