Show us your 3 pickup basses!

[BlueTalon]

Earlier in this thread I posted my first 3-pickup bass, a rather spectacular looking Ric (if I do say so myself).

A little later, I discussed having Warmoth do a custom 3-pickup route on a new body. It has been a while, but I finally got pictures taken and uploaded. (My phone is a dumb phone, so I had to use an actual camera. One with a proprietary USB connection. Which I couldn't find the cable for.)

So here is the beginning of my next 3-pickup bass.

So far, I have completely shielded all cavities with copper including the bridge route, and made sure everything was connected/grounded; installed a tele-style jack plate (a machined one, not a stamped sheet metal one), three Fender split-coil humbucking J pickups, and a Schaller bridge.

All the hardware is & will be gloss black. The neck is a Warmoth J neck, wenge on bubinga. I plan to have Mike Lull install it, set it up, and have it Plek'd.

The body is now in Texas having a Turnstyle switch and custom electronics installed (more about that when I have it all back). Unfortunately for me, I forgot to take a picture until I already had it packaged up to ship, and I put a lot of effort into making sure it was very well protected, so I wasn't about to undo that just for a picture. Oh well.

 

[Barkless Dog]

Not sure dummy pickups count?

Two in the front

a dummy in the rear

 

[BlueTalon]

Why is it a dummy? Did you take it out?

Bottom line -- if there's an actual third pickup, it counts. And it would be very cool. But a dummy doesn't count IMO.

 

[Stealth]

A dummy coil comes into the circuit whenever any "real" single-coil pickup is soloed, and acts as the other half of a humbucking pair - it doesn't sense the string (usually because there are no polepieces or no magnet), but it senses the hum and cancels it out. If this is done passively, it will affect the sound.

So, it's a gray area. I'd let it pass this time since it's still a gorgeous bass.

 

[KISSbestfan]

By some time I got my hands on this bass. Soem years ago it belonged to my friend, and I'm not quite sure if he still got it:

Link Removed

of course its another Made in USSR with loads of addictional settings and effects.

 

[Flux Jetson]

Why is it a dummy? Did you take it out?

Bottom line -- if there's an actual third pickup, it counts. And it would be very cool. But a dummy doesn't count IMO.

It "counts" because it is still in the circuitry. As Stealth said it is used as the second half of a humbucking coil arrangement, it just doesn't produce any sound. This is an old and very well proven engineering trick used at least as far back as the early 70s (and most likely before that).

I've done two threads on dummy pickups myself. They're highly useful elements in some basses.

Like Stealth said, let's let this one slide, there's been a little tolerance in this thread about what "counts" as a third pickup in the. I mean it's not like it's a contest or anything, y'know? It all about showing how various players are using the third pickup in their basses. I say let's give him a pass.

 

[Flux Jetson]

By some time I got my hands on this bass. Soem years ago it belonged to my friend, and I'm not quite sure if he still got it:

Link Removed

of course its another Made in USSR with loads of addictional settings and effects.

This is one very cool bass!

I know you accidently misspelled "additional" but I like the double meaning of the all new word you came up with ....

.... loads of addictional settings and effects ....

Very very well said! I think I'm adopting that one.

 

[BlueTalon]

A dummy coil comes into the circuit whenever any "real" single-coil pickup is soloed, and acts as the other half of a humbucking pair - it doesn't sense the string (usually because there are no polepieces or no magnet), but it senses the hum and cancels it out. If this is done passively, it will affect the sound.

So, it's a gray area. I'd let it pass this time since it's still a gorgeous bass.

It "counts" because it is still in the circuitry. As Stealth said it is used as the second half of a humbucking coil arrangement, it just doesn't produce any sound. This is an old and very well proven engineering trick used at least as far back as the early 70s (and most likely before that).

I've done two threads on dummy pickups myself. They're highly useful elements in some basses.

Like Stealth said, let's let this one slide, there's been a little tolerance in this thread about what "counts" as a third pickup in the. I mean it's not like it's a contest or anything, y'know? It all about showing how various players are using the third pickup in their basses. I say let's give him a pass.

My bad. I blame it on the drugs. (I'm fighting off a sinus infection and a raging sore throat.) I remembered what a dummy coil is once I read the explanations, but for some reason I had it in my head that dummy = fake. That for some reason, someone originally wanted people to think there was a 3rd pickup there when there really wasn't -- which completely didn't make sense to me since the opening for it was on the back.

Apologies to Barkless Dog.

 

[Doner Designs]

This one is very cool - I can see why its addictional.

What do the switches do?

By some time I got my hands on this bass. Soem years ago it belonged to my friend, and I'm not quite sure if he still got it:

Link Removed

of course its another Made in USSR with loads of addictional settings and effects.

