• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Thunderbird Club

#17,141
Anyone know what value volume and blend pots are happening with the Blackbird? And I may have to be OK with adding two pots... and in answer to an earlier query, the Blackbird does appear to have the standard control cavity...

Ne'er mind, got this. :)
 
Last edited:
#17,142
Count Bassie said:
On a passive bass the tone pot is usually a treble roll-off, so you're probably right there. For the dub/reggae thing I do tend to roll that back a bit, but not much- maybe as much as a third of the pot's travel. I still want some attack on the front of the note I'm hitting, I just don't want the harmonics to come forward: just the fundamental, and I'm done- move on... so I'm thinking that between a pan pot and my amp I could get away with one less pot on the bass.

Concentric vol/pan, even with three pots in the guts- make em mini pots- and the kill switch. I've Always liked the kill switch thing. And I like saying "Kill Switch".
Click to expand...
I have a custom made John East preamp with a stacked volume/pan pot. It works nice but has the typical volume drop you get from pan pots near the center detent. I also had John make me up a stacked vol/vol pot that I like much better. I don't get any volume drop when adjusting the two pickups on that one. And once I have the front/rear volume ratio to my liking I can simply grab both the upper and lower knobs together and twist for more or less overall volume (similar to a master volume knob). Of course with this arrangement I also have a three way pickup selector toggle so I can cut off either pickup or play with both on. A kill switch would be a nice add though.
 
  • Like
Reactions: hillerup, tombowlus, Dadagoboi and 1 other person
#17,143
GBassNorth said:
...I also had John make me up a stacked vol/vol pot that I like much better. I don't get any volume drop when adjusting the two pickups on that one. And once I have the front/rear volume ratio to my liking I can simply grab both the upper and lower knobs together and twist...
Click to expand...

Glad I asked about all this, I like this idea best so far- although I could still get on with separate volume pots... and that uses up the generally requisite 3 knob-spaces on my T-Bird!
 
  • Like
Reactions: hillerup
#17,144
Count Bassie said:
Glad I asked about all this, I like this idea best so far- although I could still get on with separate volume pots... and that uses up the generally requisite 3 knob-spaces on my T-Bird!
Click to expand...
One of the best preamps I've ever used was one that I had John East custom build for my P/MM bass project. It's three stacked knobs - Von/vol, B/T-B neck and B/T-B bridge with the neck stack being voiced for a precision bass and the bridge stack voiced for a Stingray bass. Each pickup has its own dedicated preamp and they tie together into a stereo output Jack. The preamp also has a three way selector (neck, both, bridge). This arrangement gives me the option to run one pickup (usually the neck) clean to an amp and the other pickup (usually the stingray pup) to effects and on to another amp or blended with the neck pup or possibly to a stage monitor. It works great. Not including a battery, it all fit on a standard jazz plate in a standard jazz route.
He uses mini board mounted stacked pots so they don't take up much room. Here's a pic...
163.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: hillerup, Klondike and Count Bassie
#17,146
ThaCoast said:
If it's an epiphone, unbolt the neck & put a shim under. Also set a little bit of relief in the neck (backbow) as for the 3 point you'll want to have the front stud a bit higher than the back ones to give the strings a break angle.
Click to expand...

I would refrain from advising someone to remove their neck and start shoving shims in the pocket without knowing what he's done so far.

And relief is not back-bow.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Magi003
#17,149
GBassNorth said:
One of the best preamps I've ever used was one that I had John East custom build for my P/MM bass project. It's three stacked knobs - Von/vol, B/T-B neck and B/T-B bridge with the neck stack being voiced for a precision bass and the bridge stack voiced for a Stingray bass. Each pickup has its own dedicated preamp and they tie together into a stereo output Jack. The preamp also has a three way selector (neck, both, bridge). This arrangement gives me the option to run one pickup (usually the neck) clean to an amp and the other pickup (usually the stingray pup) to effects and on to another amp or blended with the neck pup or possibly to a stage monitor. It works great. Not including a battery, it all fit on a standard jazz plate in a standard jazz route.
He uses mini board mounted stacked pots so they don't take up much room. Here's a pic...
163.jpg
Click to expand...

Nice bass... What are those Golden strings?
 
  • Like
Reactions: GBassNorth
#17,154
Mosstone said:
I would refrain from advising someone to remove their neck and start shoving shims in the pocket without knowing what he's done so far.

And relief is not back-bow.
Click to expand...

True for the relief, & i did say Shim, not shims. I'm not advising he place a huge stack of shims on one end of the neck pocket. I just use my public transport tickets (1 cm x 3-4 cm) It's enough along with some upbow to give me a good action set
 
  • Like
Reactions: Klondike, hillerup and Dadagoboi

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back