Soliloquy

[quote name='Silent Fly' post='1206319' date='Apr 20 2011, 07:35 PM']It depends on how the electronic operates but to be on the safe side, I would use two capacitors. One for each pickup. If each pickup has a two wires (blue and white) you need to connect one leg of the capacitor to the blue wire and the other to the blue white. Do not disconnect any wire between pickup and pots/circuit. [url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Series_and_parallel_circuits"]Parallel connections[/url] are like the strings of your bass: all the strings are connected on one side to the headstock, on the other side to the bridge. In [i]series[/i] means they are one after the other, like the carriages of a train. Thanks for the kind words Soliloquy - if I understand who you are I just replied.[/quote] Thanks , I shall order me a couple of capacitors and experiment (trying not to burn myself or set fire to anything with the soldering iron)

[quote name='Silent Fly' post='1206225' date='Apr 20 2011, 06:34 PM']Yes - it is exacly what it is. The value of the two capacitors depends on the pickup type and model. I am not sure I get what you mean by "in line with one wire". They are connected in parallel to the pickup. It can be done with just one capacitor and a simple switch or with a potentiomenter and a capacitor like a standard tone control. It can be implemented in different ways. It can also be done with a push-pull on the volume.[/quote] This is the inside of my bass. There's a blue and a white wire going to each pickup, where should I put the capacitor ? I'm not really sure what you mean by in parallel . I'm not really bothered about being able to adjust it. I really just want the effect of a passive tone control all the way off. Would I need two capacitors, one for each pickup ? I've sent you an email asking about your builds by the way, they look very cool .

[quote name='Silent Fly' post='1206192' date='Apr 20 2011, 06:03 PM']The simpler way is probably [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=124651"]this[/url]. The problem in adding passive tone control with active circuits is that to get the full effect they should be just after the pickup (i.e. before the active circuit). Even with active pickups like EMG that are sold with passive tone control, the effect of the tone is not [i]exactly[/i] like a passive tone applied to passive pickups. The main reason is that the active electronics isolates the inductance of the pickup’s coils and it doesn't allow the interaction between the pickup and capacitor. For a simple treble cut-off is usually not a problem but it is not exactly the same thing.[/quote] Thanks for your reply. Excuse my stupidity , what you're got there is 2 capacitors, is that right ? Are they just in line with one wire from the pick up ? So for my 2 pickup bass I'll need 2 capacitors ? I don't want it switched, the bass doesn't have a scratchplate.

I'm thinking you can just wire the capacitor in line with the pickups. Presuming you're happy with not being able to control the passive tone level. I always prefer to have mine off anyway, so I think I may try it.

[quote name='voxpop' post='1205852' date='Apr 20 2011, 02:07 PM']I have the green one and want to add it to my active Smith.[/quote] Yes, I noticed your post last night while I was looking through. I have found these - [url="http://www.fender.com/community/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=23438"]http://www.fender.com/community/forums/vie...=10&t=23438[/url] [url="http://www.guitarnucleus.com/wiring.html"]http://www.guitarnucleus.com/wiring.html[/url]

I thought it was just me being picky lol . My Zon bass has a really nice Audere pre fitted to it. It just seems to sound so much better with the passive treble turned off, and then just use the active treble. I don't really want to go to the trouble and expense of changing the pre though. And there's a guy here selling some capacitors too [url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=102699"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=102699[/url] I've always preferred the sound of my basses like this.

My Zon has a nice active circuit that as well as having bass, mid and treble cut or boost, it also has a passive tone control. I've had other basses with the same type of circuit. I generally have the passive tone rolled all of the bass off. I then just boost the highs as required with the active treble control. I think this gives a less harsh, more natural sound. My one bass however doesn't have a passive control, just the active cut and boost circuit. The result, at least to my ears is a very harsh over bright sound. I've had other basses the same over the years, and I've changed the preamps on them. I want to avoid that cost at the moment though. Is there a simple modification that I can do ? I was browsing various sites last night, as well as this one and Talkbass. The passive tone control is just a knob and a capacitor. Could I just (seeing how I like the sound with the passive all the way off), just solder a capacitor somewhere along the pickup wire ? All suggestions are greatly recieved .

