Members kayak Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I'm getting ready to build a project bass based on the electronics of a jazz bass. I tend to play my jazz bass with the volume and tone controls maxed out all the time, adjusting my tone and volume with my playing style (and extreme volume changes with my amp, of course). I'm wondering how many of you guys do the same.Do you think it would be reasonable to build a bass with no controls at all, just wire both pickups straight to the jack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members georgestrings Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I'm getting ready to build a project bass based on the electronics of a jazz bass. I tend to play my jazz bass with the volume and tone controls maxed out all the time, adjusting my tone and volume with my playing style (and extreme volume changes with my amp, of course). I'm wondering how many of you guys do the same.Do you think it would be reasonable to build a bass with no controls at all, just wire both pickups straight to the jack? I don't think it'll sound as good as you think it will - I wouldn't do it... if anything, I'd atleast want to turn the volume all the way off sometimes... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TN.Frank Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 On my MIM Jazz I play with the tone cranked all the way, the bridge pup all the way and the mid-pup turned back just a touch. I could see where you'd want at least a volume knob so you can crank up your amp a bit more then you'd need then turn down the volume at the bass, that way if you do need a bit extra "punch" during a loud song you'd have the headroom at the touch of a volume knob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassplayinguy Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I pretty much run the volume controls maxed out at all times I do however use the tone control quite a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members More Cowbell Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 Some people love wiring straight to the jack. More raw sound...will probably be louder. Didn't James_on_bass wire his SX straight to the jack and left it that way for a while? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kayak Posted February 28, 2007 Author Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I don't think it'll sound as good as you think it will - I wouldn't do it... if anything, I'd atleast want to turn the volume all the way off sometimes... - georgestrings Okay, how about no volume/tone controls, but with a mute switch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chris-dax Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I did that on my tele...bypassed the tone control.... I tend to set my controls and leave them, so I thought I'd be ok with doing any tone adjustment at the amp... but no...I find that I do minor adjustments on the fly from time to time and do not like the by-passed tone control... I'll be undoing that mod when I get new pots... Based on that experiment, I would not consider it for any of my basses....c-d Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members JacieFB Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 All knobs all the way up for me...except w/ my fretless Jazz...depends on what the room and/or recording setup sounds like. I often use the S-1...trying to get what I perceive to be a more URB sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 Yes. I switch PUs for certain sounds as well. For slap ( G&L ASAT or passive SX Jazz ), both PUs dimed. I finger 99% of the time almost on top of the bridge. For 'fake fretless"; Bridge PU soloed in single coil mode, highs rolled off (on the Jazz, tone rolled off). Sliding notes with a little chorus it approximates a fretless sound within the framework of a band (not by itself) and is a good soloing setting. For 'fake upright", mid PU soloed, highs rolled back (not off - on the Jazz, tone rolled to about 3), and I play with my thumb as a pick toward the neck with a palm mute. Like the 'fake fretless', it approximates an upright (not by itself) within the framework of a band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members georgestrings Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 Okay, how about no volume/tone controls, but with a mute switch? Hey, that's up to you, bud - personally, I use 'em both... I keep my basses sounding somewhat "modern", and a bit on the bright side - yet with good low end... that way, all I have to do is to roll off the tone pot a bit to get a more "classic" P sound... To each his/her own, I say... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ZedsDead Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 On my passive Js, I don't use the tone very much. I DO use the volume controls to fade between Front and Rear pickups. Actually, for each song I play, Pickup Config is part of every lead sheet. neck Both bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fireball_73 Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I seem to mainly use the pickups on a half of both pickups, both full, or one or the other full combined with the tone knob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members slapthefunkyfour Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I have a custom fretless and it only has one knob. I rarely use that one. It's cool for volume swells. I installed a linear pot instead of logorithmic one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members frunobulax Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 my fretless jazz has a tone cut pot. all the way up bypasses the pot. i usually use it full up, and get some tonal variation from twiddling the volume pots. the new jazz is active and i'm having a ball playing with the controls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jmb374 Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I find that I really don't touch the tone pot much. I just leave it all the way up. I do mess around with the volume pots quite a bit to get some different sounds. Usually though I end up running everything wide open and changing how/where I pluck the strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Real MC Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I vary the tone, but volume are either full on or full off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members prosigna Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I try to get a full signal out of the bass. The "treble bleed" tone pot is maxed out. The volume is either all on or all off. Once the signal is out of the bass I use my amp 'n stuff to vary the tone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Johnny Duart Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 Do you think it would be reasonable to build a bass with no controls at all, just wire both pickups straight to the jack? Isn't there a bass that some guy builds that are all natural, have no truss rod, and only have a volume pot???? Bee Bass I think? How are those? I heard he does not build them with tone pots because he wants the real tone of the wood to come through and give the bass it's own personality. But, you run it through a bass amp, so how do you know if it's the wood of the bass or the electronics of the amp?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members pianoman01 Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 I use my jazz for in every situation, so I need the volume and tone pots. I set the tone anywhere from 0-10 depending on what I'm playing. I usually have both pickups on, but occasionally turn one of them down a little. Also, I don't max the volume knobs. I turn them about 3/4 of the way up. That way if I need more volume, I don't have to screw with my amp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Smokinfiddler Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 It is a personal prerequisite requirement that any bass I own has a bridge PUP and a Neck PUP and volume and tone controls for each PUP. A toggle switch is a nice addition but not a requirement as long as I have controls for each individual PUP. regardless if the Instrument is equipped with a toggle it must have individual volume and tone controls for each individual pup. No exceptions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members georgestrings Posted February 28, 2007 Members Share Posted February 28, 2007 the new jazz is active and i'm having a ball playing with the controls. I just got an Active Jazz Deluxe, and have been getting all kinds of different tones from it - it's a very versatile bass, IMO... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members BassMaster General Posted March 1, 2007 Members Share Posted March 1, 2007 On my Jazz the volumes are usually both maxed and the tone gets tweaked a little depending on the sound I need to cut through or fit in the mix. Mind you, when I had my JAF custom done it just had concentric bass/treble knob and an active passive switch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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