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ZZB wiring schematic

MAGUS®

MAGUS®

Dec 23, 2004
987
82
#1
Heya

Does anyone have a ZZB deluxe Aria Pro ? I need to check the wiring of a ZZB thats working so i can work out why mine isn't

Its the model with a pair of staggered pole buckers ( MB lll ) & Vol, Blend Switch , Tone.... I got silence !

A photo would be ace, or failing that, a diagram

Thanks
 
#2
It looks to be a standard, passive two pickups with master volume, master tone control and a 3-way pickup selector switch. It is wired the same as a Telecaster guitar, except of course it uses a Gibson-style pickup switch instead of the Fender blade type switch.

Often what happens on older basses is one of the controls will become loose in it's hole and start to turn. Then the wire either flexes back and forth on the pot terminal and eventually breaks off, OR the pot rotates until a bare terminal contacts the side of the control cavity, and if it's shielded with either foil or paint, it will ground out the signal and you'll get no sound.
 
#3
Thanks Crater

The solder joints are all good, but i can post a photo of the control cavity. If you or anyone can see anything's a bit funky with the wiring, you can tell me.

1zqacz4.jpg
 
#5
That is always a possibility, and i had thought it might be. The switch looks unusual compared to modern on-on-on switches. Modern on-on-on switches seem to have 6 tags
underneath, whereas this ZZB has just 3 , as can be seen

It maybe worth me fitting another switch, but i would fit a modern new one, just to be sure. I'd still have to have a schematic, though. I'm not clever enough with electronics to work it
out in my head
 
#6
Test the existing switch before replacing anything.
Set a multimeter to Ohms.
Set the pickup switch to the middle position.
Touch one multimeter probe to the center lug of the switch and the other probe to one of outside lugs. You should read zero Ohms.

Another thing to try: Touch a probe to one of the pickup hot lugs on the switch and the other probe to any grounded point. In this case you do not want to see a zero reading.
 
#8
I own several Aria/Matsomoku instruments, and while they are generally very good for the price, the electronics are always cheap and dodgy and usually need servicing or replacing, especially after 20+ years. The box-type pickup selector is not so great and should be replaced with a Les-Paul style open-frame pickup switch. Replace the pots too if they're scratchy sounding or cut out at parts of their rotation. If they're OK, then you can leave them alone for now. There's no tone magic to be gained from "upgraded" pots or switches, but it is nice to play an instrument where you can switch the pickups or adjust the controls without pops and crackling noises coming through your amplifier...

Schematic diagram:
ZZB-wiring1_zpsdn5ekkxn.gif


Pictorial diagram from Seymour Duncan. It's for a humbucker guitar, but the ZZB would be wired the same way.

2H_3G_1V_1T.jpg
 
#9
wcriley - did your multi meter check, and get ZERO on both checks, so one check was right and one check was wrong, so its possibly the switch

crater - thanks for the diag. Mine seems to be wired differently to the SD model. For example, the tone cap is wired to outside lug and back of the pot instead of center lug and back of pot

There are other wiring differences, so could it be a combination of poor switch and incorrect wiring ?

I guess the first thing to do would be change that switch for a new on-on-on type, and that would eliminate the switch problem from the equation. Then i will know if the wiring is wrong too
 
#10
Before replacing the switch, run a few more tests with the multimeter to rule out other potential problems.
Set the volume control full on.
Put one probe on the center lug of the switch and the other on the center lug of the volume pot. Should read zero Ohms.
Keeping one probe on the center lug of the switch, touch the other to the white wire at the output jack. Again, should read zero.
Now...put one probe on the back of the volume pot and the other where the shield of the gray wire connects to the jack. Should read zero. That solder joint on the pot of the pot doesn't look very substantial.
 
#11
Ok, set meter to 20k, and switch center lug / vol pot center lug - zero ohms

center switch / white wire output jack - zero ohms

back of vol pot to gray shield wire on jack - zero ohms

Can you say again about the solder joint - which pot looks bad ?

thanks
 
#12
Sounds like the switch is the only problem.
I was referring to the back of the volume pot, where the output shield/ground attaches.
I'd touch up/reflow all the solder connections when you replace the switch.

Crater's suggestion to use a Switchcraft Les Paul style switch is a good one. But make sure it fits in the cavity before ordering.
 
#13
Checked back of vol pot solder joints and they're all good. I guess its the switch then as you say

The part of the switch that inserts through the cavity is pretty big. Are LP style switches just as big ?

I'll check on Switchcraft LP switches in the UK and see what i can find
 
#14
Jeeeeeeeeeeez, LP switches are not cheap :)

Would one of these do the job ?

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I ought to mention that the pickups / electronics are not in an original ZZB. They're fitted in a different bass
 
#19
MAGUS® said:
crater - thanks for the diag. Mine seems to be wired differently to the SD model. For example, the tone cap is wired to outside lug and back of the pot instead of center lug and back of pot
Click to expand...
There's several ways of wiring a tone pot, and they all work the same.

The on-on-on mini switch should work, but it's mounting hole is smaller than the original box-type switch, so you'll have to drill a new hole or fill this one in with a washer. Invalid Link Removed, including the original box-type switch or an "economy" version of the open LP switch for 6.90 Pounds.
 

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