[quote name='J.R.Bass' post='1204674' date='Apr 19 2011, 12:46 PM']90% of my work is done on my 5 string but i am going to disagree with that statement. I've played lines on the 5 that just don't seem to sit right, and as soon as i pick up the fender everything just seems to work. Sometimes those shifts from 6th fret to first are exactly what the groove needs. Also, all the bassists you posted, i'd put money on them all having at least one fender jazz or p bass, or something that resembles one. And i bet they have all used them in the studio because thats what it needed. I think anyone who dismisses either instrument because they "don't need it" are stupid.[/quote] I know Janek uses a Fender P bass for some gigs. I agree with your statement about dismissing instruments too. It just really annoys me when people post smug statements about this instrument or that instrument, and only needing a 4 string because so-and-so only needed a 4.

I don't understand why (I never have understood why) people think they have to have a 'reason' to buy a 5 string. Do they think that they have to be doing a song where there was a low D or C played originally ? Everything that you can play on a 4 string bass, you can play easier on a 5 string bass. It doesn't work the other way around though, unless you start detuning. I've been using 5+ strings since around 1992. I immediately fell in love with the new ways to play old songs that a 5 gave me. No longer did I have to shift position down to fret 3 on the E string to play a low G, or 1st fret to play a low F. I could keep my left hand in a comfortable position around the 5th fret position and play all of those notes without moving. It's also nice to be able to play parts an octave down from where it'd 'normally' be played. Ever played Stevie's I wish on a 4 string bass, without de-tuning it ? The first gig I did on a 5 string was with a soul band at Birmingham University. It felt so good dropping those low B's, D's, Eb's etc in to the basslines. Proper low notes that really filled out the sound of the band.

[quote name='steantval' post='1204301' date='Apr 19 2011, 12:01 AM']Funny that, me and another bassist were discussing 5 strings tonight and both agreed a bass should have 4 strings, that's what they started with. I think most of the pro bassists I admire all play 4 strings, if it's enough for them it's sure enough for me.[/quote] I guess it depends who you admire. Gary Willis, Steve Lawson, Anthony Jackson, Janek Gwizdala, Matthew Garrison, John Patitucci, Jimmy Haslip, Andrew Gouche, Anthony Wellington, Todd Johnson, Damien Erskine, Tom Kennedy, Tony Grey, Kai Ehhardt, Adam Nitti, Richard Bona, and Jimmy Johnson are some of my favourite players. All play either a 5 string or a 6 as their main instrument. The only 4 string players I really like are Michael Manring, Stanley Clarke and Marcus Miller .

What's with all the 4 strings that are for sale, are the owners selling to buy the 5's that are for sale ? Are the owners of the 5 string basses that are for sale selling to buy a 4 string bass, or are they selling to fund another 5, or maybe a 6 string ? Get a life .

The Hanon book is quite good too. [url="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exercises-Schirmers-Classics/dp/0793551218/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303039084&sr=8-1"]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hanon-Virtuoso-Exe...9084&sr=8-1[/url]

Don't use TAB, it is (IMO) a waste of time. I like the 'Standing in the shadows of Motown' book. Lot's of songs that you'll possibly know. Some easy, others with complex rhythms. You get a CD with the book so you can hear how it should sound. I recommend getting a good teacher too. Someone else will no doubt tell you otherwise.

I don't know how anyone can play without knowing what you're actually playing, I find it bizarre. I also encounter it quite often. I was hired by a singer songwriter to do some recording a few years ago. I arrived at the studio and was met by the guy. He'd sent me some rough tracks beforehand, and I'd worked some ideas out based on them. He gave me some sheets when we'd set up, they had the lyrics printed on them, and X's and Y's as well as a few regular chord symbols. Turned out he'd learned to play from listening to his favourite songwriters, and had just copied chords from their records. He'd never learned what they were called though, if they sounded good then that's what he used. He was actually a very good singer, and wrote some really nice songs. I've done gigs for bands too where the guitarist didn't know what he was playing. It didn't stop them from playing and sounding good. I knew what they were playing, that's all that mattered.

Some beautiful basses there. I had a 5 string SKB a couple of years ago, it was a very cool bass. I'm maybe thinking of trading my Overwater for an SKB 6 string. Can anyone tell me how wide the necks are on the 6 string models ?

I just re-read the thread, I've played at Quad a few times, a couple of years ago now. I was using an Epifani UL902 and a couple of Epi 4x10's. I found the same thing as other here, a very muddy and undefined sound.