Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
- Thread starter Artie
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GuitarStv
Sock Market Trader
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
Guitar is a rhythm and lead instrument. There's often call to quickly switch between very different sounds in a tune. Bass tends to be largely a rhythm instrument, and there isn't as much call for switching between particular sounds in a song.
Guitar is a rhythm and lead instrument. There's often call to quickly switch between very different sounds in a tune. Bass tends to be largely a rhythm instrument, and there isn't as much call for switching between particular sounds in a song.
FuseG4
Our Neighbor Totoro
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
Middle position on Les Paul I'm sure everyone is familiar with blending the neck and bridge pickups?
I guess there's guys who just leave everything on ten and say "that's the middle position tone, there's only one."
Middle position on Les Paul I'm sure everyone is familiar with blending the neck and bridge pickups?
I guess there's guys who just leave everything on ten and say "that's the middle position tone, there's only one."
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
Yeah, I get that. I was thinking more in terms of "fading" from one position to the other, rather than "snapping" from one to the other. And yes, an LP will allow some degree of that if the volumes are wired properly.
Yeah, I get that. I was thinking more in terms of "fading" from one position to the other, rather than "snapping" from one to the other. And yes, an LP will allow some degree of that if the volumes are wired properly.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
It's because Fender-based basses are by far the norm, and the Jazz Bass doesn't have a switch. People learned to use those sorts of controls on bass, because it's what was out there all over the place, due to Fender Js and other basses based off of them.
Gibson-style basses do traditionally use switches.
The Fender Tony Franklin signature P/J has a switch; it's one of his signature mods.
The extremely popular Fender Mustang PJ Bass has always had a switch instead of a Jazz Bass style VVT setup.
Mid scooping the tone (what happens when you blend in parallel) is something that is much more likely to be desired by a bassist than by a guitarist, so it tends to stick around on basses, while rarely being used on guitars.
Some early Teles had a blend knob, but it was extremely unpopular with players, so it was ditched.
It's because Fender-based basses are by far the norm, and the Jazz Bass doesn't have a switch. People learned to use those sorts of controls on bass, because it's what was out there all over the place, due to Fender Js and other basses based off of them.
Gibson-style basses do traditionally use switches.
The Fender Tony Franklin signature P/J has a switch; it's one of his signature mods.
The extremely popular Fender Mustang PJ Bass has always had a switch instead of a Jazz Bass style VVT setup.
Mid scooping the tone (what happens when you blend in parallel) is something that is much more likely to be desired by a bassist than by a guitarist, so it tends to stick around on basses, while rarely being used on guitars.
Some early Teles had a blend knob, but it was extremely unpopular with players, so it was ditched.
dg27
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
My '76 Rick 4001S and '84 MIJ Fender Jazz Bass Special both had 3-ways. I replaced them with a blend in both cases.
My '76 Rick 4001S and '84 MIJ Fender Jazz Bass Special both had 3-ways. I replaced them with a blend in both cases.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
Great info. Once again, learned something new here. Thanks.
I was toying with the idea of replacing the blend on my Jazz with a switch. Now I'm rethinking that.
Great info. Once again, learned something new here. Thanks.
I was toying with the idea of replacing the blend on my Jazz with a switch. Now I'm rethinking that.
VinceT
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
This was my immediate reaction to Artie’s question - I use the blend control on my Fender P Deluxe all the time for this factor.
And, Artie, to answer your question on another thread, I’ve certainly modded my bass - I ripped out the active circuitry that came stock on the P, and replaced it with a passive Volume/Blend/Tone/Bass Contour (a la Reverend, G&L, etc.) configuration. All in all, it’s got everything I could want from a long-scale bass!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
This was my immediate reaction to Artie’s question - I use the blend control on my Fender P Deluxe all the time for this factor.
And, Artie, to answer your question on another thread, I’ve certainly modded my bass - I ripped out the active circuitry that came stock on the P, and replaced it with a passive Volume/Blend/Tone/Bass Contour (a la Reverend, G&L, etc.) configuration. All in all, it’s got everything I could want from a long-scale bass!
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
dg27
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
Both of Jazz basses and my Warmoth are set up with V/V/T. The T is a DPDT series-parallel switch. I usually leave the DPDT in the 'up' position, so that the top (neck) V is an "uber-volume." The bridge V is bypassed.
I didn't like the switch on either my Rick or my JBS because in both cases the bridge position was useless and the middle position never gave me enough of the neck pickup (not enough low end).
The V/V/T-DPDT gives me more control.
Here's the wiring diagram:
Both of Jazz basses and my Warmoth are set up with V/V/T. The T is a DPDT series-parallel switch. I usually leave the DPDT in the 'up' position, so that the top (neck) V is an "uber-volume." The bridge V is bypassed.
I didn't like the switch on either my Rick or my JBS because in both cases the bridge position was useless and the middle position never gave me enough of the neck pickup (not enough low end).
The V/V/T-DPDT gives me more control.
Here's the wiring diagram:
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dg27
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
When it's in series ("up" position) it behaves like one massive pickup (I believe it sums the gain, but don't quote me on that). It sounds more Precision like, with lots of bottom, which I always prefer.
In parallel it's like a standard Jazz, with all the growl if you want it.
When it's in series ("up" position) it behaves like one massive pickup (I believe it sums the gain, but don't quote me on that). It sounds more Precision like, with lots of bottom, which I always prefer.
In parallel it's like a standard Jazz, with all the growl if you want it.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
I had a series/parallel switch on my Yamaha PJ. Series is pretty beefy, but I ended up preferring parallel.
