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Post subject: Brightness Switch: Easy passive mod
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:32 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I just finished doing the wiring mods on my Am. Standard Jazz bass. Added a no load pot, an orange drop cap, and two push/pull switches. The first is an active passive, and the second is a little invention of mine~

I'm sure it's been done before, but I haven't seen it. The second switch activates a hi-pass filter that filters out all the frequencies below 150 hrz.

The idea is that when you activate this, the overall volume decreases. You then go to the amp and raise the volume to match the original volume. The result is that the mids and highs get raised dramatically but the overall volume stays the same.

I thought it might not work as well as I thought. I was dead wrong. I was shocked at how well it worked. So many people try to get a brighter tone by fiddling with the knobs at the amp or with an active preamp. The result is that certain frequencies don't get raised evenly, and the character of the instrument is altered.

With this mod, all of the frequencies are raised equally, and it retains a lot of the character of the original sound, and is just brighter.

I didn't find this online, I came up with the wiring diagram myself. I doubt you'll find the wiring for it online, but it's pretty simple to have both a series/parallel switch and a 'brightness' switch in one bass without altering the appearance. If anyone wants me to post the diagram, I'd be more than willing.


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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 12:25 pm
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Rock Star
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Anubis,

Yes please post this mod and also I'd like to post it on my site as well so email me your drawing.

Would a compressor be able to make up the gain difference? Or could you just roll off the volume a tad until cutting the filter in?

What sort of active preamp is in it?

Does the filter mod work in either the active or passive mode?

Are you using Poly or Mylar Orange Drops?

Did you know you can make any pot a no-load pot? Here's how! http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/pots.htm


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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:16 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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I'll try to get a drawing in soon.

It's a totally passive mod that should work for active or passive basses. All you need is a switch and a .0047 cap. I used a ceramic cap, but if I were to do it again I would use a nicer cap.
I
The jist of it is you have a switch that puts the cap in series with the hot wire between the pickup and the pot. Whenever you have a cap then a resistor, you have a hi-pass filter, and the pot acts as the resister. If you have a resister then a pot, you have a low-pass filter, which is what tone controls are.

Any sort of boost switch should make up the volume difference. I just roll up the volume on the amp a little bit, for my bass its about a +6 db boost to equal the original volume.

I was amazed by how well it works though. Just pop the switch, boost the volume, and the bass is brighter. You won't get a big warm sound out of it, but there are enough low mids to give you plenty of fundamental and volume on the low notes. It also makes the low e string sound very tight.


I'll send you a diagram as soon as possible.


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Posted: Sat Aug 15, 2009 1:37 pm
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Aspiring Musician
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Here's the wiring diagram I quickly drew up:
http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/8026/s ... 163031.jpg

This is just the brightness switch, not the wiring for the series/parallel switch as well. The switch in the center is a normal on/on DPDT switch, such as those in push/pull pots.


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