• 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.

What to do with an unused hole...

#42
oldskoolskatedad said:
To be completely honest, this is my first JB and I'm just getting into it. One of the reasons I chose this MM is the fact that it's got plenty of routed out room to play with and the Sadowsky blend pot has solderless connections allowing for effortless pup swapping. It was my intention to use it as vessel for exploration as there is a plethora of modifications to be done to a JB.

I have no complaints with the Sadowsky HC pups, very clean and well mannered. I'm going to put the Fender pups back in to see how they sound, though I don't forsee doing anything with the stock preamp.

The point of this thread was to find a compelling use for the vacated space from the stock active/passive toggle and so far a series/parallel switch for the inline split coil Sadowsky's will be my first mod.
Click to expand...
Nice! My first bass (and only bass for several years) was a basic MIM Fender Jazz that I did a plethora of mods to (and learned how to solder on!). Ever since I bought my first P-bass I've never bonded with another J very well again unless it had some major pickup routing (the only J I use much now has Gibson Thunderbird pickups in it!)... I did play an old-school Carvin LB70 for years (my first "nice" bass, and basically just a well-made modern J-bass) after wearing down the frets on the MIM J to oblivion, and that bass had a plethora of holes that were a perfect platform for experimenting with different electronics mods. My favorite setup was a passive one using Model Js with each pickup having a series/parallel switch and a 3rd series/parallel switch to run the pickups in series with each-other. There were a ton of great sounds available in that arrangement. I think the series/parallel switch is a great idea for a first mod- just make sure to grab the right switch (4PDT on-on: essentially just two 2PDT switches running on the same toggle, one for each pickup).
Good luck! Hope you bond with it!!
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldskoolskatedad
#45
sunbeast said:
Nice! My first bass (and only bass for several years) was a basic MIM Fender Jazz that I did a plethora of mods to (and learned how to solder on!). Ever since I bought my first P-bass I've never bonded with another J very well again unless it had some major pickup routing (the only J I use much now has Gibson Thunderbird pickups in it!)... I did play an old-school Carvin LB70 for years (my first "nice" bass, and basically just a well-made modern J-bass) after wearing down the frets on the MIM J to oblivion, and that bass had a plethora of holes that were a perfect platform for experimenting with different electronics mods. My favorite setup was a passive one using Model Js with each pickup having a series/parallel switch and a 3rd series/parallel switch to run the pickups in series with each-other. There were a ton of great sounds available in that arrangement. I think the series/parallel switch is a great idea for a first mod- just make sure to grab the right switch (4PDT on-on: essentially just two 2PDT switches running on the same toggle, one for each pickup).
Good luck! Hope you bond with it!!
Click to expand...
Oh I have definitely bonded with it, so much so that my Ric has been relocated to it's case for now. Coincidentally, my 2nd bass, which I still have, is a black/ebony Carvin LB50 that I "rescued" from the Guitar Cellar in Green Bay, WI 25 years ago. Someone had defretted it and bastardized the electronics but it was such a compelling instrument and is most assuredly the reason why I'm drawn to late '70s and early '80s basses with HB pups and plenty of knobs and switches ( T-40 & L2KE).
 
  • Like
Reactions: sunbeast
#50
oldskoolskatedad said:
Oh I have definitely bonded with it, so much so that my Ric has been relocated to it's case for now. Coincidentally, my 2nd bass, which I still have, is a black/ebony Carvin LB50 that I "rescued" from the Guitar Cellar in Green Bay, WI 25 years ago. Someone had defretted it and bastardized the electronics but it was such a compelling instrument and is most assuredly the reason why I'm drawn to late '70s and early '80s basses with HB pups and plenty of knobs and switches ( T-40 & L2KE).
Click to expand...
Sounds like we have a similar attraction to modding and option-heavy instruments and a similar history in basses too! While I had my old Carvin I also started a long-term obsession with old Japanese instruments -mostly old Ibanez's that were all cheap (at the time) and good-quality foundations for modifications. Then G&Ls were my main players for several years til I got my first Ric (a 4004L), and Rics have pretty much dominated since (mine are both quite modded though!). I still LOVE to experiment, so I've held on to a few of those old Lawsuit Ibanez basses. I miss my old Carvin sometimes, and have seen it pop up on Reverb but for far too much money and usually without any description about the extensive modifications it still wears (one thing I hate about passing on super-modded instruments)! It was a unique custom all-maple neck-through bass that eventually led me on the path towards Rickenbackers (well that and Chris Squire/Paul McCartney).

Anyway- back to the topic of the thread: finding something to stick in an unused hole.......
 
  • Like
Reactions: oldskoolskatedad
#59
oldskoolskatedad said:
Recently acquired a Fender Marcus Miller JB that having the preamp and pups swapped out with Sadowsky equipment leaves an empty hole in the pick guard where the active/passive toggle switch once was. My first thought was to install some stacked pups and a coil splitter but it seems that there isn't much to gain from splitting stacked jazz pups though I haven't done extensive research on the matter. Maybe series/parallel? Would greatly appreciate some creative suggestions ;)
Click to expand...
Lee Sklar producer switch.
 
#60
UntriedPlumpAmericanriverotter-size_restricted.gif
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: murphy, Flaked Beans, S-Bigbottom and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back