Toaster wiring

docbass · Post by **docbass** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 2:47 pm

I'm working on my project bass and I'm wiring up the toaster pickups. I have a dumb question. Is the thick silver wire the ground and the black the hot? Just want to be sure before I go soldering things together! Electronics is obviously not my forte!

dano · Post by **dano** » Fri Jan 02, 2004 3:36 pm

Yes the silver is the ground and the black is the hot. Just wire it the same way the original is and you can't go wrong. Your going to like the toaster. I've installed them in a couple of RICs. Let me know what you think when it's completed.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 6:55 am

I too am looking forward to your comments on the sound of this project of yours, it should be great.

docbass · Post by **docbass** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 9:22 am

Thanks guys! I can't wait to see how the toasters sound in a semi hollow body short scale bass. I'm hoping for something unique compared to my other basses.

I've got the amber dye laid down and I'm waiting for the sunburst paint to come in. After I do the burst and final top coats, I'll polish it up and do the final electronics installation. I'll post a link as it progresses.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 9:41 am

The toasters sound great on my 4005WB hollow body Rick so they should sound good on a semi hollow body bass. They are original to the bass ('67), and are a little lower in output than the new Scatterwounds I put on my 4004Cii but other than that they are similar sounding.

docbass · Post by **docbass** » Sat Jan 03, 2004 12:59 pm

Thanks Jeff, it should be interesting for sure. I find I'm regressing these days in my bass tastes. My 4003 has become my favorite solid body bass and my Hofner Club is definitely a great hollow body instrument. So, a couple toasters should be a nice in-between tone!

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 4:36 pm

William,

So am I. For years I played Alembics and Zons, now I am back to Rickenbackers and a '62 Jazz Bass reissue.

Have you determined at what positions you are placing the pickups? This would be interesting to know or are you going to experiment sliding them up and down the body? Hey, you can do what Alembic did on it's first bass and mount them on rails so you can vary the sound to suit the gig and music at any time! :0)

docbass · Post by **docbass** » Mon Jan 05, 2004 5:41 pm

Well, I did read a couple articles on pup placement and how to avoid the string's dead spots, or find the nodes which I think the "live" spots were called. Then I measured the 2 pup placements on my Gretsch Broadkaster short scale bass and found they matched the recommendations in the article's formula within 1/4" or so. That was good enough for me and I went with those measurements. So, if it doesn't sound good, I'll blame the author and Gretsch!

I can't remember the measurements off the top of my head, but it was around 2.75 inches from the center of the bridge to the center of the bridge pup and about 7.5" for the neck pup. Either way, the sure do look good where they're gonna be mounted, hope they sound good too.

I'm dying to get the rest of my nitro and burst paint in so I can finish this thing up.

Check it out:

http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/wwalen ... 43;Project

jps · Post by **jps** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:35 pm

Gorgeous, the back is especially nice looking. If I were making this bass I'd make the back the front!

docbass · Post by **docbass** » Tue Jan 06, 2004 5:19 pm

Yeah, I agree. I got it off eBay for cheap and I'm doing the sunburst to liven up the front and minimize the butcher block effect! It's a nice solid piece however and should have some decent tone. Even hollow, it has some weight to it. I think it will make a fine sounding and looking ss bass. Better looking than the average Musicmaster or Mustang IMO!