pfretrock

It seems that Leo thought the magnet polarities did not affect the humbucking. But clearly the magnet poles were different in each half in Fig 2 and 5.. This is a happy accident. Everyone copied his assembly. From the Patent: "Although the voltage induced in coils 41 and 44 due to vibration of an associated string 16 are additive, the violtage induced in such coils due to the effect of an extraneous field , such as that produced by a power line, are in a bucking relationship. This is because the coils 41 and 44 are reverse wound relative to each other, and the magnet polarities are not important in regard to extraneous fields"

Yes, Leo had the magnets different in both sides. Presumabnly this is a requirement for the humbucking effect (or he thought it was). Either way, it was good fortune when J pups were added! US Patent number 2, 976, 755 Filed 1961

The out of phase problem can be fixed by reversing the magnets in one side of the P to south poles. Both sides are now in phase. Every P I have looked at has the magnets arranged like this. What I'm not sure of is has it always been like this? When Leo made the first split P did he have a different polarity in each half, on the assumption that it is a requirement for matched humbucking? I've no idea if this is the case, or if it is a requirement. Perhaps someone with a vintage P can check this. It may be in a Patent if Fender patented this. So if you are using various P/P configurations, you may need to check the phase is correct. I've no idea what the effect of having one half out of phase is, I've never tried it but I suspect it could be a problem. Or it might just sound great!

Excuse the scruffy drawing. Here is a P and J pickup. Assuming the winding start and end is in the same direction for all windings. The P is wired back to back as required for humbucking and I've made all the magnets the same polarity. The bass side has the same magnet polarity on both pups and the wiring is the same phase. But there is a problem on the treble side. the P and J signals are out of phase.

Then can deliver. I decided to order Geddy's bass book direct from the publisher's website store - they offered a discount which made it lower than Amazon. Supposed to be 3 days delivery. Every time I emailed over a 3 week period it was "in the warehouse due for shipping". Eventually cancelled and got a refund. Amazon delivered in 2 days. That was my last purchase.

First used them around 1996, ordered on line, posted US$ bank draft to Seattle to pay invoice. Stopped using them 18 months ago. Can't support carbon headed global warming cardboard box tax evaders.

P pickups have different magnet polarities in each half (one side is North pole, other side is South pole). This means if you use a P/J configuration then each of the four strings are in phase when mixed. Due to the two halfs of the P pickups being wired "back to back" to produce a humbuck effect, the magnets need to be so arranged, to bring both sides back into phase with the J. You might need to consider this when you arrange the P/P configuration? You can check magnet polarity by using a weak magnet to check which side repels the magnet. Strong magnet to be avoided some modern magnets are VERY strong, best avoided and its easier to feel when the poles repel. Actually Leo's split P pickup was genius, presumably avoiding the Humbucker Patent. It is wired as a humbucker, back to back.

...Just noticed Ampmaker now only sell full kits, no parts. Might be a supply problem, some Farnell resistors took a few weeks to arrive earlier this year.

Yes they sold me "outlawed" solder no questions, avoided the ebay offerings as I was not sure of the quality. Also got from Farnell some big resistors. The half watt are way too small these days to put into valve gear so I was using 1W even if this rating was not needed. The other place I have used is: https://www.ampmaker.com/ Did not buy their full kits but got some parts when building a copy of a Fender Bassman amp. Getting hard to get some components these days

Yep, 60/40 lead tin. No wonder it tastes so good. Incidentally, RS Components would not sell me leaded solder (i'm not a trade customer) . Farnell did not care.

There were two. One had 4 valves and the other 21 valves. Just needed to replace one valve and a whole load of leaky capacitors and aged resistors.

Especially if you have one of those silly locking jack sockets on your bass, which are not easy to remove. As I don't gig but usually have a bass lying around on the sofa, i'm too lazy to keep unplugging. Neutrik make some interesting stuff like the silent plug: https://www.neutrik.com/en/neutrik/products/plugs-jacks/plugs/professional-1-4-plugs/silentplug and the timbre plug: https://www.neutrik.com/en/product/np2rx-timbre Maybe they can be persuaded to make a switched plug? Neutrik might be the only jack plugs worth using! (see what I did there, a plug). Actually decent quality locking sockets may not be a bad idea, my Mex P failed after one year and a Squier Telecaster is loose after a few months.

Lead free is the work of the devil. (or maybe I've used 60/40 for so long and don't like lead free). just restored a very big valve radio, had to pay £30 for a reel of the thick solder required. Another problem is getting spare bits for my old Weller for 60/40 - the bit determins the iron temperature in these old irons. New higher temperature bits are way too hot for 60/40. I've also done some lead free soldering on very small surface mount components, lead free is dreadful stuff!

A Movie soudtrack like you've never seen before. Spot the Warmoth bass neck!

I thought A 432 was only used by members of the Flat Earth Society.

"I use a Linn drum, it doesn't argue" Keith Emerson in his studio circa 1986

No not a new guitar or bass. I spent most of last year working at home, so looking at more TV and social media that previously. Covid has seen a lot of TV/media where zoom etc. is increasingly used. Usually they are sat in front of their book case. Then I noticed a gradual increase of guitar or bass sitting in the corner. I'm sure they are just following a trend or is it just that guitar ownership is more common than I thought.

I would worry about taking the top off the fret with a concave file. Do you mark the fret with a Sharpie to see where it cuts?

Once you've straightened the neck, surley you need to level the frets (or at least check them) before crowning? I also took a DIY approach and stuck 400 grit (or finer) wet/dry onto a 16 inch spirit level (reasonably flat, checked against an engineers rule) using very thin double sided tape. This tape is about as tick as fag paper. Worked Ok, in this case the proper tools would have cost much more than the bass was worth! The fret levels were dreadfull anyway and would have been unplayable. The frets were crowned with a fine flat file having masked the neck with tape and marked the frets with black Sharpie. A bit tedious. Then finish off with increasing grades of wet/dry.

Actually should not take that long. Frets are under 1.5mm high so a 1/4 inch fine round file should be quite quick, put a 3or 4 mm notch at each position. Looks like the ruler is Ali. ? A bit thicker than mine so shoud not bend, (mine did) if it's bowed not easy to see the alignment on the neck. My 30" gauge was for a kit built short scale which had neck and fret problems.

I guess they are UNC threads? Problem is identifying the size. Then finding a small quantity. Do you have one similar that can be measured (diameter, length, threads per inch). Odd fact: on one of my basses (not sure, maybe a Fender) the pot screws are the same thread used on Meccano sets (useless fact No. 137).

As good a way as any for ruining a cheap ruler. One side is 30" scale, I think the other is 32". Not worth doing unless you have access to a notching/guillotine tool - way too tedious to file!

You will probably need some isolated drum tracks then. Incredible. https://www.thatericalper.com/2021/08/24/charlie-watts-isolated-drum-tracks-from-the-rolling-stones-gimme-shelter-start-me-up-and-more/

Mine is a really, really, really low B. Way off the end of the keyboard.

So is (was) gunpowder. No real connexion! String trees were invented so Leo could get more necks out of a plank.