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Show us your 3 pickup basses!

#1,081
Doctor J said:
There's not much to document, to be honest. It's basically the standard EMG BTS circuit Vol-Blend-Bass-Treble as seen here -> Invalid Link Removed

The bridge pickup is wired to the blend pot as per the diagram. The P and neck J are going into a standard three way mini switch, I used a dpdt one because I had one to hand, wired like this.

Threewayminiswitchschematic.jpg


The output of the switch goes to the other lugs on the blend pot.

The location of the switch is easier to see in this pic.

king_5.jpg


The range of tones available just using the neck J and P are plenty. Being able to blend the neck J in is the icing on the cake. The bridge J is in the 70's position, which is what made enough space to fit the P in the middle. I thought it would be better to be able to blend it in to taste rather than have it on the switch but, of course, it would be easy to change what goes to the switch and and what goes to the blend pot.
Click to expand...


so the neck and middle are on a mini toggle switch---that makes them either, neck on, middle on, or both on?

then either way you can blend them with whatever is going on with the bridge?



also---how did you have to do the mini switch, I am looking at going all emg---did you have cut the emg easy connectors and solder that mini switch?
 
#1,082
Yep. If you look at it like a two pickup bass with a three way switch it's bridge/both/neck.

The output of the switch, instead of going to an output jack as normal, is connected to one side of the EMG blend pot. The other side is connected to the other pickup. In theory, you could do the same on the other side and have four independently selectable pickups. You can stlll also run just one pickup as required.

The important part for me was to keep the controls simple and intuitive. I'm not big on huge amounts of knobs and switches. This way allowed me to operate as a one, two or three pickup bass, capable of combining any two as required without needing a diagram to understand the controls.

I went into the wiring on the other thread, sorry, read that one before this thread.
 
#1,083
Doctor J said:
There's not much to document, to be honest. It's basically the standard EMG BTS circuit Vol-Blend-Bass-Treble as seen here -> Invalid Link Removed

The bridge pickup is wired to the blend pot as per the diagram. The P and neck J are going into a standard three way mini switch, I used a dpdt one because I had one to hand, wired like this.

Threewayminiswitchschematic.jpg


The output of the switch goes to the other lugs on the blend pot.

The location of the switch is easier to see in this pic.

king_5.jpg


The range of tones available just using the neck J and P are plenty. Being able to blend the neck J in is the icing on the cake. The bridge J is in the 70's position, which is what made enough space to fit the P in the middle. I thought it would be better to be able to blend it in to taste rather than have it on the switch but, of course, it would be easy to change what goes to the switch and and what goes to the blend pot.
Click to expand...

Always thought the Stu Hamm J P J was a good looking bass and practical/versatile design. Reverse P is the way to go - that's the one thing that Leo got wrong in my opinion.
 
#1,086
kkaarrll said:
steve have you gotten warmoth to do an reverse p routes? I am thinking of all reverse p for my 3 pickup design?
Click to expand...

No, but I have had them do custom routing locations for other basses. Any change from standard is $40. Generally I have placed the order with a note and then emailed support to request the custom cutting. They will need an exact description of what you want. My '72 P bass uses the standard routing because the reversal wouldn't look right with that pickguard shape.
 
#1,087
ok, I think I have a maker that I want to deal with beyond warmoth

here is the idea

three g&l l2000 mfd pickups-
emg preamp with bass/treble and mid controls

use the blend

three mini switches for single coil/series, one for each pickup

one dpdt switch for choosing between the neck/middle pickups

use the blend between the bridge and neck/middle

will that work?



where in there would I have to put the active/passive option if I wanted that?
 
#1,088
The thing which leaps to mind immediately is that the output of MFD pickups is utterly phenomenal and putting any kind of preamp with a boost is a waste of time.

Other than that, sounds like it would work, although with regards to the third pickup I've never once found myself wishing my L2000 had another pickup with even more low end closer to the neck.
 
