Need help!
I'm building a bass guitar from scratch and I need someone to look over my wiring diagram and tell me if it's going to work/will burst into flames and implode the world (exaggerating not working I know).
I've got 2 Burns Tri Sonic bass pickups that I want to wire to 2 pull pots (to switch the phase of each pickup), and into a switch each to turn them on and off. So in total I'll have 2 tone / pull pots, 1 volume pot and 2 switches.
I've asked the internet and there's nothing that I can find so I've done the best I can. If anyone can give be any pointers, I'd appreciate it muchly.
Thanks!
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It's funny because it's true.
Comments
First, you don’t need a phase switch for each pickup. Reversing one of them has the same result as reversing the other, so there only needs to be one.
Second, you appear to be switching the pickups in series - this will work if that’s what you want, but how you’re doing it is unnecessarily complicated and potentially unreliable. All you need is to wire the pickups in series from hot to ground, and bypass each with a switch.
Third, the tone controls are wired wrong, and what you’ve drawn won’t work because there is no path from the hot side of the pickups to the volume control. If the pickups are in series you need one tone cap for each pickup, you can’t use a shared cap.
Does that make any sense?
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson
Each pickup should run from its on/off switch to its independent tone control.
The link that you have drawn between the positive side of the switch for the neck pickup and the negative side of the switch for the bridge pickup is redundant.
The output from the positive side of the switch for the neck pickup should be connected to the middle terminal of its tone pot.
The (currently) unused terminal on each tone pot should be linked together and then to the input terminal of the master volume control. Kinda like a Fender Jazz Bass circuit in reverse.
It's funny because it's true.
My answer assumed that you wanted the pickup signals in parallel. It occurs to me now that you might have actually wanted the pickups connected in series - à la Brian May Tri-Sonic circuitry.
Unfortunately, the image of your draft schematic diagram has been taken down. It is impossible to stare at it again and devise suggestions for improvements.
Brian may's wiring is where I started looking for ideas, but obviously his guitars have 3 pickups whereas mine only has 2 (I tried lol)
I'll have another go and post it up. I don't know why you can't see the other image, it's still visible to me
Thanks again!
It's funny because it's true.
Seeing the draft diagram is not critical. It might be wiser to redesign from the beginning. Determine what you require the control circuit to do and why.
For example, phase reversal is unlikely to result in a convincing tone for low register playing - even with the pickups permanently interconnected in series. For the "in series, out of phase" mode, the best that could be hoped for would be a honk à la Eldred Cocked Wah mod for Fender Esquire.
In anything other than a Jazz Bass stacked knobs circuit, I question the wisdom of dual treble roll off tone controls. Whenever both pickups are engaged, both tone controls act on the entire circuit. Whichever tone pot is rolled off more will determine how much treble is rolled off from both pickup signals.
It is possible to imagine several control circuit ideas that will work but difficult to recommend any specific suggestion without knowing where the two pickups will be located on your instrument.
- Adjacent, like a Stingray?
- Bridge and middle, like a Fender Jazz Bass?
- Neck and almost middle, like a Rickenbacker 4001/3?
- Right by the bridge and right by the neck, like some vintage Hofners?
I can see an argument for a series/parallel switch. For the adjacent option, I can see an argument for a phase reversal switch. Equally, I can see an argument for permanent series interconnection and a variable coil split pot.Most practical applications, it may prove wiser to fall into line with conventional control circuitry - either the classic Jazz Bass VVT formula or Master Vol., Balance, Master Tone.
First I would decide if you want series, parallel or the option of both. Then decide if you want phase switching, which as Funkfingers said is not likely to sound that good on a bass.
Given those two decisions, how to wire up the tone controls will/may be different.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson
I kind of understand what both you guys are saying with only having 1 phase switch, but I kinda want to have the option for both pickups (just because).
I've found a passive circuit with 2 volume and 1 master tone pots that I'll rework and try and (successfully or otherwise) work the on/off switches and phase switches into to.
If I'm feeling brave I might try and do 2 - 1 in series and 1 in parallel and then corrhopef someone would be able to tell me which one will work.
It's funny because it's true.
That will work and probably be more useful. Just remember that the volume control for the 'upper' one of the two pickups in series must not have the '0' track terminal connected to ground - it connects to the output of the 'lower' pickup volume control -although the casing should be.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson
Reversing the electrical polarity of a single pickup will only be noticeable if you make multi-track recordings. Whenever signals of opposite phase coincide, they will cancel some of each other's frequency content.
Sounds like high time that I checked under the pickguard of my 4001.
I'll stick to the 2 volume 1 tone setup, use the pull pots as on/off and just have 1 phase switch.
Does it matter which pickup I take out of phase?
It's funny because it's true.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson
It's funny because it's true.
It's funny because it's true.