 

[Doner Designs]

How does the dummy coil affect the tone as compared to a real pickup? I know it kills hum, but do you get less phase cancelation than with a real pickup? I assume there must be some advantage.

Not sure dummy pickups count?

Two in the front

a dummy in the rear

 

[Doner Designs]

I love the Warmoth BlueTalon!! I've been pondering doing something very similar but not sure if I would use J's, Big Singles or MM. Not sure if 3 MM's would even fit. Be sure to repost when finished and tell us about the wiring!

By the way, how are those pickups spaced out? Are the rear two in the normal J position or did you have to adjust in order to have the three symetrically centered between bridge and neck?

If you did non-standard spacing, I'd be interested in how easy/difficult it was to communicate what you wanted to Warmoth.

Earlier in this thread I posted my first 3-pickup bass, a rather spectacular looking Ric (if I do say so myself).

A little later, I discussed having Warmoth do a custom 3-pickup route on a new body. It has been a while, but I finally got pictures taken and uploaded. (My phone is a dumb phone, so I had to use an actual camera. One with a proprietary USB connection. Which I couldn't find the cable for.)

So here is the beginning of my next 3-pickup bass.

So far, I have completely shielded all cavities with copper including the bridge route, and made sure everything was connected/grounded; installed a tele-style jack plate (a machined one, not a stamped sheet metal one), three Fender split-coil humbucking J pickups, and a Schaller bridge.

All the hardware is & will be gloss black. The neck is a Warmoth J neck, wenge on bubinga. I plan to have Mike Lull install it, set it up, and have it Plek'd.

The body is now in Texas having a Turnstyle switch and custom electronics installed (more about that when I have it all back). Unfortunately for me, I forgot to take a picture until I already had it packaged up to ship, and I put a lot of effort into making sure it was very well protected, so I wasn't about to undo that just for a picture. Oh well.

 

[BlueTalon]

By some time I got my hands on this bass. Soem years ago it belonged to my friend, and I'm not quite sure if he still got it:

Link Removed

of course its another Made in USSR with loads of addictional settings and effects.

Wow! That bass has serious potential! Made in the USSR, eh? I am envious.

There are several style things on it that point to a 60's-70's-ish construction, the turquoise in the pickups, the tuners, switches, knobs, and body shape. Some people like that look, or would at least be motivated to maintain things like that in their original condition.

Personally, I would update it, but I have never been sentimental toward original components, paint, etc., on American stuff or anything else. I think this bass would look stunning with metal dome knobs (perhaps with turquoise tops to match the pickups), new switches, and a new pickguard to accommodate them, and Schaller or Gotoh tuners

It is certainly eye-catching!

 

[BlueTalon]

I love the Warmoth BlueTalon!! I've been pondering doing something very similar but not sure if I would use J's, Big Singles or MM. Not sure if 3 MM's would even fit. Be sure to repost when finished and tell us about the wiring!

By the way, how are those pickups spaced out? Are the rear two in the normal J position or did you have to adjust in order to have the three symetrically centered between bridge and neck?

If you did non-standard spacing, I'd be interested in how easy/difficult it was to communicate what you wanted to Warmoth.

The bridge pickup is in the normal position. The two neck pickup routes are spaced 2" edge-to-edge. They were both custom routes. Getting them done was a matter of figuring out exactly what I wanted before contacting Warmoth -- then I called and talked to a sales rep, and explained what I wanted over the phone. Once we were both sure he knew exactly what I wanted, he sent an email order spec sheet, and I confirmed it. They charged $45 per custom route, so it was an additional $90.

Overall, I'd say the process was pretty easy. The most important thing IMO is deciding what you want before you make the phone call -- or at least narrow down the options to the point where you have specific questions.

I will be happy to tell you all about the electronics at a later date -- but I don't want to say anything about it now. I'm working with Michael at Turnstyle Switch in creating a unique approach to tone control. If it works as well as we hope, it will become a signature system and I'll become an endorsing artist. And then I'll blab about it every chance I get.

FYI, I do believe you can fit three MM pickups in there. My next Warmoth build has two MM pickups, routed in the standard/default positions. (In the body builder, or in the options for showcase bodies, simply select MM for your neck pickup and for your bridge pickup, and this is how they are routed.) As you can see, there is almost enough space to fit a third pup between them. You would have to get two custom routes like I did (or maybe three), but there is more than enough room for three MM pups between the bridge and the neck. And it looks like there's enough room without even re-positioning the bridge pickup.

 

[mgalat]

You people do bad things to my wallet. I have a Peavey Milestone 3 laying around (my first bass) and have several thoughts rolling around in my noggin.

