Pickups wiring MOD to parallel/single coil

[Rainer Bastian]

That's interesting. I thought for a while to give that modification a try but never started because the sound I get from my Smiths never disappointed me.

Did you use the inner or outer coils ?
How was it done ? Only new soldering at the toggle poles ?

If yes, you can easily ADD the single coil option while keeping the serial option, but you will have to change the 2-way toggle to a 3-way.

[Roberto Zecchinelli]

So here is how I did it it's simple and anyone can use a solder can do it.
just be sure that your wirings are the same color otherwise you'll have to figure out what cable comes from what coil on your bass.
the original config of mine i'm posting here can be a reference.
I used the inner coils since I wanted the fuller sound of the inner bridge coil..



Ok, assuming that your wires are the same color as mine on your switches you will see:


original switch config:


WHITE AND YELLOW------------------BLACK AND BROWN
top left pin----------------------------top right pin




ORANGE---------------------------------BLUE
middle left--------------------------------middle right








BLUE comes here from mid right
bottom left


in order to get prallel/single coil instea of parallel/series you have to change the wiring in the following manner: the wirings dor the 2 pickups will be different in order to have the opposite coils of each pickup working when in S/C, for a hum cancelling jassbass like configuration.
When in S/C you'll want to have the “neck coil” of the bridge PU and the “bridge coil” of the neck PU working. The remaining 2 coils will be switched off.


So for the BRIDGE switch the wiring will be


WHITE AND ORANGE----------------------BROWN AND BLACK
top left pin---------------------------------top right pin




YELLOW--------------------------------------BLUE
middle left----------------------------------middle right




NOTHING-----------------------------------NOTHING
bottom left--------------------------------bottom right


as you can see you'll just CHANGE THE YELLOW with THE ORANGE WIRE
AND CUT THE WIRE CONNECTING THE MIDDLE RIGHT PIN (BLUE) WITH THE BOTTOM LEFT PIN.


For the NECK PU SWITCH wire as follows:


WHITE AND YELLOW------------------------BLUE AND BLACK
top left PIN---------------------------------top right pin




ORANGE----------------------------------------BROWN
middle left------------------------------------middle right




NOTHING-------------------------------------NOTHING
bottom left----------------------------------bottom right

so you just change the BROWN WIRE WITH THE BLUE and again CUT THE WIRE CONNECTING THE MIDDLE RIGHT PIN WITH THE BOTTOM LEFT PIN.


You've done. Enjoy the new sound of your Ken Smith.
you have now the original parallel config with the switch down
and the SC config whith the switch up..

You'll love it!
Roberto

[Roberto Zecchinelli]

P.S:

no big volume changes in SC compared to parallel. Series config sounds louder instead.

no hum with both PU on, as the work together as an humbucker.
hum will come out if you solo one pickup, as in a jazzbass.

Rob

[Tim Bishop]

Interesting. Thx for taking the time to provide this Roberto.

[Roberto Zecchinelli]

I like to share new ideas..

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Roberto Zecchinelli

I like to share new ideas..

I like that you like to share new ideas.

[Christopher Rhodes]

This is very interesting. Can you post a sound clip? Both Pickups, back pickup soloed and then the front pickup soloed - all in single coil mode?

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Christopher Rhodes

This is very interesting. Can you post a sound clip? Both Pickups, back pickup soloed and then the front pickup soloed - all in single coil mode?

No intent here to dampen the request, however, a sound clip for bass audio would most likely be inconclusive and subjective at best. Certainly no comparison to a live run-through.

[Roberto Zecchinelli]

Originally Posted by Christopher Rhodes

This is very interesting. Can you post a sound clip? Both Pickups, back pickup soloed and then the front pickup soloed - all in single coil mode?

I'd like to do it, but i can't record now, since I'm on a ship.. I'll do it as soon as I can..