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Show us your 3 pickup basses!

#341
Very nice clean under-the-hood work, Flux!

Seeing those pictures reminded me of something you said earlier (I'm pretty sure it was you) about grounding the pot bodies with a soldered ground wire, and not relying on contact with a metal control plate or anything else for a ground. Question: is there any trick involved? I have heard it is possible to damage the internal workings of a pot if you do it wrong. If true, I'm guessing it's either heat damage to a conductive component, or the potential for warping.
 
#342
BlueTalon said:
Very nice clean under-the-hood work, Flux!

Seeing those pictures reminded me of something you said earlier (I'm pretty sure it was you) about grounding the pot bodies with a soldered ground wire, and not relying on contact with a metal control plate or anything else for a ground. Question: is there any trick involved? I have heard it is possible to damage the internal workings of a pot if you do it wrong. If true, I'm guessing it's either heat damage to a conductive component, or the potential for warping.
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Well, I'm sure anyone can screw something up if they try hard enough. But the shells that the wires are soldered to (for grounding) are spaced away from the internals by about 1/16" or so. So you'd have to really be inept to fry the innards. Use a 40watt or so soldering pen, the higher wattage allows you to get it done faster and subject anything inside to heat for shorter durations.

I'm on my way out the door for a Dr. Appt right now, when I get back I'll post some pics of pot innards that I took so you can see what you're dealing with and the clearances between the metal shells and the actual internal workings.

And THANKS for the compliments!

Gotta jet!

Fluxtard.
 
#343
Flux Jetson said:
Well, I'm sure anyone can screw something up if they try hard enough. But the shells that the wires are soldered to (for grounding) are spaced away from the internals by about 1/16" or so. So you'd have to really be inept to fry the innards. Use a 40watt or so soldering pen, the higher wattage allows you to get it done faster and subject anything inside to heat for shorter durations.

I'm on my way out the door for a Dr. Appt right now, when I get back I'll post some pics of pot innards that I took so you can see what you're dealing with and the clearances between the metal shells and the actual internal workings.

And THANKS for the compliments!

Gotta jet!

Fluxtard.
Click to expand...


I agree its not too hard to solder pot bodies. I did once slop a glob of solder inside of a pot ruining it, but that was carelessness on my part.

Another trick - I can never get solder to stick to mini toggle switch bodies. So...I cut a thin strip of copper shielding tape and wrap it around the switch. Then you can solder to the copper tape which works as long as the wire is tied down so it won't pull the tape off.
 
#344
Doner Designs said:
I agree its not too hard to solder pot bodies. I did once slop a glob of solder inside of a pot ruining it, but that was carelessness on my part.

Another trick - I can never get solder to stick to mini toggle switch bodies. So...I cut a thin strip of copper shielding tape and wrap it around the switch. Then you can solder to the copper tape which works as long as the wire is tied down so it won't pull the tape off.
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In addition to using copper tape, use a brass tack with the big round head to attach the tape to the body and solder the brass head to the copper tape. You can also solder a grounding wire to the brass tack and then push it through whatever type of shielding foil/tape you're using. The large head makes solid and broad contact with the shielding foil, ensuring a complete grounding system.

I use 2 inch wide aluminum foil tape (available at Homer Depot in like 100 foot rolls). It's adhesive backed, y'know, like tape. It forms easily inside of cavities and takes well enough to soldering to it.

Try sanding the zinc plating off of the metal portions of the minitoggle (or whatever) before soldering, it usually makes things solder up right nice after doing so. Use emery cloth and make efforts to keep any sanding grit from getting in the works of the switch or pot (tape?).

:)
 
#346
Doner Designs said:
I picked up a G&L M2500 on the MF Stupid Deal of Day this week. Thinking about adding a third pickup toward the bridge (wired via a 3 way switch with the middle pickup).

Thoughts? I would get a third G&L pickup somewhere - probably from G&L so there would be three matching.
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Thoughts? TRY IT BEFORE YOU GET THE ROUTER OUT! Heheh ... :) It may be "all that and a bag of chips" right out of the box. (I kinda doubt it, but it ~might~).
 
#349
DSC03271.jpg


3 Nordy dual coils, 3 vol knobs, 3 coil tap switches, Running through an Aggie OBP-3
 
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#350
Doner Designs said:
I'm a big fan of 3 pickup basses. Was searching for threads and pics of examples out there but its slim pickins. Love to see some pics of customs with three separate pickups. Comments on wiring and what you like/dislike also would be interesting.

