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Unusual P Bass wiring?
- Thread starter EatS1stBassist
- Start date
I don't see anything unusual about that wiring. It is standard P bass wiring.
Be aware that there are a multitude of different ways to physically arrange the components, but still have the same electrical behavior. Draw this wiring scheme in schematic form, and it will be the same as any other P bass.
Be aware that there are a multitude of different ways to physically arrange the components, but still have the same electrical behavior. Draw this wiring scheme in schematic form, and it will be the same as any other P bass.
I was wondering specifically about the cap being connected the way it is? When I look at the schematic on line it shows the placement of the cap installed differently.
The placement does not matter, because neither the pot nor the capacitor have polarity. In other diagrams, you may have the pot connected to the signal, and the capacitor connected to ground, but it makes no difference. Likewise, you may see the capacitor connected to the center terminal of the pot, rather than the rightmost terminal, but that also makes no difference. What matters is that the capacitor is in series with the pot, and that the pair (pot and cap) go parallel to the signal path.
Can you tell me how to trace the "signal " and what would make series or parallel? Here is my schematic. Thanks for your time.Thank you very much for your time.
I'm not sure what you are asking, but if you swapped the capacitor with the jumper, and removed the other jumper that runs between the pots, then the wiring would be exactly the same.
Spot on the sugar!
I occasionally get into disagreements with people over how the circuit can be electrically identical even though the wiring diagrams don't look the same.
Maybe I should just tell them a wiring diagram is more like TAB whereas the schematic is the score?
Some '60's Jazz basses had different wiring, but the pots still functioned properly.
Nice thing about the way it's wired in the photo - it avoids that big central pool of solder for the ground wires on the back of the volume pot some ways to do it use, as well as avoids bending back a lug on the pot to ground it to the casing. The less heat applied to your components the better.
Nice job that schematic illustration. Very clean and easy to follow
I was just going to say this... In 10 years, you'll still be able to read this, whereas when I run across my old drawings, they look more like my two year old grandson drew them!
-robert
I really like that one!!
I usually end up wiring caps like this when I've misplaced my roll of jumper wire. Same deal either way.
It isn't the best choice to solder capacitors in between pots, like that. Pots can work loose sometimes, and when they do, the spinning can put stress on the capacitor.
Then again, it's just a hypothetical thing. You aren't likely to actually damage anything.
True enough. But if you include a lock washer between your pot and the pickguard, that should never be much of a worry. And if in turning you're pulling on the legs of a cap hard enough to damage it, you're probably doing a number on everything else attached to that pot as well.
FWIW, I've never had a pot work loose on me. But I use a lock washer, and never hard peg a turn when I'm adjusting one, so that may have something to do with it.
Good point. I'll keep that in mind. I try to use jumpers instead of this method as often as possible anyway. Fortunately, I mostly just work on my own stuff as of now, so I know it won't be cranked too hard.
