Pickup wired wrong!

[Hepple]

Hi, I hope we have some good electicians among us? I baught a cheep bass of ebay ages ago and once I got it the electronics were all wrong. If I turned up the volume, I had to turn all of the treble off before there was actually any sound. Or I could turn the volume off, and the treble up, that works. All 3 pots conflict each other.

I have done a diagram of what the wiring looks like, took me ages. The colours and that are all right.

http://img454.imageshack.us/img454/6870/wires1tq.png

I hope someone can figure it out. If you need more info, please ask.

[rage f*****g rule]

i can't help tbh, but nice diagram anyway.
someone'll be able to help you.

[zink182]

looks more like volume volume tone to me.. since there's a capacator on one..

[BassVirtuoso]

What kind of bass is it?

[Son of Magni]

looks more like volume volume tone to me.. since there's a capacator on one..
Or volume, pan, tone.

[azn_bassist]

at first i thought volume volume tone, but i realized that its wired all wrong
because there's no grounds from the pickup, at least from what i see

if you rewire it so that the grounds go to the black dots (i think...someone else confirm?)
and i think that tone needs to be changed too, then it should work
as volume volume tone

[Hepple]

Thanks guys. Its just a cheep custom bass from ebay, only cost £50. Its ment to be a Music Man. Am trying to set it up the best I can to actually make it sound good.

Can anyone else give any more details other than azn about this?

[zink182]

if I was you.. I'd scout ebay for a music man 2 band active electronics and replace the whole stuff.. that'll be cool and problaby get you a better sound :)

[bbbbass]

The "metal wire" is the ground, azn. It appears to be a vol, vol, tone. If you'd like, you could replace the electronics as zink182 said, that would definitely be something to consider.

If you want to keep the electronics you have, give me a few hours. I'm not electrician, but I am very able to fix your problem. Otherwise, wait for Edgebass.

[azn_bassist]

yea, if you want a passive kinda thing, i think bbbbass is getting somehitng?
or go to a guitar electronics site and figure out how to wire a humbucker in parallel
if u want some more fun you could add a series parallel switch

if you have some money to spend, i suggest getting agular(sp?) preamp or an SD
get 3-band, all the 2 bands preamp musicmans ive tried dont even compare to 3 because you cant really get that mid-cut which is really useful

[wicked_child]

i guess its not really wired wrong, its just a volume, volume, tone configuration. im not sure though...

[bbbbass]

Okay, the pots you labeled volume and treble are both volume. Turn both of these all the way up. Is there sound? Now try the "bass" pot (which is a tone, the capasitor is a dead give-away). Does it change the tone of the sound? If so, everything is okay. I see no error in the wiring.

If you don't like this set-up and would like to discuss other options, e-mail me @ gstal@sbcglobal.net, YIM @ bassstringsofsorrow.

[wicked_child]

Okay, the pots you labeled volume and treble are both volume. Turn both of these all the way up. Is there sound? Now try the "bass" pot (which is a tone, the capasitor is a dead give-away). Does it change the tone of the sound? If so, everything is okay. I see no error in the wiring.

If you don't like this set-up and would like to discuss other options, e-mail me @ gstal@sbcglobal.net, YIM @ bassstringsofsorrow.

yup, believe him, that's what i have in mind.

[azn_bassist]

Okay, the pots you labeled volume and treble are both volume. Turn both of these all the way up. Is there sound? Now try the "bass" pot (which is a tone, the capasitor is a dead give-away). Does it change the tone of the sound? If so, everything is okay. I see no error in the wiring.

If you don't like this set-up and would like to discuss other options, e-mail me @ gstal@sbcglobal.net, YIM @ bassstringsofsorrow.

dude, i dont think thats right, i might be wrong but
you have the hot (+)and cold(-) of each going into pots
the thread starter said that he needed to turn one of the pots all the way off for the other to work
this makes me think that its not wired so that its 2 volumes for north and south

so im thinking that each volume knob has either + or - and thats why
they cant be both on, because they cancel each other out?

im still not realy sure but, jus offering my idea

[bbbbass]

dude, i dont think thats right, i might be wrong but
you have the hot (+)and cold(-) of each going into pots
the thread starter said that he needed to turn one of the pots all the way off for the other to work
this makes me think that its not wired so that its 2 volumes for north and south

so im thinking that each volume knob has either + or - and thats why
they cant be both on, because they cancel each other out?

im still not realy sure but, jus offering my idea

The signal has to go to each pot. The signal (hot) will cancel if it is to sent to ground (cold), i.e. the two wires are connected. It is not with this wiring.

I am not familiar with the specific type of pickup. Nonetheless, the schematic is correct. The reason it isn't playing is because the pickup's signal is sent to two volumes.

[azn_bassist]

The signal has to go to each pot. The signal (hot) will cancel if it is to sent to ground (cold), i.e. the two wires are connected. It is not with this wiring.

I am not familiar with the specific type of pickup. Nonetheless, the schematic is correct. The reason it isn't playing is because the pickup's signal is sent to two volumes.


not to drag this out, but.....
the MM pickup is humbucker
the 5 wires from the pickup are: north hot, north cold, south hot, south cold and drain (metal wire)
the drain is clearly grounded and we dont really have to worry about where that is
now we have the 4 other wires left, the hots and colds of each coil (north and south)
if both of the volume knobs are turned on, how it's wired right now, they are all going to meet at some point in the electronics

anyone else know if im right or not?

[Hepple]

Hey guys thats a lot for your help. I carn't really test the pots just yet as im waiting for my fretboard to dry (I've defretted it).

I'll be back...