NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

[KoreanGuitarMan]

Picked up a Yamaha RBX250 (P-Bass copy) a few hours ago for $90. It looks white in the pictures but it's actually a nice antique white/ivory color in person.



It's an entry-level model that might have gone for $200-250 originally, and from what I've found usually goes for a little over $100 used. This one came with SD Basslines pickups so I couldn't pass up this deal.



I've noodled around a bit going DI through a tube mic pre into my DAW. Sounds pretty good to my untrained ear but the stock pots have to go. The scratchiness came out after some vigorous actuation but experience tells me these crappy micro pots are no good for the signal.





It's a single volume, single tone setup. My question is, rather than doing a straight swap with better quality pots, should I be considering something more interesting by way of tone shaping?

As far as drilling holes goes, I'm completely okay with that. Moving the output jack and sticking another pot in its place looks doable, but for what purpose?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I have an RBX200F with the old pointy headstock. I fed it an Seymour Duncan/Basslines APB-2 Lightnin' Rods pickup and a stacked knob 2-band EQ. (I'm not completely certain whether it is an SD/Basslines Blackouts For Bass STC-2C-BO or an EMG-BTC. Either way, it was hard-wired rather than Solderless.) There is even room for the battery in there. Just.

IMO, you would struggle to get an SD/Basslines STC-2P in the control cavity. The PCB is the problem.

TBH, with an SPB-3, for most Rock bass playing, a passive treble roll off should suffice. If you are feeling ambitious, it ought to be possible to imitate the G&L PTB concept using a dual concentric pot.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Could do a Series/Parallel on a push-pull pot.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

S/P would require reconfiguring of the SPB-3 output conductors plus the addition of a separate shield/ground wire.

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Could do a Series/Parallel on a push-pull pot.

I'm a big fan of S-P DPDT (push-pull) setups (3 of my basses have that).

Is it worth it with a PB setup? I've read that the results are minimal at best.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I performed the 4-conductor + shield cable mod on a Bartolini 8S split coils pickup in a PJ type bass. In parallel coils mode, the 8S had a nice volume balance with the 9JL-#1 bridge position pickup.

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I performed the 4-conductor + shield cable mod on a Bartolini 8S split coils pickup in a PJ type bass. In parallel coils mode, the 8S had a nice volume balance with the 9JL-#1 bridge position pickup.

Two of my S-P's are J basses. The other has two SCPB pickups.

But what about with just a P pickup? I've read it isn't worth the bother (I may be misunderstanding what you did--sorry). Next month I'm having work done on my '76 P and would do an S-P DPDT if it were worth it.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

What I did was replace a damaged original Bart single con + braid cable with 4-con + shield. This enabled the 8S pickup to be switchable between series and parallel interconnection of its coils.

The two pickups on that particular instrument run through conventional VVT control pots. I made no attempt to introduce series interconnection between the two pickups.

On a regular P Bass, I see little advantage to series/parallel switching of the split coils pickup.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

@KGM. How well does that bass balance on a strap? It will almost certainly benefit from the ever-popular Gotoh 201B bridge upgrade.

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

On a regular P Bass, I see little advantage to series/parallel switching of the split coils pickup.

Thanks for the clarification.

@KGM. How well does that bass balance on a strap? It will almost certainly benefit from the ever-popular Gotoh 201B bridge upgrade.

+1 for the Gotoh 201B. I have them on 3 of my basses. Great bridge. Really helped my '87 Squier J and '84 MIJ Fender Jazz bass Special, enough so that I put one on my Warmoth.

 

[KoreanGuitarMan]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I have an RBX200F with the old pointy headstock. I fed it an Seymour Duncan/Basslines APB-2 Lightnin' Rods pickup and a stacked knob 2-band EQ. (I'm not completely certain whether it is an SD/Basslines Blackouts For Bass STC-2C-BO or an EMG-BTC. Either way, it was hard-wired rather than Solderless.) There is even room for the battery in there. Just.

IMO, you would struggle to get an SD/Basslines STC-2P in the control cavity. The PCB is the problem.

TBH, with an SPB-3, for most Rock bass playing, a passive treble roll off should suffice. If you are feeling ambitious, it ought to be possible to imitate the G&L PTB concept using a dual concentric pot.

The Blackouts EQ looks cool. I'll have to see about the 9v fitting in there and see if I can find some measurements of that PCB.

@KGM. How well does that bass balance on a strap? It will almost certainly benefit from the ever-popular Gotoh 201B bridge upgrade.

Believe it or not, I don't even own a guitar strap. I've been playing acoustic forever and always play sitting down. But yeah, the bass is neck heavy and a beefier bridge would certainly be nice.

+1 for the Gotoh 201B. I have them on 3 of my basses. Great bridge. Really helped my '87 Squier J and '84 MIJ Fender Jazz bass Special, enough so that I put one on my Warmoth.

Well, that'll be my next upgrade after the tone control. What sort of improvements have you gotten out of the bridge upgrade?

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I wouldn't do a damned thing to it except learn to play it.

 

[dg27]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I wouldn't do a damned thing to it except learn to play it.

Although Ive never changed anything on my two oldest basses, I do suffer from the need to modify the rest in some way, to make them my own.

 

[KoreanGuitarMan]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

I wouldn't do a damned thing to it except learn to play it.

Well, I'm going be using it for recording too. I'd like to have a bit more tonal variation from the instrument aside from what I can do with my fingers. I don't want to be spending too much on pedals and plugins if I can avoid it for the time being.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Well, I'm going be using it for recording too. I'd like to have a bit more tonal variation from the instrument aside from what I can do with my fingers. I don't want to be spending too much on pedals and plugins if I can avoid it for the time being.

