I’m constantly adjusting the tone control on a P or J. I find the subtle changes one can get with just a small bit of adjustment to be essential. Who knows, maybe one for each pickup would add some welcome versatility. But I think making adjustments on the fly during a gig would be frustrating. A master tone (with a smooth taper) is a must have on a passive bass.
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Why aren't Jazz basses wired Volume-Balance-Tone?
- Thread starter philthygeezer
- Start date
I’m constantly adjusting the tone control on a P or J. I find the subtle changes one can get with just a small bit of adjustment to be essential. Who knows, maybe one for each pickup would add some welcome versatility. But I think making adjustments on the fly during a gig would be frustrating. A master tone (with a smooth taper) is a must have on a passive bass.
My experience is that the blend works much better with buffered active pickups such as the EMG-style MEC Gold in my Warwick Corvette. There is a real continuum of tones that you don't always get with passive setups, which do tend to be as you describe.
I will also add that passive VVT is much more useable with 500k volume pots, where again there is a lot more blending available before significant volume loss kicks in.
YMMV
I guess that would be difficult, but "volume swells" is something I've never thought about or needed to do.
"Subtle changes?" I'm not sure "subtle" is in my musical tool bag!!
I'm a set and forget guy.
It seems that there are those who need one system and those who need the other.
Has anyone said 'sliders' yet? no?
OK. Sliders.
OK. Sliders.
If I have to adjust the volume mid-song I'll do that the old fashioned way, with my fingers.
I don't adjust the volume controls between songs (unless the guitarist has decided to go to 11) let alone during a song!
Like these:
1 tone control per pickup on this late '60s Hofner 177;
or VTVT on this Silvertone, also late '60s
They are two different approaches; VVT offers more options; why should I be forced to decrease the volume of one pickup when increasing that of the other one?
I like neck pickup volume being always at 100% and playing with the bridge pickup one at various settings, so why should I go for VBT?
If one likes VBT it's a relatively unexpensive and easy fix to do.
I like neck pickup volume being always at 100% and playing with the bridge pickup one at various settings, so why should I go for VBT?
If one likes VBT it's a relatively unexpensive and easy fix to do.
Realizing the 'best sound' quality is a signal straight from the pickup to the output/amp. ... Every stage of V. V. T. or cable takes a piece of that 'best original' quality sound away. ... I've always been curious what stage of V. V. T. or cable has the most effect of weakening the original signal? ... First guess was tone control then cable.
I have a custom ebony board fretless J-bass with a set of overwound original 65 pickups and I have that down to V. V. and no tone. ... I'd be interested to a Volume and Balance swap on that bass. ...
I have a custom ebony board fretless J-bass with a set of overwound original 65 pickups and I have that down to V. V. and no tone. ... I'd be interested to a Volume and Balance swap on that bass. ...
Like others I've had VVT and VBT setups and I vastly prefer VVT for reasons more eloquently mentioned above.
I like my neck pickup at 100% and my bridge pickup at 75%, and it's more intuitive for me to get what I like with VVT.
That's just my personal preference. Others prefer a blend/balance knob.
I like my neck pickup at 100% and my bridge pickup at 75%, and it's more intuitive for me to get what I like with VVT.
That's just my personal preference. Others prefer a blend/balance knob.
Sure you can, roll the blend towards the neck pup 25% and turn down the volume 25%.
I've often wondered why bass guitars don't have the 3 way toggle as well for a quicker on/off switching for the pickups. The way the volume pots work, for it to be off, you really have to roll it completely to the zero volume level. Just seemed like inefficient way to switch from neck, both & bridge. The volume knobs are a dual balance control in that regard. I guess having a toggle switch, 1 volume, 2 tone knobs gets it closer to Stratocaster control panel like. Could always go with the toggle switch, 2 volume, 2 tone and that would be Les Paul-like.
Nothing really stops one from rewiring the controls though. Not unless it's the physical space of a control cavity that doesn't allow for the additional toggle switch or pot.
Nothing really stops one from rewiring the controls though. Not unless it's the physical space of a control cavity that doesn't allow for the additional toggle switch or pot.
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I’m with sky cruiser on this one……(75)/(75+50)=0.6
that said If there were a true AB rig and that allowed the two pickups to go to a VVT setup down one path and a VBT setup down the other path to a common output and you said you liked the sound better in the VVT rig I’d believe that.
I’ve also always preferred the repeatability of VBT plus the single knob volume off functionality, I also had a VBT bass before I had a VVT bass so that will affect my preferences also
The VVT configuration works fully as long as none of the pickups are at 100%. This way it's possible to get a huge amount of different blends and tones. When using either of the two pickups at 100% the difference between VVT and VBT practically disappears. 90% is the maximum I use in any pickup, except when I want just one of them, or both at 100%, which as someone already said, are the 3 basic Jazz Bass tones.
JeezyMcNuggles
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- Feb 23, 2018
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No, because then you have to find center, instead of just flipping both knobs up. Even with a center dent, it's not half as quick.
There's no such thing as "blend"
On anything with two pickups.
Including guitar.
JeezyMcNuggles
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I played a '69 Tele bass for years, and when I switched to a Jazz bass I thought this way... 3 basic tones, and messing with the pickups doesn't really do anything.
A huge light went off for me when I changed my amplification. The amp and speakers make a massive difference. All the sudden I could hear all the details in the midrange. Even now, I have two different amps. One of them masks some of those subtle tone changes. With the other amp everything is loud and clear. With the good amp, the changes are even more pronounced when using a good dirt pedal or certain effects.
To me, it's like having a powerful midrange EQ control at your fingertips. Think about an engineer adjust the midrange knob on a console one or two clicks up or down. It's like that.
I have never use the bridge solo, but my basic tones are
(With each of these, I might also roll the tone off.)
- N/B full on
- N full / B off
- N full / B 25%-ish down (almost always with the tone down about 25%)
- N down 25%-ish / B full
If you add B only on that mix, that if 5 very distinct sounds.
As far as the VVT / VBT debate -- I have two jazz basses, both with VVT. I have thought about making the second VBT or VT/VT - I'm more inclined to the VT/VT because it's just more different, and very in style right now.
