I'm putting an Ag OBP1 in my Ibaneze RD500 (MM/J) and I have heard that a VV set up is better then a blend knob. Any thoughts or experience?
Johno!
Johno!
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V/V or Blend?
- Thread starter Johno Dunn
- Start date
Blend = darkened tone. It will NOT sound the same. Whether you like it or not is your preference. Most people prefer the V/V. Or wait, are we talking active? I'm talking passive... I think in active, it will sound the same.
You really should do a search. This has been covered, and I have elaborated on it at least 3 or 4 times now.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8226022&postcount=2
FWIW, I'm a diehard volume-volume or volume-pickup selector switch guy.
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showpost.php?p=8226022&postcount=2
FWIW, I'm a diehard volume-volume or volume-pickup selector switch guy.
Personally I hate vol/vol and love blend, but as the references show, blend does not work well for passive basses. This is why I've changed all my passive basses to have a pickup selector switch in place of the second volume control. I use a rotary switch which (depending on the bass) gives you the option of including "both series" and "both parallel" positions on the switch if that makes sense for that bass. Actives I just leave them as is with the blend. Work fine.
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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It's pretty subjective. As a long-time Precision and StingRay player I really like having a single volume control. So, all my basses with two PUPs have a blend. If you're used to playing stock Jazz bass controls, then you'll probably like the V/V instead.
Regarding the loss. Yeah, it's there, but whether it's noticable when playing with the band (my criteria) depends on a lot of factors. Being handy with a soldering iron and knowing how to wire stuff correclty, I always figured it's easy to just try it and see. And it was worth the insignificant loss I heard on my P/J set up fretless to make the mod. I didn't keep the Geddy Lee nor the California P Bass Special long enough to mod them (shoulda kept the CA P bass however...)
John
Regarding the loss. Yeah, it's there, but whether it's noticable when playing with the band (my criteria) depends on a lot of factors. Being handy with a soldering iron and knowing how to wire stuff correclty, I always figured it's easy to just try it and see. And it was worth the insignificant loss I heard on my P/J set up fretless to make the mod. I didn't keep the Geddy Lee nor the California P Bass Special long enough to mod them (shoulda kept the CA P bass however...)
John
i prefer V/V, and if i feel the need for an instant kill i just wire up a kill switch. quick and simple 
My passive Yammy has Volume and 3-position pickup selector switch, and I love it.
My active Hanewinckel has Volume/Blend controls, and I love it so far.
My active Hanewinckel has Volume/Blend controls, and I love it so far.
Volume / volume done with 250K pots will blend differently than a 250K volume and 500K blend pot. 500K blends in my expereince are more of an on / off. And simulated curves support this. The 250K volume / volume blends with more resolution (and more lower frequencies).
If you were to use a 250K blend pot you get the same mixing as the 250K volume / volume but when you throw in the 250k volume, you have added more loading to the pickups (3 x 250K in parallel vs 2 x 250K in parallel).
Another option that splits the middle is a 500K volume with a 250k blend.
If you search on my name, you will find simulation curves of J pickup blending for these different configurations.
And for active basses, most of the time the blending is done passively prior to going into the preamp which is the case for Aguilar. So the whole active / passive things does not really change how things blend in your case.
If you were to use a 250K blend pot you get the same mixing as the 250K volume / volume but when you throw in the 250k volume, you have added more loading to the pickups (3 x 250K in parallel vs 2 x 250K in parallel).
Another option that splits the middle is a 500K volume with a 250k blend.
If you search on my name, you will find simulation curves of J pickup blending for these different configurations.
And for active basses, most of the time the blending is done passively prior to going into the preamp which is the case for Aguilar. So the whole active / passive things does not really change how things blend in your case.