Your thinking on the matter is backwards, IMO. It's live where a ton of onboard tonal variation on one instrument can really come in handy. You can easily get all the tonal variation in the world in the studio.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

The Blackouts EQ looks cool. I'll have to see about the 9v fitting in there and see if I can find some measurements of that PCB.

Believe it or not, I don't even own a guitar strap. I've been playing acoustic forever and always play sitting down. But yeah, the bass is neck heavy and a beefier bridge would certainly be nice.

Well, that'll be my next upgrade after the tone control. What sort of improvements have you gotten out of the bridge upgrade?

I wouldn't do a damned thing to it except learn to play it.

I find myself inclining towards the same view as Itsa.

Since you are mainly an acoustic guitarist, spend some time familiarising yourself with the electric bass guitar. The simplicity of one pickup and two pots will oblige you to find tonal variety through playing technique. Much of what you know from guitar will be directly transferrable.

The bridge should be the first upgrade. Its greater mass should increase mechanical sustain, fatten up the tone and improve the on-strap balance when played standing. IMO, only after this change can you assess the usefulness of active EQ.

The STC-2P is a volume, balance, treble, bass system. You would need to eliminate the balance pot from the harness. The PCB occupies 60x30x20mm. The manner in which the block connectors meet the PCB means that it is, effectively, 40-50mm tall. This harness completely replaces the stock control wiring.

The STC-2C-BO, EMG-BTC and -VMC are all self-contained items, occupying considerably less space. These accessories will work with either passive or active pickups. The way that these devices are introduced into circuit means that it is tidiest to install them at the same time as a new volume pot.

The STC-2S-BO features two separate pots. Some people find this arrangement easier to operate. My criteria for deciding between the S and C versions has always been, "how many control holes need filling this time?" Thus, my single pickup, three knob Warwick has the S version and my Yamaha has a C.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Yamaha RBX200F control cavity. CTS/WD Music A50k volume pot. EMG-BTC. Stock Yamaha TRS output jack socket.

 

[KoreanGuitarMan]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

Your thinking on the matter is backwards, IMO. It's live where a ton of onboard tonal variation on one instrument can really come in handy. You can easily get all the tonal variation in the world in the studio.

I'd like to keep my hands off the mouse and keyboard as much as possible while I'm practicing, noodling, or composing. The vast amount of options for tonal shaping in the DAW is part of the problem. I don't want to spend as much time tweaking settings in a plugin as I do playing. When that DAW is open the engineering side of my brain is always on to a certain extent. I'd like to be able to just play without having to think too much about that stuff.

I just want something simple that lets me shape the tone a bit without taking my hands off the instrument. Don't get me wrong though. I've been playing the bass acoustically most of the time and having a lot of fun.

Another thing is I really enjoy fixing and modifying stuff. Didn't buy that pricey soldering station for nothing. And the pots just need replacing anyway, so I figured while I'm in there...

I find myself inclining towards the same view as Itsa.

Since you are mainly an acoustic guitarist, spend some time familiarising yourself with the electric bass guitar. The simplicity of one pickup and two pots will oblige you to find tonal variety through playing technique. Much of what you know from guitar will be directly transferrable.

The bridge should be the first upgrade. Its greater mass should increase mechanical sustain, fatten up the tone and improve the on-strap balance when played standing. IMO, only after this change can you assess the usefulness of active EQ.

I'm kind of with you on the bridge first philosophy. I'm probably going to play acoustically most of the time anyway until I come up with a simpler bass --> ??? --> headphones type solution. I'm a very lazy person and having to do more than flick a power switch to amplify an instrument kind kills my buzz.

Yamaha RBX200F control cavity. CTS/WD Music A50k volume pot. EMG-BTC. Stock Yamaha TRS output jack socket.

Nice!

 

[bjeans79]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

S/P would require reconfiguring of the SPB-3 output conductors plus the addition of a separate shield/ground wire.

You know everything, like I said. How many dimples are on a golfball? How about how many winds are on a g-string of a a standard 4 string bass set? Lol

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: NBD: Actually, FIRST bass day! Advice?

You know everything, like I said.

Round objects! Speaking of which ...

How many dimples are on a golfball?

Enough.

How about how many winds are on a g-string of a standard 4 string bass set?

Who - apart from, maybe, Sterling Ball - cares?

*

The stuff that I posted earlier in this thread is just to illustrate to the OP which upgrade options will fit into that particular Yamaha instrument easily and which might present problems or create unnecessary work.

The instrument has been acquired for a bargain price and with a reputable pickup already installed. For a good many musical styles, a passive P Bass is all that is necessary to do the job. It kinda throbs away and occupies the low end without getting in the way of guitars or vocals.

On the modified black bass above, the APB-2 pickup is kinda vintage sounding. I apply the EQ a little some times, only to firm up the low end thud and emphasise the fretless growl and string winding detail.

To my ears, an SPB-3 pickup already possesses much of that extended sonic range without resorting to electronic enhancements. It is perfectly possible that the OP's bass guitar only really needs better pots and a fresh set of American-made strings.

I find that the necks on budget Yamaha basses do not cope with heavy gauges particularly well. Hence, I suggest D'Addario 40-95 - EPS220 Pro Steels if you think you might want to slap, EXL220 Nickel Wound for all round use, ECB80 Chromes for that flatwound deep bass sound.