I think that's a mistake. More than any other bass design I've played, the tone pot REALLY affects your tone, in a way that is hard to duplicate using amp controls. I think most people don't run a P tone up all the way too often.
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The basic flaw in the p-bass
- Thread starter Ric5
- Start date
I actually pulled all the tone pots out of my basses. Sounds Better to me. No coloration from the capacitor.
I love capacitors, but that's because I don't like the sound of a wide open Precision pickup for some applications. Believe it or not, they are there for a reason.
+1. However, the pots do drain some highs even when wide open, so, there's that.
I picked up an American P 5 at GC the other day because it was the only quality 5ver & I usually don't like them but it was like finding Excalibur... Amazing tone for days. Sunburst with nitro finish, high mass, string thru. I put it on lay-away & pick it up next week.
The tone wide open is still affecting the tone of the bass with the capacitor. The best tone of a P I have had is a P pickup wired straight to the Jack.
The problem with comparing a P Bass to any other Bass, especially a five string bass is comparing apples and oranges. It's no wonder that a five string's low B will produce more low end than a 4 string P Bass.
Personally, I never adjust the tone control on my P Bass. I rolled off all the way and adjust the amp. That way my tone is consistent.
If you don't like a P Bass and all it's "Faults", then don't buy one. Folks can just as easily not like the brand of bass you play so it goes both ways.
Personally, I never adjust the tone control on my P Bass. I rolled off all the way and adjust the amp. That way my tone is consistent.
If you don't like a P Bass and all it's "Faults", then don't buy one. Folks can just as easily not like the brand of bass you play so it goes both ways.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I never roll my tone off. I use stainless strings because I like a bright bass tone, so rolling off the tone would kind of defeat that purpose.
Hopkins
Commercial User
With the tone wide open the cap is completely out of the circuit, the only thing affecting the tone is the value of the volume pot.
Um, no. It's just max resistance between the cap to ground and the signal... For what you're saying to be true the tone pot's resistance would have to magically go to infinity when it was all the way clockwise. The only pot that does this is a no-load pot which actually takes itself out of the circuit.
If you change the value of the cap or take it out altogether it will alter the sound of the bass even when the pot dial is turned "wide open".
Hopkins
Commercial User
Actually, I was thinking it was an open circuit with the tone rolled all the way off, but that isn't correct. So it is bleeding some of the highs off.
A no load pot would solve this problem.
Hopkins
Commercial User
No prob... I get mixed up about electronics all the time. You should see me right before I start soldering, I get this panicked look on my face.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I feel kind of silly about that brain fart. I always take my tone pots apart and scrap the carbon off to make it a no load pot, I guess my brain just shut down for a second. I realized I screwed up on that post as soon as I posted it, but I was already busted before I could edit it
Flaw in a P-Bass? Really? How ridiculous! No bottom? Never heard anything like it!
Best wishes folks! New member, will tweak profile and post some KILLER pics later (it's 4.30am in UK)
Best wishes folks!
Best wishes folks! New member, will tweak profile and post some KILLER pics later (it's 4.30am in UK)
Best wishes folks!
