thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Right, I've now gone full circle, I started off with a precision, and then I tried almost every other bass you can think of, before coming back to a precision. For me, it just feels right, and most of the time it sounds right, but is it just me, why do I hear very little difference when using the tone knob? As I said, most of the time its cuts through nicely, but it would be great if I could get just a little bit more variation in tone, so is there anything that can be done to make the tone pot do more? I'm not really that clued up on the electrics side of things, and I definitely don't want to go active, so I was wondering whether a different capacitor or whatever would make a difference? My bass is a Fender American Standard 2008. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiOgon Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Have a look under the bonnet & see what you've got in there, in particular - get what numbers & letters you can see off the cap. What tone variation are you after? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 know what you mean, they might as well fit an on/off switch for all the variety of tone I get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 On most basses I have played the tone knob seems not to do much at all. I have always wondered why also Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Er, maybe it's not wired up correctly? There should be a massive difference, from bright and clanging with it fully up and dull and thuddy when rolled off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 On all 3 of my Ps there is an enormous difference in tone between each end of the knob's movement with everything in between on the way. Even with flats! You've either got the wrong capacitor or no capictor in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fretmeister Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1382451918' post='2252285'] Er, maybe it's not wired up correctly? There should be a massive difference, from bright and clanging with it fully up and dull and thuddy when rolled off. [/quote] My P bass has loads of range too. From bright 1970s slap, down to thick thud. Must be something wrong with it. No idea what though - I don't even do my own pickup changes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seashell Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='PaulWarning' timestamp='1382451727' post='2252280'] know what you mean, they might as well fit an on/off switch for all the variety of tone I get. [/quote] Same here, but I never dared ask the question! Always assumed it was something I was doing wrong. :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andydye Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I recently switched the original wiring loom on my MIM 50's P for a kiogon one (CTS pots, switchcraft jack and sprague capacitor on the tone pot) and the difference is amazing! The pots now go from 0-11 referencing every number inbetween and the cap has made a big difference to the tone when full up and completely off, there's more punch/oomph available on all settings! A huge difference for such a simple operation! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 It has one of the usual orange caps in there, the pots are 250's which compared to other precisions that I've had in the past, seem to be the norm. And none of those had much range either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 Those of you who are gettng a lot of range, have they been modified in any way? I can understand how "same woods" can sound different, but I just don't understand how "same electrics" can sound so different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DolganoFF Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 What do you plug your bass into? If you're going directly into a mixing board without DI, or sound card without DI/or Hi-Z input, your tone knob will have very small effective range... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
molan Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I've just been playing a '61 & a '73 and there's definitely some tonal variation in there. I must admit that I tend to use them either wide open or completely closed and don't do much in between The '73 sounds killer wound right down and played aggressively! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigman Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1382454554' post='2252341'] Those of you who are gettng a lot of range, have they been modified in any way? [/quote] My JV-P not modified at all andthe tone knob has a massive range. My green warmoth made myself - i used an orange drop .047mf capacitor in it - it has massive range My yellow warmoth has a John East P-retro in it but the passive tone knob has massive range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 When you say there is no difference , do you really mean[i] no difference at all [/i]or not as much difference as you would ideally like ? If that knob literally does nothing then something is wrong , but if all it does is roll off the highs and make the bass sound progressively more wooly then that is what it is supposed to do , and I wouldnt expect too much from it . The post -2008 AM St Fenders are fine basses just as they are , and I would seriously think twice before I started pissing about with changing capacitors ect. You might make it sound a little bit different , but you won't neccesarilly end up making it sound better. Precision Basses are not renown for their broad tonal palette , and ( providing it is working correctly) I would recommend trying to enjoy the bass for what it is, i.e a perfectly good P Bass with that characteristic sound we all know and love . If you want more variety of tone from it try experimenting with the E.Q on your amp , or even adding an external preamp if that isn't sufficient . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Late 70s here, unmodded, with Chromes - everything from clangy at the top to heavy-reggae thud at the bottom. Similar with my Squier CV. Definitely time to see what's going on under the bonnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lojo Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 My CIJ tone control makes a huge difference . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='lojo' timestamp='1382455592' post='2252358'] My CIJ tone control makes a huge difference . [/quote] Same here. Totally stock & has all the tonal variation I need & want from a bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick's Fine '52 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 If theres none, or no tone difference, then somethings wrong, simple as that. There should be a great range across the sweep of the knob, from dull warm tones, to big bright trebly response. This is the case on all mine, from original '52 to eighties JV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowender Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 The tone control on a P is really just a treble cut. That's what you get and it's part of the reason they sound the way they sound. If you want to add extreme tonal variety you'd be better with some outboard gear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 I am going directly into the amp, no DI involved. The tone control definitely works, as it goes from wooly to slightly less wooly, but it definitely doesn't go clangy, which I feel is should at least start aproaching it, and like molan stated, I tend to have it either closed or fully open, because like him, there is nothing in between either. I absolutely love the bass, I got real lucky with it, and I certainly don't want to start messing with it in any way other than maybe a cap change. It does sound great, but it would be nice just to have a bit more tonal range for different situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Dead strings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebrig Posted October 22, 2013 Author Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='ras52' timestamp='1382456881' post='2252379'] Dead strings? [/quote] Brand new strings, and I change them regularly, so it definitely seems that I have a problem, but then so do many others who have responded so far, and at a guess, I would say it's about 50/50 with some of you getting a full range, and others getting hardly any range at all. Odd! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 I've got a cheap P-bass copy that had the same problem - the tone pot never seemed to do anything. I had a look under the scratchplate and it turned out the pot wasn't wired up! So that'd be the first place I'd look... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulWarning Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 [quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1382456561' post='2252376'] I am going directly into the amp, no DI involved. The tone control definitely works, as it goes from wooly to slightly less wooly, but it definitely doesn't go clangy, which I feel is should at least start aproaching it, and like molan stated, I tend to have it either closed or fully open, because like him, there is nothing in between either. I absolutely love the bass, I got real lucky with it, and I certainly don't want to start messing with it in any way other than maybe a cap change. It does sound great, but it would be nice just to have a bit more tonal range for different situations. [/quote] if you don't think it's clangy enough, bypass the capacitor altogether, if it doesn't make any difference then it's not that, but if it does then start messing about with the tone circuitry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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