My Warwick has jazz pickups and volume, tone, and blend. I usually either have it in the middle, a little to either side of middle, and very occasionally all the way in either direction. It's a great setup for easily tweaking all sorts of sounds.
I'm thinking about putting a 3-way on my Yamaha, but leaving the V-V-T setup, so I can leave the switch in the middle and still have normal controls.
I had a series/parallel switch on my Yamaha PJ. Series is pretty beefy, but I ended up preferring parallel.
My Warwick has jazz pickups and volume, tone, and blend. I usually either have it in the middle, a little to either side of middle, and very occasionally all the way in either direction. It's a great setup for easily tweaking all sorts of sounds.
I'm thinking about putting a 3-way on my Yamaha, but leaving the V-V-T setup, so I can leave the switch in the middle and still have normal controls.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
I may try a temporary switch in the back cavity just so I can hear what it sounds like, without making any permanent change to the bass. A couple days ago, I ordered the Apollo Set. Should be here by the weekend.
I may try a temporary switch in the back cavity just so I can hear what it sounds like, without making any permanent change to the bass. A couple days ago, I ordered the Apollo Set. Should be here by the weekend.
JB_From_Hell
Jomo's Nimions
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
Cool, looking forward to hearing your opinions of those.
Funny you mention the inside switch. I'm thinking of doing the same with a mini-switch I have around here to put my Warwick's neck pickup in parallel.
Cool, looking forward to hearing your opinions of those.
Funny you mention the inside switch. I'm thinking of doing the same with a mini-switch I have around here to put my Warwick's neck pickup in parallel.
chadd
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
As a guitar player, I rarely use middle positions on my humbucker equipped guitars. However, when I play bass, I love the blend knob with a center detent. Dialing in a bit of J pickup to add clarity to a P pickup or vice versa to add a little more body is a great for me since the tones are so radically different. The center detent is great, because it gives me an extra reference point when adjusting the knob.
As a guitar player, I rarely use middle positions on my humbucker equipped guitars. However, when I play bass, I love the blend knob with a center detent. Dialing in a bit of J pickup to add clarity to a P pickup or vice versa to add a little more body is a great for me since the tones are so radically different. The center detent is great, because it gives me an extra reference point when adjusting the knob.
ItsaBass
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
A hum cancelling J pickup with the coils placed in parallel is incredibly thin and scooped sounding. It's probably not worth modding the pickup to get that function. I would argue that a simple bass cut ("demud" mod) with an internal trimpot to pre-set the intensity is a better way to thin out a J pickup with a switch.
If you're doing series/parallel on a J bass, I would say that a master series/parallel switch is the way to go, rather than having each pickup switchable to series or parallel. You can usually get a J thin enough sounding without needing to put a hum cancelling pickup's coils in parallel with each other.
The real slick J wiring is series pickups with independent volumes. It lets you dial in any series pickup combination that you want, from either one on, to both fully on in series, to any fraction of any pickup, all in series. Much better than stock J wiring (A.K.A. parallel with independent volumes) or a master series/parallel switch (which gives you series pickups, with a single volume control, in the series mode), IMO.
A hum cancelling J pickup with the coils placed in parallel is incredibly thin and scooped sounding. It's probably not worth modding the pickup to get that function. I would argue that a simple bass cut ("demud" mod) with an internal trimpot to pre-set the intensity is a better way to thin out a J pickup with a switch.
If you're doing series/parallel on a J bass, I would say that a master series/parallel switch is the way to go, rather than having each pickup switchable to series or parallel. You can usually get a J thin enough sounding without needing to put a hum cancelling pickup's coils in parallel with each other.
The real slick J wiring is series pickups with independent volumes. It lets you dial in any series pickup combination that you want, from either one on, to both fully on in series, to any fraction of any pickup, all in series. Much better than stock J wiring (A.K.A. parallel with independent volumes) or a master series/parallel switch (which gives you series pickups, with a single volume control, in the series mode), IMO.
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ItsaBass
New member
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
If you find that you don't really like any of the typical parallel blends on a J bass, do consider the wiring that gives you full-time series with independent volumes. It lets you blend the characteristics of the two pickups, without losing output and midrange, as you do on a stock J bass.
All that being said, I play my Js on the neck pickup alone 95 percent of the time. Wimpiness problem solved, without having to modify a thing.
If you find that you don't really like any of the typical parallel blends on a J bass, do consider the wiring that gives you full-time series with independent volumes. It lets you blend the characteristics of the two pickups, without losing output and midrange, as you do on a stock J bass.
All that being said, I play my Js on the neck pickup alone 95 percent of the time. Wimpiness problem solved, without having to modify a thing.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: Why do you suppose bass's use "blends", while guitars use switches?
I just realized, we're having almost the same discussion in two different threads. Probably my fault. But anyway, I'm probably not being fair to my J. I simply unplugged the P, with QP's, and plugged in the J. Of course it would be a different volume. But I was plinking on it using the EHX Battalion, and all output and EQ issues are gone. (Duh, of course.) Playing through the Battalion, I may not even change the preamp in this thing after all.
I just realized, we're having almost the same discussion in two different threads. Probably my fault. But anyway, I'm probably not being fair to my J. I simply unplugged the P, with QP's, and plugged in the J. Of course it would be a different volume. But I was plinking on it using the EHX Battalion, and all output and EQ issues are gone. (Duh, of course.) Playing through the Battalion, I may not even change the preamp in this thing after all.