#1,091
Doctor J said:
The thing which leaps to mind immediately is that the output of MFD pickups is utterly phenomenal and putting any kind of preamp with a boost is a waste of time.

Other than that, sounds like it would work, although with regards to the third pickup I've never once found myself wishing my L2000 had another pickup with even more low end closer to the neck.
Click to expand...


after playing mine some more, I DO want that third pickup.

But I also thought about what you said with the active. I never use mine.

So

keep it simple stupid
3 mfd
passive
volume-
blend--neck/middle combo and bridge
tone from neck/middle---is this doable? are there any issues with this?
tone from bridge only---is this doable? are there any issues with this?
one toggle--neck/mid/both on three way switch then sent to blend
three toggles-series/paralell/single coil for each pickup--gives me almost every tone possible


four knobs, four toggles
 
#1,093
ThePresident777 said:
I never understood why the J bass didn't ave 3 pickups and a selector switch. Just seems natural considering strats, and neck pickups sound great.
Click to expand...
As you can see in my avatar, I have a 3-pickup J bass. I specifically did not want a pickup selector switch because I can't get any/all pickup combinations with one switch. I use hum cancelling pickups, so I'm not limited in any way by single-coil issues inherent in a strat.
 
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#1,094
ThePresident777 said:
Fender needs to hire you ... and make a 5 string one of these with a 21st fret, heel truss rod wheel adjuster, rounded heel, 1 3/4" nut width, fat U shaped neck.

I never understood why the J bass didn't ave 3 pickups and a selector switch. Just seems natural considering strats, and neck pickups sound great.
Click to expand...

Nice of you to say! :-)

One thing with a three pickup bass is that you really need to have multiple volumes unless the pickups are same/similar because they interact and strange things happen when you mix a mudbucker with other pickups (that's why Billy Sheehan uses dual/stereo outputs).

I love the look of a triple, but find the tone difference between the middle and far neck position to be subtle (assuming the pickups are the same). A four inch difference in placement in the middle/neck range changes the tone by about as much as a 1 inch difference at the bridge. This discovery is what led me to the spacing in my most recent JJJ a few posts back.

I think guitar players need multiple pickups more than bass players because most of them are afraid of onboard tone controls. :-)
 
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#1,095
morebassbaby said:
Had this built by Carl Pedigo of Lakland as his own brand Carlo. 3 Chi-Sonic Humbuckers passive with 3 volumes/1 tone. The knobs pull up for single coil. The switch toggles between neck most coil/both/bridge most coil for the center pickup.

This blue bass Carl built as a one-off from Lakland. Passive with 3 volumes/tone. Originally the pickups were the standard humbucking pickups lakland uses with their LH3 system. I had him replace them with single coil versions of the pickups

I'm sold on 3 pickup arrangements!
Here's a pic. (Please excuse the single piezo pickup Rob Allen Mouse)View attachment 463892


View attachment 463886
Click to expand...


I think I have finally found my setup

three mfd gl pickups

setup for three volume knobs
each set series/single coil
push pull for the switch
one tone
simple
yes

thank you

thank you

thank you





one thanks for each pickup


YAY
 
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#1,096
Doner Designs said:
Nice of you to say! :)

One thing with a three pickup bass is that you really need to have multiple volumes unless the pickups are same/similar because they interact and strange things happen when you mix a mudbucker with other pickups (that's why Billy Sheehan uses dual/stereo outputs).

I love the look of a triple, but find the tone difference between the middle and far neck position to be subtle (assuming the pickups are the same). A four inch difference in placement in the middle/neck range changes the tone by about as much as a 1 inch difference at the bridge. This discovery is what led me to the spacing in my most recent JJJ a few posts back.

I think guitar players need multiple pickups more than bass players because most of them are afraid of onboard tone controls. :)
Click to expand...

I agree that the sound changes more the closer to the bridge that the pick is placed. Same thing happens with plucking hand position. Must be the tension.

