PJ Bass - Control Layout - now accidentally turned into a build thread!

TTony

Do you shield the cavities?

ICBM

I would, especially if there's any possibility you may be running it only into a DI which may be ground-lifted.

guitarfishbay

VVT is my pick.  Gives you more shades of sound plus how often do you actually adjust your total output volume anyway?  Maybe to silence the bass, but most people can do this easily elsewhere (e.g. tuner with mute). 

The advantage to the VBT is that you can adjust your master volume without affecting the blend, but I've never once needed to change the master volume setting on a bass for musical reasons.  YMMV of course!  It's not especially difficult to change your mind at a later date anyway if you can solder.

MattBanshee

Stacked jazz bass pots.

Bridgehouse

Right. First coat of tru oil has gone on. 

Whilst applying, I had a good ponder as to how I'm going to use it. In the context of present band, and my playing in general, I think VBT is going to do the trick - and simply because master volume is something I use - a lot of our stuff includes some quiet drop outs with acoustic/voice only, and I tend to kill the volume to stop any rogue (not rouge!) bass noises.

For difference, I'm going with Jazz bass knobs and using the little knob for blend so I can differentiate by feel in the dark. 

Sneaky peak? Ok.

"Don't tru oil Alder - it will look shite". Yeah, well, I have and I like it, so stuff the naysayers

ICBM

Nice, but that isn't routed quite far enough up to get the third pot in with equal spacing using a 2-knob guard and an extra hole. Custom pickguard time... or woodwork.

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

Nice, but that isn't routed quite far enough up to get the third pot in with equal spacing using a 2-knob guard and an extra hole. Custom pickguard time... or woodwork.

Well, I've done a bit of measuring, and you are sort of right If I extend the curve of the knobs down a bit and use a mini-cts pot, then it will fit. 

I've ordered a pickguard now and I'll be damned if I'm wasting it, so I'll have a go. TBH, as this is a gigging workhorse, I'm not sure I'm bothered if they aren't quite equally spaced.. I'm coming to the conclusion that I am over-thinking this. 

Bridgehouse

Pickguard arrived this morning @ICBM so when I get round to the next tru oil coat I will measure up the hole spacing.

£20 it doesn't fit?

ICBM

Well if you're going to cheat and use a mini-pot .

It will be close, wouldn't like to call it actually .

TTony

10:18AM
Bridgehouse said:

I've ordered a pickguard now. 

10:48AM
Bridgehouse said:

Pickguard arrived this morning

That was quick!

Bridgehouse

TTony said:

10:18AM
Bridgehouse said:

I've ordered a pickguard now. 

10:48AM
Bridgehouse said:

Pickguard arrived this morning

That was quick!

Amazon are amazing these days..

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

Well if you're going to cheat and use a mini-pot .

It will be close, wouldn't like to call it actually .

Yeah, I know it's cheating.. but still

ICBM

Whatever you do, space it correctly and worry about the pot size or any necessary woodwork afterwards - nothing looks worse than a bodged mod because something wouldn't fit in the right place...

Bridgehouse

ICBM said:

Whatever you do, space it correctly and worry about the pot size or any necessary woodwork afterwards - nothing looks worse than a bodged mod because something wouldn't fit in the right place...

I quite like my bodged mods

No, you are right - it will be spaced as well as I can get it. If I have to do mini pots or dig out a bit more wood then I will. 

Bridgehouse

@ICBM - well well...

With a mini pot and no extra woodworking, this is the fit for jazz knobs if I do V b T



Then, if I do b V T..




Which I actually quite like - if I go too far round to preserve the curve then it looks very wrong - like the extra knob is just stuck out in the middle of nowhere...

Bridgehouse

(Measured and equally spaced btw..)

prowla

Well, looks like it's done now, but I would've gone for push-pull pots (like the Ric vintage/modern switch) or stacked ones (other professional-level instruments use them, so they are prefectly viable).

On the picture there, I'd be inclined to make the extra knob white, so it doesn't stand out so much.

Bridgehouse

prowla said:

Well, looks like it's done now, but I would've gone for push-pull pots (like the Ric vintage/modern switch) or stacked ones (other professional-level instruments use them, so they are prefectly viable).

On the picture there, I'd be inclined to make the extra knob white, so it doesn't stand out so much.

Only a trial fit - nothing done yet. Push pulls or stacks would be just too fiddly for me live - us bass players are ham fisted you know (well I am!)

The small knob at the front format is growing on me. 

Funkfingers

Why is the additional control positioned so close to the pickup? 

Imagine, if you will, the centre line along the "tail" of the pickguard. The holes for the jack socket and controls follow that line. (The original outline was created using French Curves.) Continue that same centre line towards the neck and the third pot would be on it, roughly an inch further away from the P pickup.

My guess is that the control cavity needs enlarging slightly.

ICBM

Yes, I think it looks the best at the front too. Also less risk of bashing it, probably.

Possibly controversially, I would probably make that one the blend if you're doing VBT - its actually the one I would use most.