I converted a modern SG bass to VBT, and it was ok, but it just seemed like the differences between the SG pickups was to noticeable. Of course, a Jazz has two of the same pickups. Not having a master volume is a little annoying.
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Why aren't Jazz basses wired Volume-Balance-Tone?
- Thread starter philthygeezer
- Start date
Ric5
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- Jan 29, 2008
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- I like 5, 8, 10, and 12 string basses
I’m a BVT fan (eighties Fujigen Ibanezes) nicer to have the blend most accessible in a live stage situation.
I think you actually could by tilting the balance toward the neck pickup and dropping the volume but to me it would be a PITA. I like VVT and find it intuitive, I had a few Jazzes with blend knobs and never liked it.
As with most things, I don't think one way is inherently better than the other, as it really depends on the needs and preferences of the player.
For my purposes, I would prefer a blend knob with master volume. For the original stuff I'm playing, I use predominantly two tones; one is heavily distorted, the other is clean with some light modulation and time effects. The distorted tones sound way better emphasizing the neck, whereas I prefer the clean tones being bright and chime-like, so prefer both pickups together, though sometimes with an emphasis on the bridge. Being able to switch back and forth quickly and kill volume without considering where my blend is while live would be a huge asset for me.
I do agree with many here that blending both pickups isn't as straightforward as one might first assume. That being said, I find the idea that there's pretty much only three sounds on a jazz a bit baffling.
Of course there's the "main" three sounds, but I find leaving one volume at max and dialing the other down about 10% changes the character enough to call it a distinct sound, at least with my jazz. Also find leaving one at full and dialing the other back about 60% is another distinct sound. Leaving my neck pickup at full and dialing the bridge back about 60% gets me as close to Pbass on my jazz as is possible (close, but definitely not the same).
For my purposes, I would prefer a blend knob with master volume. For the original stuff I'm playing, I use predominantly two tones; one is heavily distorted, the other is clean with some light modulation and time effects. The distorted tones sound way better emphasizing the neck, whereas I prefer the clean tones being bright and chime-like, so prefer both pickups together, though sometimes with an emphasis on the bridge. Being able to switch back and forth quickly and kill volume without considering where my blend is while live would be a huge asset for me.
I do agree with many here that blending both pickups isn't as straightforward as one might first assume. That being said, I find the idea that there's pretty much only three sounds on a jazz a bit baffling.
Of course there's the "main" three sounds, but I find leaving one volume at max and dialing the other down about 10% changes the character enough to call it a distinct sound, at least with my jazz. Also find leaving one at full and dialing the other back about 60% is another distinct sound. Leaving my neck pickup at full and dialing the bridge back about 60% gets me as close to Pbass on my jazz as is possible (close, but definitely not the same).
I have many basses that have both, and I definitely prefer V/V/T. Especially, when it is Active and it is V/V/B/T or V/V/B/M/T over V/B/B/T or V/B/B/M/T.
So many blend knobs do not seem to blend the same meaning that at 3/4 (half higher from detent) it isn't 75/25 on all of the basses that have a blend. It isn't necessarily even 60/40 on all of the basses that have a blend. I usually prefer having the Neck pup set higher than the bridge pup. On V/V/T I am usually dimed on the Neck and at detent or just above detent on the bridge. I find it a bit frustrating on blend pots because they just don't appear to be consistent to me. Something about the type of taper (Audio taper vs Linear taper) control the pot actually has?
So many blend knobs do not seem to blend the same meaning that at 3/4 (half higher from detent) it isn't 75/25 on all of the basses that have a blend. It isn't necessarily even 60/40 on all of the basses that have a blend. I usually prefer having the Neck pup set higher than the bridge pup. On V/V/T I am usually dimed on the Neck and at detent or just above detent on the bridge. I find it a bit frustrating on blend pots because they just don't appear to be consistent to me. Something about the type of taper (Audio taper vs Linear taper) control the pot actually has?
Even if this is the case (I’d like to see a user manual of the VTB harness explaining in detail what happens when turning the knobs) the VVT arrangement is certainly more intuitive from this point of view .. go 75% there and 25% there, directly, no interpretation nor manual required, then adjust the tone .. finished .. it’s not difficult nor cumbersome at all and you surely get what you have in mind.
drumvsbass
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- Aug 20, 2011
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Me neither until I had a couple of jazzes. No other real difference outside of that, though I'm sure this thread (TLDR)
has gone down the rabbit hole of what different potentiometers do to the tone of an instruments mojo when placed in different orders and which types of capacitors can be used to mitigate those tonal variances to achive... 
also consider that Jaco pretty much had the bridge soloed all the time so are we talking about what if any effect the neck pickup being supposedly at zero had on the tone outside of just the bridge pickup being soloed and are we sure that it was 100% the bridge pickup and not maybe just a particular dash of the neck pickup because on the super rare Weather Report 'live from wherever' Jaco's tone had an unnoticeable amount more bottom end than when the 'live from the hollywood bowl in 197whenever' and it's not just that Zawinul's Moog was louder in the mix during the intro to 'Teen Town' it was definitely something about Jaco's tone and it wasn't new/old strings or cocaine...You see how these ridiculous theories get going, especially if you sound convincing...
drumvsbass
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Me neither until I had a couple of jazzes. No other real difference outside of that, though I'm sure this thread (TLDR)
You see how these ridiculous theories get going, especially if you sound convincing...
This is my greatest response ever.... Thank you good night
I have never in 30 years needed to do any volume swells on Bass.
I'm also not one to roll the volume knob up and down between songs or sets. Thats what the mute feature in my tuner pedal is for.
I'm also not one to roll the volume knob up and down between songs or sets. Thats what the mute feature in my tuner pedal is for.
On basses with more than one pickup, I would like a two-way switch and four knobs, one of which is the master vol.
The switch would choose between two entirely separate bits of circuit - up would be neck pickup and a tone knob, down would be both pickups, blend and the other tone knob.
Then I'd have two separate sounds, preset, and could simply toggle between them.
The switch would choose between two entirely separate bits of circuit - up would be neck pickup and a tone knob, down would be both pickups, blend and the other tone knob.
Then I'd have two separate sounds, preset, and could simply toggle between them.
How about this as a concept? I think moving the two together for 'master volume' would be a trivial affair, just like riding adjacent faders on a mixing desk:
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That's pretty much how I roll. Neck pickup at 100%, bridge at 75-80% and tone at 60%. My Jazz stays like this all the time. For other nuances, I use my fingers.
Yes! That is exactly what I had in mind with my cryptic post above: it would allow all volume mixing combinations of VVT, and retain the on-the-fly easiness (of panning/soloing and master-volume/muting) of VBT.
I am sure there are drawbacks to sliders (maintenance - I suppose it's easy to get sweat and crud in there - being one) but they sure are an attractive option.
I wired my old Jazz Bass as M/V/V and thus removed the tone control in the early 90's. It was great to have a master volume and the ability to fine tune the balance between the both PU's. I have never experienced any fine balance control with a balance pot, on any bass.
For some months ago i did the same on my Fender Elite P/J, i removed the active board and have no an all passive P/J-bass with M/V/V/T.
For some months ago i did the same on my Fender Elite P/J, i removed the active board and have no an all passive P/J-bass with M/V/V/T.
This is my most flexible passive Jazz. Twin V/T stacks with a Master V that pulls up for series. I'm not a big tweaker, but it's easy to set. Often as not it's wide open - the Master is very handy though.