I have built three triples (pictured below). Two use a 3 way switch on the middle/neck volume with a separate volume for the bridge and master passive bass & treble controls.

The J bass also has a series-parallel switching for the two J pickups and phase reversal on the bridge (push-pulls). It pains me to admit, but it currently does not have series parallel switching within each of the split J pickups.

The Air Force Bass has on/off toggles and volume controls for each pickup along with master bass and treble. I like the VVV with three switch config best so far.

Next on the project list are to swap the bridge pickups in the P and the J. The J will get a double J quad coil (I plan to glue two Dimarzio Area J's together). The P will get an 8 wire quad coil MM in the bridge (probably Nordstrand).

Not sure about controls for the redone P and J yet. Would like to do the 10 option wiring thing on the quads which will probably require more routing and a bigger pickguard (to make room for rotary switch and/or 3 way toggle for each coil).

Am also thinking about a new build with three quad coil MM pickups - each with all 10 combos and maybe with 3 separate jacks plus option to route all 3 to a single jack.

Not sure about preamps. The AFB has a Bart TC-3 (boost only - no tone control). With three pickups you get so much tonal flexibility it almost seems unnecessary (did I really just say that).

Unnecessary complexity and overkill is a design objective for me most of the time, so preamps for all (eventually) with bypass switches of course. :)

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Oh my goodness I want you P!!!! That things look bad freakin a**!!!! What that bridge? Sorry if you said so already.
 
#351
gregmon79 said:
Oh my goodness I want you P!!!! That things look bad freakin a**!!!! What that bridge? Sorry if you said so already.
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That's a BABICZ bridge, they are pretty sick, they use a camming system to adjust string height, and they are reported to have better component-to-component contact making the bass have greater sustain and adding to tonal detail.

Steve will pipe in here soon about that P. I'm not sure but I think it's for sale!
 
#352
gregmon79 said:
Oh my goodness I want you P!!!! That things look bad freakin a**!!!! What that bridge? Sorry if you said so already.
Click to expand...

Thanks gregmon79! Just curious - are you referring to the Air Force Bass or the black EB-P-MM?

The bridge on all three is the Babicz FCH (full contact hardware) - a superior design vs anything else out there in my opinion. I like the looks too, especially on a tricked out bass where traditional appearance is not a goal.

Flux said something about for sale - yes and no. The Air Force Bass has been donated to the Chicago Area Make-A-Wish Foundation. They will auction it at their big annual fundraiser event on May 18. Off site bidding may be allowed but I dont know about that yet. We will post info on our facebook page when we know. Starting bid will be around $750 (it is a fundraiser for MAW after all...and I have that much in the parts).

Thanks again for the kudos!
 
#354
I was thinking of building an SG type bass, as well as a LP type bass .... I can forget about either one now since Warmoth and Gibson are in some sortof hissy fit and Warmoth is no longer offering ANY Gibson styled body shapes. So Warmoth is pretty much just Fender and one or two Ibanez body designs now.

Anyhow, how is the neck dive on either of those two? I've wondered about that seein's how the neck-end strap button isn't very close to the head on either of those two.
 
#355
Doner Designs said:
Thanks gregmon79! Just curious - are you referring to the Air Force Bass or the black EB-P-MM?

The bridge on all three is the Babicz FCH (full contact hardware) - a superior design vs anything else out there in my opinion. I like the looks too, especially on a tricked out bass where traditional appearance is not a goal.

Flux said something about for sale - yes and no. The Air Force Bass has been donated to the Chicago Area Make-A-Wish Foundation. They will auction it at their big annual fundraiser event on May 18. Off site bidding may be allowed but I dont know about that yet. We will post info on our facebook page when we know. Starting bid will be around $750 (it is a fundraiser for MAW after all...and I have that much in the parts).

Thanks again for the kudos!
Click to expand...

That's awesome about the Air Force being auctioned. I was referring to the black one anyway. I have a squire P that I am eventually going to take the EMG's I out in it and throw some pups from SGD Lutherie and I want to to also get one of those bridges you have on your P. Those things look sick. My P will be a thing of beauty after I finish it. Hopefully it sounds just as good.
 
#357
Flux Jetson said:
Anyhow, how is the neck dive on either of those two? I've wondered about that seein's how the neck-end strap button isn't very close to the head on either of those two.
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No neck dive at all with the LP, but the EB-3 or SGs plummet immediately. However, as long as your right forearm is in contact with the body, there's no problem; it's only going to dive if you let go completely...
 

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