One potential option would be

The MM (in the normal position) would be wired such that you could select one or both pickups, the pbass pup would be scooted toward the neck a bit to allow for the MM pickup, and the J pup would hopefully be in the "Ric" neck position if spacing allows.

This is still all in the idea phase (I have enough stuff on my plate already), but you people keep giving me ideas.

 

[Doner Designs]

You people do bad things to my wallet. I have a Peavey Milestone 3 laying around (my first bass) and have several thoughts rolling around in my noggin.

One potential option would be

The MM (in the normal position) would be wired such that you could select one or both pickups, the pbass pup would be scooted toward the neck a bit to allow for the MM pickup, and the J pup would hopefully be in the "Ric" neck position if spacing allows.

This is still all in the idea phase (I have enough stuff on my plate already), but you people keep giving me ideas.

Sharing cool/fun ideas is what its about. I like where you are headed!

Your pickguard template looks familiar...check this out:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/rebuild-eb-j-jj-eb-p-mm-twins-968262/

 

[mgalat]

Wow. That's spot on. I would love to see a wiring diagram of what you did there with the EB-P-MM if you have a chance.

 

[Flux Jetson]

..... you people keep giving me ideas.

"I can't stop thinking big, I can't stop thinking big .... "

(My new montra. Thanks to the new Rush album, the song "Caravan".)

I keep threatening to use that as my signature. I think I'll go for it.

 

[Doner Designs]

Wow. That's spot on. I would love to see a wiring diagram of what you did there with the EB-P-MM if you have a chance.

I don't have a diagram, but can describe it pretty easily...

- Standard J bass wiring with the following exceptions
- 3 way mini toggle selects between middle and far neck pickup - both use the neck volume control
- Bass cut control added (similar to G&L passive tone controls). Link below explains that.
- Push/pull for hybrid split on the MM. This means a capacitor (.005, I think) is placed between the series connection of the pickup and ground. This makes it single coil at high frequencies and humbucking at low frequencies. Another G&L concept that David from SGD Lutherie clued me in about.

Invalid Link Removed

I rarely use the two neck pickups together, so sharing a volume control works out ok. The rewire plans (in the other thread) I have are more about me wanting to try new experiments than a real need. Here's where that is headed...

Preliminary wiring plans...

J Bass:
- Series/Parallel/off toggle for each of 4 pickups
- Series/Parallel among the multiple J pickups
- Volume for each of the 4 pickups
- Master volume
- Master treble
- Master bass
- Preamp??
- Master kill
- Dual jacks (master+optional for mudbucker)

P Bass:
- On/off toggle for each of 3 pickups
- Volume for each of the 3 pickups
- Spin-a-split for the MM pickup
- Master volume
- Master treble
- Master bass
- Master kill
- Triple jacks (master+optional to split all 3)

The reason for multiple jacks (like on Billy's Wife) is that the pickups fight one another a bit because they are so different in impedance (?). Not a huge problem though...I am mostly doing it just to try it.

The spin a split concept can be found on Seymour Duncan's wiring diagram page (the best one out there I think - because they are easy to read pictures rather than schematics).

 

[Barkless Dog]

How does the dummy coil affect the tone as compared to a real pickup? I know it kills hum, but do you get less phase cancelation than with a real pickup? I assume there must be some advantage.

I'm not sure. The pickup I used is identical to the other two, but I had it demagnitized by Lindy Fralin. It seems simple but is a pretty complicated wiring system.

 

[Envincibal]

Here is a rather poor photoshop job of what my rapture should look like in the next couple of weeks.

It started off as a single soapbar Rapture in purple (the paint was cracking pretty badly, and well, purple isn't cutting it for me - I play metal and would get my ass kicked if I showed up with a purple bass - LOL). The bass has since been sanded, routed for 2 additional J pickups, painted black, and a host of clear coats added (the final coats added yesterday). Now comes the hard part... waiting for the clear coats to cure for the next 7-10 days and then I can start the sanding and buffing process.

The hardware was originally chrome, but I've purchased black tuners from Carvin and a black hipshot bridge. The pickguard is white pearloid, which is just OK, so I'll be purchasing a black pearloid along with a black one, which I hope to create some decals (like the one in the attached image).

The electronics and pickups... Aguliar OBP-3 (push/pull for active/passive). I'm keeping the Bart soapbar, and was originally going to put in Barts from another J/J Rapture, but there seems to be a difference in output between the J's and the SB, so it looks like I'll be purchasing some Delano JMVC's

I'm setting up the controls so that I can use a DTDP switch to choose between the J pickups alone (they'll be on a blend pot for neck and bridge blending), J's and Soapbar, or just the Soapbar.

I'll some pics of the actual bass as I move forward.