Series / parallel wiring diagram for double-pickup basses

[NickH]

Here's a circuit I drew up for Muzz for his JAzz, which is to be fitted with Seymour Duncan Vintage single coil pickups.

Normally the pickups are in parallel when both volume pots are fully up. This switch puts them in series instead, which gives a much fatter, edgier, louder sound. Tim Commerford from RATM / Audioslave wires his Jazzes like this all the time (I'm reliably told).

Give it a go and have fun! Excellent way to get more tones from a twin sc/pup bass.
(This will work with humbucking pickups too naturally)

PM me for any wiring help / technical advice

Nick

[guybrush threepwood]

Did this mod on a jazz bass a couple of weeks ago, quite quick and easy, and sounds fantastic

[The Bass Doc]

First did this about 1990 - beat Fender to the S1 idea.

[lemmywinks]

Cheers!

I'll be getting this done to my fretless Jazz in the new year. With series/parallel switching and a piezo bridge it's gonna be ace!

[NickH]

[quote name='lemmywinks' post='673299' date='Dec 3 2009, 03:46 PM']Cheers!

I'll be getting this done to my fretless Jazz in the new year. With series/parallel switching and a piezo bridge it's gonna be ace![/quote]

As well as putting the pups in series with each other, if you get humbuckers you can series-parallel the coils in each pup too.
With a three-position mini toggle or (my preferred option) a rotary switch you can series / single / parallel each pup as well as have series / parallel between the two pups.
(I figure any man who's gonna put a piezo in it will not be adverse to a bit of technical chicanery under the bonnet of the bass )

Going to install a seperate jack for the piezo output, or run an onboard pre and blend it in, or break it out with a stereo jack and lead into a belt box?

[Al Heeley]

I fitted my zebrawood thru-neck bass (JB pup config) with this option on a mini switch but it sounds so much better I never use the original option now.