shoulderpet

58 minutes ago, rmorris said:

 

Yes (to the 0V connection (screen) of course.

Be careful not to connect to the Ring Connection by mistake.

Sorry you lost me there, apologies I am a bit of a newb to all this, would you be able to elaborate on what you mean by this, thank you

Ok thanks, I assume also that soldering a capacitor to the copper tape should also be fine?

Another thing that I have just thought of is that most of the time there is a ground wire soldered from the back of the tone pot to the underneath of the bridge, could I instead have the ground wire that would usually go to the back of the pot to the bridge wired from the output jack to the bridge? 

I have always found soldering to the back of a pot to be tricky, I found a couple of cheat methods on Youtube and wondering if these can work, hoping someone more knowledgeable than me can advise

Method 1 - This method I saw the person said you solder to some copper tape, the copper tape then gets attached to the back of the pot, does this work? Is this a good way of attaching ground wires and could this also work with capacitors which usually have one of there legs soldered to the back of the pot, could you solder the one leg of the capacitor to the copper tape and then attached that to the pot?

Method 2 - In this method the person soldered a thin guitar string from one lug of the pot to the back of the pot, does this work? could you use this method to attach a ground wire by soldering the ground wire onto the string rather than the back of the pot(I am guessing it needs more direct contact with the pot)? Can you use this method to attach a capacitor by soldering the capacitor onto the string rather than the back of the pot?

Thank you

I have a few

1. If I buy a bass and the setup is good, action is low and no buzz then I wont even bother checking the neck relief, I will give the truss rod a quarter turn to check it turns and then give it a turn to revert it back.

2. If I buy a bass and the setup is good, action is low and no buzz and I dont hate the stock strings then I will try and find out what strings it has on it already so that I can either but the same or buy something with the same tension so I dont have to adjust the neck

3. I dont bother with intonation above the 5th fret on the E string, the other strings I do but unless you are playing a Fodera then the E string does not sound pretty when you play high up the neck

4. My knowledge of theory is pretty much non existent

There are more but I will leave it at that

Seymour Duncan SPB-3 Quarter pound for sale £30 shipped, works fine but some cosmetic blemishes as per the pictures (hence the price) there is a gouge on one of the covers which thankfully is the one without the Basslines logo and Axesrus sell covers for p pickups with holes for 1/4" pole pieces for less than a fiver should you want to replace the cover, the other thing is that the black pickup wire was trimmed too short so I soldered a wire onto it to extend it and covered the solder joint with electrical tape

So I received my transparent pickguard, unfortunately the screw holes are in the wrong place  if it was a solid colour pickguard I would probably just drill new holes but as its transparent sadly I cant do that.

I have decided that I am going to get a bunch of cheap pots, jacks and capacitors and use these to practice my soldering on, I have a spare P pickup that I can use to test that the wiring all works, I will continue to use solderless components in the meantime but I feel like learning to solder is probably an invaluable skill to have.  

On 11/03/2022 at 17:48, kodiakblair said:

The stock cap value is much too high for treble bleed.

 

Here's some alternate options.

 

https://octavedoctor.com/treble-bleed-circuit-what-is-it-and-do-i-need-it/

Thanks

On 12/03/2022 at 22:25, BassAdder27 said:

I’m a lover of playing bass with a pick as it suits the rock stuff I play but I keep holding off using a pick as the fullness of bass tone with fingers is also a great tone and I’m about to set myself a task … 

1: achieve a great tone using a pick with as much fullness as I can get 

2: still achieve that great pick clarity 

3: sit well in the mix ( single guitar band, guitarist uses Marshall 4x12 

 

Im using a PBass loaded with nickel rounds and my ABM600 through my Ampeg SVT212AV cab

 

About to add the Ampeg Opto compressor and Ampeg Scrambler drive pedal for max punch and a bit of grind when required 

 

Will probably use the Shape Out on the ABM and add a little mids back to give me the most full bottom end 

 

Any tips for making this work where I don’t feel lacking in that warm full finger tone sound ? 

Seymour Duncan SPB-2 Hot pickup, lots and lots of low mids, lots of warmth in the lows and somewhat rolled off highs, I'm a fingerstyle player but I think that pickup would sound great with a pick

10 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

The stock cap value is much too high for treble bleed.

 

Here's some alternate options.

 

https://octavedoctor.com/treble-bleed-circuit-what-is-it-and-do-i-need-it/

Yes the treble bleed requires a 0.001 value, I was just curious to see if I could make a capacitor work by putting the legs of the capacitor into the solderless connections

27 minutes ago, mcnach said:

 

I've gone off the idea, to be honest. Everybody seems to advertise something but then it isn't. 

