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Post subject: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:38 pm
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Hi; I just got a paisley SCPB; appears to be a 2002--2004 S/N Q005***
build. Previous owner gave up after about a month and it sat in the gigbag until now. Anyway a little tuner cleaner and working the knobs cleaned up the vol. pot, put some on the tone pot and tightened to the plate as the nut was completely off. Tone control seems much louder when turned to treble. and I don't sense a lot of tone change. I A-B'd to to my other paisley (S/N: P094***2004) and vol. matches but the new one's tone does not match the old one

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Daphne Blue Squier SCPB, ?? Squier Jazz Bass, 98 MIM P-Bass, TV12 Bass Amp (Poor Man's Bassman 50), Fender Rumble 25 Bass Amp, "71 Kustom Blue Tuck 'n' Roll Head and Cabinet


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:23 pm
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maybe the cap isn't grounded to the pot-- it may look like it is. see if you can move the connection on the back of the pot---maybe needs resoldered? I've noticed on my sting (single coil) that when I turn the treb pot up- overall volume gets a little louder. Bro Dave where are you?


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:06 pm
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Is the pot and cap the same value as your good Paisley Pbass? Never been changed?
Wiring scheme look identical?


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 12:47 am
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Have you visually inspected the cap and soldier joints? If the pot nut was loose it may have gotten spun around a few times causing some sort of wiring cross. I'd replace that cap anyway, it is a green poly chicklet and too edgy for such a bright pickup. Try a MYLAR (not Poly) Sprague Orange Drop or a Paper In Oil Vitamin-Q type. You'll find either much smoother with much less distortion.

Anyway, if everything looks in order then I'd say one of these is causing the fault in order of likelihood. 1. The cap is bad which you can check on a capacitance meter or you can just replace it for a few bucks. 2. The pot is bad which you should be able to read on an multi-meter set to 500K range. 3. The pickup is dying. If the output seemed abnormal or low, it could be the pickup going out but you can also check that of course. It should read about 6.5K but anywhere between 6K and 7K is ok. Since you say it sounds ok, I doubt the pickup is the root fault.

In normal function any passive bass will have more signal with the tone set to full treble than to full bass as some of the signal is being sent to ground. The larger the cap's value the more signal goes to ground. In your case this is why I suspect the cap.

Cleaning these pots as you have done is recommended instead of replacing as they are mini-pots and not readily available at most shops. You usually have to order them.


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Sun Feb 05, 2012 11:52 am
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Very much appreciate the suggestiions -- sounds like a fairly easy fix; I just need to pick up a meter at Harbor Frieght.

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Daphne Blue Squier SCPB, ?? Squier Jazz Bass, 98 MIM P-Bass, TV12 Bass Amp (Poor Man's Bassman 50), Fender Rumble 25 Bass Amp, "71 Kustom Blue Tuck 'n' Roll Head and Cabinet


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Fri May 11, 2012 8:18 pm
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Found out the pickup is bad; ordered a new Basslines. How do i set a multimeter to check caps, pots, pickups. etc? Thx

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Daphne Blue Squier SCPB, ?? Squier Jazz Bass, 98 MIM P-Bass, TV12 Bass Amp (Poor Man's Bassman 50), Fender Rumble 25 Bass Amp, "71 Kustom Blue Tuck 'n' Roll Head and Cabinet


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Tue May 15, 2012 7:09 am
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How did you find out the pickup is bad?

You can't check caps on a normal run of the mill multi-meter which usually measures AC/DC voltage and resistance. You need a multimeter with a capacitance function on it (FLUKE makes one and there are some junky Chinese ones around) or you can use a dedicated capacitance meter (Honeytek's Cap Meter cost $20 at Amazon.)

To check a pot's function and load with a multi-meter:
1-Find out the rating of your potentiometer. The total resistance in ohms should be written on the side or bottom. Usually on Fender passive basses it will be 250K but a few models (P/J's) might have 500k's.
2-Set your meter to a setting higher than the stated value of the pot. For example, if your potentiometer is rated at 250k, set the meter to the next highest range such as 500k or 1000K.
3-Look at your pot. There should be three tabs sticking out of it. Two are called the "ends" and the third is called the "wiper." Usually, the two ends are next to each other, and the wiper is in a different spot.
4-Put the probes of your ohmmeter on the two ends. It should read within a few ohms of the rated resistance of your potentiometer. If you get a different reading, one of your probes is on the wiper. Try different combinations of two probes until you get one that gives you the right reading. You now have the probes on the ends.
5-Turn the controller from one side all the way to the other while keeping the probes in contact with the ends. The resistance should either not change at all or change only very slightly from one side to the other.
6-Take one of the probes off one of the ends and put it on the wiper. Slowly turn the knob all the way from one end to the other while watching the multimeter. At one end, it should have a resistance of only a few ohms. At the other end, it should have the maximum resistance. It should slowly and continually increase as you turn the knob with no sudden jumps. Sudden jumps indicate it needs cleaning or replacing and usually translates to static or scratchy sounds.

Funny how pots sitting unused for a lot time can develop noise in them. Often exercising them full travel about 100 times will really help, even without spray cleaner.

To check the pickup with a Multimeter by starting at the 10K resistance setting and going up if necessary to get an accurate resistance reading. A pickup only has two wires usually and that makes getting a reading off of it pretty straightforward. At least one lead should be disconnected from the instrument's circuit. You will not get an accurate reading with both pickup leads in the guitar circuit as you are then reading the load of the guitar's entire circuit instead of the pickup coil alone.


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Sat May 19, 2012 8:27 pm
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brotherdave. The last tech I took it too did what probably been done first; he checked the P/U with a multimeter, it read about 1.8; said I needed a new pickup. I had a gift certificate from guitar center and ordered a Basslines Quarter-Pounder. Bought a multimeter at Harbor Freight and checked the new P/U; read 12.46; double-checked the old one and it read 1.7. I replaced the P/U and it sounds great - problem solved thanks to you guys. I'm going to mess with the multimeter and check some old pots ands set it up with a 1/4" jack so I can check the battery in my active P/U basses. I really like your site and appreciate the way you help people.

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Daphne Blue Squier SCPB, ?? Squier Jazz Bass, 98 MIM P-Bass, TV12 Bass Amp (Poor Man's Bassman 50), Fender Rumble 25 Bass Amp, "71 Kustom Blue Tuck 'n' Roll Head and Cabinet


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Post subject: Re: Goofy Tone Contriol Japanese SCPB
Posted: Fri May 25, 2012 10:59 pm
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That SD pickup is slightly overwound from stock Fender pickups. I like them though.


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