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DIY Jazz Bass S-1 Switching
Posted: Mon Aug 03, 2009 3:10 pm
by Mityushikha
I'm thinking of putting S-1 switching in my cheap Jazz Bass and wondered if anyone else has any experience with it? I don't remember ever seeing it mentioned on shortscale...
I was planning to sell the J-Bass and get a P-Bass but apparently with the pickups wired in series you can get a more P-Bass like sound and there are certain situations where the J sound would be better.
EDIT: This is the schematic I plan on using, if anyone is interested
S-1 Wiring Schematics
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:02 pm
by Mityushikha
So nobody has any kind of feedback?
![Confused :?](./images/smilies/icon_confused.gif)
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:35 pm
by James
Aren't they quite expensive? You could get the same results with a mini-toggle switch. It would mean drilling your control plate or pickguard of course, but it would look quite good and you could still use standard Jazz Bass knobs. I do like the idea of S1 switching though, it's better than a push/pull pot for sure.
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 12:53 pm
by Mityushikha
James wrote:Aren't they quite expensive? You could get the same results with a mini-toggle switch. It would mean drilling your control plate or pickguard of course, but it would look quite good and you could still use standard Jazz Bass knobs. I do like the idea of S1 switching though, it's better than a push/pull pot for sure.
I can get one for £4.80 but it may require some routing of the guitar to make it fit, which I have no experience in. Mini switch is probably a better idea really, I was thinking the wiring might be different but it should be the same. I'll let you know how it goes!
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:03 pm
by James
Is the one you can get a strat type? Because that would look shit on a Jazz Bass.
If you get a mini switch that has the same number of solder points it will work the same. so you want a 2x3 switch (DPDT). You can use that diagram for it, too. But if you buy a DPDT switch don't buy one from a guitar shop, or at least, don't pay silly money for one. Most guitar shops will charge you way over the odds for it.
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:11 pm
by James
1 Switch for £1.70
2 for £2.30
Not particularly cheap but less than the average guitar shop will charge. You can probably find a better deal elsewhere, especially if you wanted to order a few other bits to make postage work out cheaper per item.
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:30 pm
by Mityushikha
When you say strat type I assume you mean the knobs? I guessed I would use the original knobs if I did go for a push pull, it's not like the fender push in centre of the knob thing, it's an alpha.
I'm going to get a mini switch from
axesrus, it's £3.10 including postage. All of their prices include postage, it normally works out cheaper for me because I don't do a lot of projects.
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:39 pm
by James
Those ebay prices are including postage.
When you said S1 switching I thought you meant the type of switch where you press the knob to activate it rather than a push/pull type. Which would mean you probably couldn't get a jazz bass type knob for it.
![Image](http://www.guitar-parts.com/pictures/1689c/Fender-S1-Knob.jpg)
Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:51 pm
by Mityushikha
Yeah I just meant any switch for parallel/series pickup switching, I've read that the actual S-1 switch isn't so reliable. I've ordered a toggle switch off ebay so I'll probably have a go at it next week.