 

I am considering an alternative evil plan, but no mudbuckers, the universe says no. :shrug:

How much work are you considering putting into this? 

On the Gibson Les paul tribute short scale under the pickup cover they have wired 2 single coil P pickups (like the 51 p bass) together in series, might be a cool idea if you can find a couple of single coils that will fit under the pickup cover

https://youtu.be/qkp0unbtYsE?t=550

17 minutes ago, mcnach said:

I give up.

 

New "Artec" pickup arrived from a different source (no Artec model labels or anything). It looks slightly different from the previous pickup, but it's still a 1.2 KOhm one.

I won't try again.

 

OMG Again!!!! Man I am whizzed for you, I would try Retrovibe

https://retrovibe.co.uk/product/artec-ebc4-cr-mudbucker-30k-for-eb3-eb0-project-bass-pickup/

19 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Aye it's normal and you can stop it happening quickly and cheaply 🙂

 

All you need is a cap or a resistor+ cap.

 

I am currently using a solderless pot for the volume, I have done a mock up using the stock capacitor that came with this bass (obviously I would be swapping this for the .001 cap), I am a bit of novice with wiring, would this work?

Normal colour scheme (black is ground, white is hot) and each leg of the capacitor is going into the solderless connection for pickup hot and ground wires.  Just for sh!ts and giggle I gave this a try with the stock Harley benton treble cut capacitor that they use and the volume functioned as a volume control but with the tone rolled off

The back of the pot looks like the below (I had to disconnect the pickup wires to get a better picture) I noticed that the lug on the end is not pushed back and soldered to the back of the pot like it is in the treble bleed diagram from your post , the red wire is not attached to anything and I have covered the end of it with electrical tape so it is not making contact with anything

13 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

It's normal.

 

Peavey were using treble bleed wiring back in 1978. It's standard in Fender Pros , here's their reason ( in the red box).

 

 

 

Thanks, I will add treble bleed to my "to do list" 

3 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Aye it's normal and you can stop it happening quickly and cheaply 🙂

 

All you need is a cap or a resistor+ cap.

 

Thanks, it is normal on a single pickup bass? I noticed as I turn down the volume it sounds like of like I have a tone pot that has been turned down about halfway which is odd as I have no tone pot at all

Ok so 1 mod completed, after trying a couple of different wiring configurations I decided to just go with 1 volume no tone for the brightest tone possible without wiring direct to the output jack.  Tim at Gig.ink cut the new control plate for me.  Tonally this beast is bright, lots of growl and treble on tap.

I have a transparent pickguard on the way which will cover up the screw holes but still keep the red finish visible

I tried the Kiwi polish trick on the neck but I ended up removing it with some alcohol shortly afterwards as it barely took to most of the neck but on the edges of the neck it left a red stain 🤮

I have been looking into replacement necks and I am considering getting one of the Northwest P bass necks, a Tele style headstock would be nice but is by no means a deal breaker, it is more the pale satin finish that bugs me, I have always been a vintage tint gloss kind of person

Ok just noticed that whilst the tone is lovely and bright with the volume on full it gets noticeably darker as the volume is rolled off, is this normal?

Hi

I have a bass that I suspect has the nut cut a little high, I searched but could not find anything, basically I am wondering what the action at the 1st fret should be, hoping someone can help, thanks

On 26/02/2022 at 07:27, tegs07 said:

I don’t understand Fenders current strategy. The Squire CV basses I have played are frequently better than the MIM Performer’s. The Vintera, Nate Mendel and Flea MIM basses are excellent, IMO easily as good if not better than many  of the USA built Fenders.
Fender seem to have lost the plot in terms of price and marketing, which I feel is impacting the used market as MIM basses are still seen as being inferior to the USA models when many lines, the Vintera for example are premium basses. I sold my USA P before the Vintera. They were both good basses but the USA one was just a bit meh, bland with little character whereas the Vintera was a joy, bags of character and sounded fantastic.

 

Edit: I don’t think the old hierarchy  of Squire / MIM / MIJ / USA makes any sense anymore. Just buy the one that works for you at the best price. To answer the original question would I buy a 40th Aniversary Squire. No. There are 2 used Vinteras for sale on this forum at bargain prices. I would snap them up.

The way I think about the pricing is that with the MIM Fenders with the Player series you have what is basically Fenders "entry level" instrument ie the cheapest instruments available that will carry the Fender name, ime the Player series is basically comparable to the cheaper Squiers, maybe slightly better quality but not a world of difference and at this price point you are pretty much just paying for the name.

