Series/Parallel swiching on a Jazz (S1)

[karlthebassist]

Hey

Building a new bass with Fender Noiseless Jazz pickups in, and was wondering about series/parallel switching.

I tried an S1 P-bass out at my local store when they came out and to be honest wasn't overly impressed with what it offered, but I put that down to the nature of the single pickup design. Unfortunately they had already sold the Jazz so I never got to have a go.

I assume that there is some change in volume between series and parallel with a jazz setup. Probably series seeming louder? Does it provide with a substantially different enough tone to justify putting one in?

Also worth noting is that the Noiseless Jazz pickups are sort of stacked humbucker style, with two colis one atop the other. Do I still use 250K pots?

Cheers
Karl

[simon1964]

My Jazz is one of the S1 models - the second one I've had. The S1 switch works well on a Jazz IMO. As you say, it doesn't add much on the Precision, but on a Jazz it gives the option of a thicker thumpier sound (great rock tone with a pick). And you've still got the classic J tones.

[mancunianfox]

I've just done this mod to an OLP stingray. Series gives a massive boost in output with lots of low mids. Series/Parallel was dropped on the precision line as it was pretty pointless.

[LawrenceH]

I added S1 switching to an Ibanez SR500 fitted with Nordstrand Big Singles. It is a cheap, easy, reversible mod that gives a very different tone, losing some of the mid-range grind but adding in a hefty bass/low mid thump, a very authoritative tone! I can't see a reason not to do it if you're building a bass. I'll be adding it to my Jazz once I get round to it.

[bigjohn]

Hi Karl,

I'm not sure those noiseless pups are stacked humbuckers. Not sure at all. I'm pretty sure it's the enamelled wires and "special" magnets which rid em of pesky 60 cycle hum.

That's why they're vintage noiseless, rather than just noiseless.

[Musicman20]

Pointless on a P bass and if I'm honest i would never use one on a Jazz anyway.

[karlthebassist]

[quote name='bigjohn' post='730593' date='Jan 31 2010, 02:01 PM']Hi Karl,

I'm not sure those noiseless pups are stacked humbuckers. Not sure at all. I'm pretty sure it's the enamelled wires and "special" magnets which rid em of pesky 60 cycle hum.

That's why they're vintage noiseless, rather than just noiseless.[/quote]

If you look at the pickup without it's cover on it is definately a dual coil design, one stacked above the other rather then the one coil for the E and A with another for the D and G like some manufactures use. Probably humbucker is the wrong term for me to have used.

The Fender blerb reads

"Special magnets and enamel coated magnet wire [u]along with[/u] Fenders "Noiseless" technology produce a unique vintage sound..."

Special magnets. Brilliant.

"So, Fender, tell me about the magnets used in these new pickups of yours."

"Well, they're 'special' you see..."

"Right... how so?"

"..."



So however they work, the series parallel switching sounds like a good idea then.

Cool,
Cheers guys.

[Tinman]

I like the S1 switching in my Jazz, it gives added variety to the bass. Well worth it IMO

[mrcrow]

i never thought series on jazz was really what jazz was all about..clean middly tone

it seems to be more effective on a closely spaced humbucker set up like the musicman..and is standard on the SR5...at least the one i had

i tried it on my jazz layout using barts but found the resulting tone too muddy...

for punch i think the P at the original position is best for that...and then use the eq

[thodrik]

I remember a sales guy tried to big up the S1 thing with the argument of 'you can make the Jazz bass sound almost like a Precision'.

I already had a Precision, thus I didn't get excited about something that almost get the low-end thump of a Precision but not quite! If you just want to use one bass exclusively though, the idea starts to make a lot of sense.

Good idea in theory, in practise I just didn't think it added enough to the sound to get me all excited, at least on two or three I tried (Fender QC and all that).

[simon1964]

[quote name='thodrik' post='730779' date='Jan 31 2010, 05:01 PM']I remember a sales guy tried to big up the S1 thing with the argument of 'you can make the Jazz bass sound almost like a Precision'.[/quote]

TBF that's how a lot of the Fender blurb marketed it. It doesn't make a Jazz sound like a Precision, but it gets it a bit closer, and certainly gives a fatter sound. Personally, I like the added versatility.

[karlthebassist]

So it's worth the £2 its going to cost me for the switch when I build the bass?

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='karlthebassist' post='730910' date='Jan 31 2010, 06:22 PM']So it's worth the £2 its going to cost me for the switch when I build the bass? [/quote]

Exactly. Worst case scenario you never use it and you've wasted all of £2. But I find it quite handy if I want a less 'upfront' sound that carries some weight. It's doesn't sound like a P but it fits in similar situations.

[synaesthesia]

[quote name='bigjohn' post='730593' date='Jan 31 2010, 02:01 PM']Hi Karl,

I'm not sure those noiseless pups are stacked humbuckers. Not sure at all. I'm pretty sure it's the enamelled wires and "special" magnets which rid em of pesky 60 cycle hum.

That's why they're vintage noiseless, rather than just noiseless.[/quote]

They are stacked humbuckers, but they are not the variety which are of equal coils.

[karlthebassist]

[quote name='synaesthesia' post='731229' date='Jan 31 2010, 11:59 PM']They are stacked humbuckers, but they are not the variety which are of equal coils.[/quote]

Oh right? Looking at one of the pickups this is actually quite noticeable as one winding is bulkier than the other... very strange - I can't get my head around how that works... I'll have to read up on it somewhere.
Cheers for that though.

[thodrik]

[quote name='simon1964' post='730835' date='Jan 31 2010, 05:37 PM']TBF that's how a lot of the Fender blurb marketed it. It doesn't make a Jazz sound like a Precision, but it gets it a bit closer, and certainly gives a fatter sound. Personally, I like the added versatility.[/quote]


Probably why they stopped it then:

'Buy this then you won't need to buy our other bass.'

Hmmm, sound marketing technique. I think they are back to the 'you need to buy both of these instruments if you can'.

I do love Fender though and you can't blame them for trying out new things.

[basshead56]

I think this s1 works well on the Jazz, but it was quite poor on the P bass.
But the S1 series american basses had the best colour choices in a long time.