Where do I place master volume pot?

[Lardass5000]

I am converting my v/v/bass/treb Spector to v/balance/bass/treb.

I am placing the white and black from each pup into either side of the EMG ABCX balance pot.

Now where is the best place to put the master volume pot?
Thank you.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

The master volume would go between the blend output and the white wire on the tone pump. You might check with EMG, if the ABCX is a buffered blend they might recommend a 25 or 50Kohm volume potentiometer instead of the typical 250 or 500Kohm for a passive set up.

 

[Lardass5000]

The master volume would go between the blend output and the white wire on the tone pump. You might check with EMG, if the ABCX is a buffered blend they might recommend a 25 or 50Kohm volume potentiometer instead of the typical 250 or 500Kohm for a passive set up.

I assumed that I would want it coming out of the preamp so as to not alter the tone as the volume decreases/increases. [??]

 

[Matt Liebenau]

I assumed that I would want it coming out of the preamp so as to not alter the tone as the volume decreases/increases. [??]

That’s a viable option as well. I’m not sure if it would have an effect on the tone pump but potentiometers are not expensive so you could easily try both. In that case, the volume would go in between the purple wire and the output jack and you’d definitely want to use a 25 or 50Kohm pot. If the Hellene control is buffered (I’m not completely familiar with EMG’s product line) that will take any volume control loading out of the picture.


Edit: looking at the PDF instructions for the ABCX it appears that it’s designed for active pickups. So again, active pickups should take most of the volume control loading out of the picture. What pickups are you using?

 

[Lardass5000]

EMG 40DCs in one and EMG 40TW in the other.

 

[Reedt2000]

In my experience with Spector, EMG, Darkglass, and Bartolini preamps is that it's usually blend, volume, preamp.

 

[Lardass5000]

In my experience with Spector, EMG, Darkglass, and Bartolini preamps is that it's usually blend, volume, preamp.

I thank you.

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Like @Reedt2000 said, the typical order for the majority of set ups is volume before preamp. Both pickups you mentioned are active so tone coloring from volume pot loading should be minimal. Have you been having an issue?

 

[Lardass5000]

Like @Reedt2000 said, the typical order for the majority of set ups is volume before preamp. Both pickups you mentioned are active so tone coloring from volume pot loading should be minimal. Have you been having an issue?

No. I just want to do it right.
I hate un-soldering

 

[Reedt2000]

I much prefer vol/blend to vol/vol. I swapped my spector to that setup, but I've got a MIK model so I changed the whole pre out from the TP Jr to an EMG BQC.

 

[fretlessman71]

I have played basses where the master volume knob WASN'T the first knob in line, and it was annoying every time.

 

[Lardass5000]

I much prefer vol/blend to vol/vol. I swapped my spector to that setup, but I've got a MIK model so I changed the whole pre out from the TP Jr to an EMG BQC.

Did you like the BQC better?

 

[Reedt2000]

Did you like the BQC better?

I do, though you lose something compared to the TP, even the Jr. When I first got the NS Pulse it had 2 DCs and the TP Jr. It sounded good but there was little to no variety. Even with adjusting pickup volumes it was basically hot, grindy, mix-shredding, almost overdriven tone. I play all sorts of stuff so it was great on anything even remotely heavy, but not much else. If I played in a heavy band exclusively I wouldn't have changed anything.

I put a 40PX5 in the neck position and installed the BQC. It has added a variety that just wasn't there before. I can dial in appropriate tones for everything between the 3 band with mid sweep and blending the P with the DC in different amounts. The P also gave it much more of the classic 80s/90s Spector sound. It has lost the aggressiveness a bit though. For me that's a reasonable sacrifice for the well rounded bass it is now. The output is also 20% or so lower with the EMG pre so it's comparable to my other basses (all of which have preamps).

 

[darwin-bass]

I would wire it between the blend and the preamp and wired like a P bass vol, not like a J bass vol.

 

[Lardass5000]

I would wire it between the blend and the preamp and wired like a P bass vol, not like a J bass vol.

Explain please

 

[darwin-bass]

A P bass has the pickup wired to the end lug on the pot and the output jack to the center lug. A Jazz reverses that routing the pickup to the center lug and the jack to the end.

 

[Lardass5000]

A P bass has the pickup wired to the end lug on the pot and the output jack to the center lug. A Jazz reverses that routing the pickup to the center lug and the jack to the end.

Why is it done that way?

 

[smarthound]

So that the volume controls on a two-pickup instrument are independent. If the pickups are wired to the outer lugs and the output comes from the middle, then fully turning down one pickup shuts off the other as well - not what's wanted on a Jazz.

 

[Lardass5000]

So that the volume controls on a two-pickup instrument are independent. If the pickups are wired to the outer lugs and the output comes from the middle, then fully turning down one pickup shuts off the other as well - not what's wanted on a Jazz.

Now Im confused
Im doing both pups going into a balance pot. Then into pre>then master volume> then output.

 

[Lardass5000]

So one wire into pot. One wire out.
If im looking down on it with shaft pointing at me, go into left lug and out put is center lug?