When you go up in pricing to Vintera and Classic 50's these basses are a tonne better than the Player series, better necks, hardware, pickups the lot.  The player plus series is also better than the standard Player series but I would take the Vintera or the Classic 50s over these .

This is all imo and based on my experience only,  I had a chance recently to play a load of Fenders/Squiers from the entry level Squiers up to the more expensive MIM Fenders

On 04/03/2022 at 19:56, kodiakblair said:

Yet the blurb says different.

 

" adds beef and warmth to the traditional vintage tone."

 

" we came up with a more robust pickup that added output and low end"

 

" but wish it had a fuller, ballsier tone, "

 

Just a thought .

 

Have you considered the effect your hunt for brighter highs will have on the hum ? A single coil P-bass is a hum antenna which no amount of shielding will get rid of completely.

 

Darker tone can divert folks attention from it but I'm thinking super bright highs tone will bring hum front and centre ; probably with a spotlight on it so everyone knows the cause 😆

What are your thoughts on the aftermarket pickups you have tried? The stock pickup is decent but it seems to be a clone of the Duncan Quarter pounder so probably not the most traditional single coil tone, Herrick are probably not either but there promise of a brighter tone with added treble with the Neodymium pickup is intriguing.

13 hours ago, kodiakblair said:

Guitar players will tell you hum is part of the single coil tone 🙂 Personally I don't find it a problem , nobody notices it above the din made by a band 👍

 

You definitely lose something using stacked or split 51 singles . If a normal healthy kid running about full of E numbers is the single coil ; the split/stacked is the same kid after a double dose of Ritalin 🙁

Tbh I have never played a bass where the hum has been an issue, as you say it's usually drowned out by all the other sounds

14 minutes ago, kodiakblair said:

Yet the blurb says different.

 

" adds beef and warmth to the traditional vintage tone."

 

" we came up with a more robust pickup that added output and low end"

 

" but wish it had a fuller, ballsier tone, "

 

Just a thought .

 

Have you considered the effect your hunt for brighter highs will have on the hum ? A single coil P-bass is a hum antenna which no amount of shielding will get rid of completely.

 

Darker tone can divert folks attention from it but I'm thinking super bright highs tone will bring hum front and centre ; probably with a spotlight on it so everyone knows the cause 😆

Yeah that is a bit confusing, I wonder if they got the eq mixed up with the vintage wound scpb1, people usually think of vintage pickups as being bassy but in reality that are often fairly full range and bright.

I haven't had a chance to use the PB-50 in a live setting or rehearsal yet so I think that will be the test for the hum, I know there are stacked coil 51 pickups that are meant to address this but my hunch is that they will change the fundamental character of the 51 pickup

Thanks, that is good to know, funnily enough the Duncan SCPB-2 is one I am interested in, it is a hot pickup but Duncans Eq specs say that this pickup has strong treble response which is something that appeals to me

2 hours ago, shoulderpet said:

Just wondering if anyone has done a pickup swap on a Harley Benton pb-50?

Is the pickup a standard length(will for example a Duncan single coil p pickup fit?) Roswell says it is 84.94mm in length and just looking at Herrick pickups and there single coil p pickup is 87mn in length, my guess is the Roswell is slightly different to standard spec but I could well be wrong

 

Am asking as the pickup route is very tight in terms of space, there is no wiggle room at all

Ok after looking on the Seymour Duncan website it appears there single coil P pickup is also 84.94mm (or 3.344" as it says on the website) so it would appear it is Herrick that is a slightly different size to standard spec

Just wondering if anyone has done a pickup swap on a Harley Benton pb-50?

Is the pickup a standard length(will for example a Duncan single coil p pickup fit?) Roswell says it is 84.94mm in length and just looking at Herrick pickups and there single coil p pickup is 87mn in length, my guess is the Roswell is slightly different to standard spec but I could well be wrong

Am asking as the pickup route is very tight in terms of space, there is no wiggle room at all

11 hours ago, spyder said:

Now I'm not a fan of Ashdown. I really can't get on with their amps core sound so I was not expecting to find such a great bass

 

I share this sentiment regarding there amps,a place that my band uses to rehearse has Ashdown amps and I'm sure some people get great tones out of Ashdown amps but I can never get enough top end out of them, it always seems to sound like the highs are rolled off regardless of how I set the controls on the amp

So looking for some wiring ideas, I found the below diagram which is supposedly for a bass cut, does this look correct?