Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
It's a great thing to try, but it's far from a slam dunk as being an improvement IME. As I said, it just depends.
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Simplest Possible Jazz Bass Controls?
- Thread starter DBMcCully
- Start date
It's a great thing to try, but it's far from a slam dunk as being an improvement IME. As I said, it just depends.
That's a sensible design, nicely executed, with a snazzy control plate. If you have some soldering know-how, it wouldn't be too hard to replicate the circuit on the cheap, but if the price doesn't put you off, there's your simple-but-versatile control panel.
Edit: Having experimented a fair bit with capacitor switching, I'd say the six-position ToneStyler would be fine, saving some expense over the ten-position one above. Stellartone Tele-Jazz bass tone control system KIT, v.4S (master volume and BASS SIX ToneStyler)
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I have always preferred the simplest passive setup on my bass. My number one is a 1998 Fender Dlxe J5. I had the pick ups permanently, hard wired in series, full on with a simple volume control. Since it has one knob, I call him One Eyed Jack.... everything I need and nothing I don’t. Unfortunately, I cannot answer your technical questions, as I had this professionally done and I’m clueless in that regard 
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I tried a volume/blend config on a Jazz, but quickly discovered I had much more control over my overall sound/tone with a volume/volume setup. I've never tried a volume/three way switch as it would limit you to three tones, and how loud you wanted them to be. I guess if one of those three choices suited you, you could just hard wire your bass in that configuration and eliminate the switch and possibly one of the pickups as well.
No, they are not. Pan controls just happen to be more common on basses with built-in preamps, that's all. I have two passive basses with a very clever, and useful pan control on each of them. My other passive basses have either VT-selector switch, or VV-selector switch.
Interesting -- I've been under the wrong impression for years. Thanks for the info.
Does anyone know how I could wire one master Volume, bridge on/off switch, and neck on/off switch? A kill switch for each pickup basically.
I see a lot of on/on toggles online. Would those work as an on/off if I just don’t connect anything to the second side?
My reasoning here is that my American deluxe has a side output jack on the body, and jazz control plates have a minimum of 3 holes. And I want all holes occupied.
I see a lot of on/on toggles online. Would those work as an on/off if I just don’t connect anything to the second side?
My reasoning here is that my American deluxe has a side output jack on the body, and jazz control plates have a minimum of 3 holes. And I want all holes occupied.
Who says you have to use someone else's prefabricated jazz control plate? You can have one made, and put as few holes in it as you want.
Personally, if I was going for utter simplicity, I'd wire the pickups straight to the jack and do away with the controls entirely. (I did that on a bass once and loved it.) But you can do whatever you want, just don't feel like you have to have three controls just because there are three holes.
Two holes would be ideal. Do you any idea where I can get one or have one made?
For those of you who have removed the tone pot - did it introduce any 60-cycle hum?
I just rewired a PJ VV based on this thread and followed the SD wiring diagram. A bit of buzz is there now. I figured it was either the wiring itself or a grounding issue. When I touch the bridge or jack plate it goes away. If I touch either of the pickups (just with my hand - not strings) it gets a bit worse. Do I have a ground issue?
I just rewired a PJ VV based on this thread and followed the SD wiring diagram. A bit of buzz is there now. I figured it was either the wiring itself or a grounding issue. When I touch the bridge or jack plate it goes away. If I touch either of the pickups (just with my hand - not strings) it gets a bit worse. Do I have a ground issue?
Nope.
You must have wired something incorrectly, or left something out, like a ground wire, perhaps.
I checked them all. I followed the diagram correctly. I guess the next step is to take it to a tech. I can solder, but I don't have a multimeter so I'll just get it checked out.
Are you sure the buzz was not there before? It may simply be more pronounced now without the loading of the tone pot.
I was thinking the same thing. I've substituted a tone pot with a cap selector switch (no pot) and found the sound had a lot more presence or brightness. That would make noise that was already there more obvious. The pot/cap control seemed to muffle the sound. I did have to use caps with larger values, but it's easy to try different one to see what you like, and you can add them in parallel to get "in between" values to fine tune it to your preference.