But, I wouldn't call subtle the difference between middle and neck. I agree the difference is not as huge. But, I like it significantly better. And, I've taken into account the difference in pickups. I have the same opinion while listening to your M3500 Six Pack Bass Demo. Plus, I briefly had a Godin Shifter 5. Neck pickup always sounds better in my opinion. Wish it wasn't a rare opinion. If I could have only one pickup, neck position all the time. Just sounds fuller. I'm not into "bass must cut" type thinking. Just my preference.

I have a Squier Jazz 5 that I did the surgery to relocated the pickups to the neck, both wired in series. Works everytime. :)
 
#1,098
ThePresident777 said:
I agree that the sound changes more the closer to the bridge that the pick is placed. Same thing happens with plucking hand position. Must be the tension.

But, I wouldn't call subtle the difference between middle and neck. I agree the difference is not as huge. But, I like it significantly better. And, I've taken into account the difference in pickups. I have the same opinion while listening to your M3500 Six Pack Bass Demo. Plus, I briefly had a Godin Shifter 5. Neck pickup always sounds better in my opinion. Wish it wasn't a rare opinion. If I could have only one pickup, neck position all the time. Just sounds fuller. I'm not into "bass must cut" type thinking. Just my preference.

I have a Squier Jazz 5 that I did the surgery to relocated the pickups to the neck, both wired in series. Works everytime. :)
Click to expand...

Agreed - I probably exaggerated to make a point. :) For home play where cutting through a mix is not an issue, my favorite setting is far-neck plus far-bridge, kinda like a Gibson without the neck dive and mud. :-) Hard to describe the tone but I think of it as being a yawning/hollow mid-scoop (in a good way).
 
#1,099
truebenjaman said:
I'm curious, what made you get rid of the Shifter 5? I'm periodically tempted to get one of those...
Click to expand...

The particular instrument I was sent had four very dead notes on the G string when in E standard, first 4. At the time I was not aware of the clamp on headstock trick, or the fender fat finger, which might have solved that. It also had some fret filings underneath a few frets, and a tiny ding or two. I also wasn't too crazy about the asymetric carve on the back of the neck. I prefer a sysmetric rounded fat neck carve. 16" radius isn't so hot in my opinion either. I don't remember the nut width, but it was not a narrow neck in my opinion. I'm a bit murky on that now, but I have a feeling it was a little wider than I wanted.

My favorite pickup setting was the neck pickup but it's single coil so it hummed. There was an intermitent cold solder joint on the pickup selector too. Easy to fix, but, expensive bass.

It did have a beautiful flammed maple back and top. Light weight. Nice sound, bridge, neck joint, tuners, headstock, hardware, style.

I had the bass for about a day, at least a year ago, before I returned it.

I'm used to spending $200 to $300 on an instrument that's as good or better for me. I can't bring myself to compromise at $1000. So, I had to return it. I bought it from Amazon. I doubt that particular instrument would have made it into Sweetwater's gallery.
 
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#1,100
Doner Designs said:
Agreed - I probably exaggerated to make a point. :) For home play where cutting through a mix is not an issue, my favorite setting is far-neck plus far-bridge, kinda like a Gibson without the neck dive and mud. :) Hard to describe the tone but I think of it as being a yawning/hollow mid-scoop (in a good way).
Click to expand...

Doner Designs said:
Agreed - I probably exaggerated to make a point. :) For home play where cutting through a mix is not an issue, my favorite setting is far-neck plus far-bridge, kinda like a Gibson without the neck dive and mud. :) Hard to describe the tone but I think of it as being a yawning/hollow mid-scoop (in a good way).
Click to expand...

This conversation has inspired me to imagine my Squier Jazz 5 as a 3 pickup model: All 3 pickups in the neck in series. :) The way I have it now, the two pickups are right next to each other and 1 1/2" away from the neck. So a third pickup would be just about in the official middle spot. Third pickup would have to be hum canceling on it's own to keep all three together as hum-canceling. I think DiMarzio makes one. Could add some switching: neck "humbucker" series, neck "humbucker" parralel, middle DiMarzio, neck and middle in parralel, neck and middle in series.
 
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