4004 single series parallel

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 9:36 am

I want to wire a 4004 with a switch to go from single coil to parallel to series ... I can wire it up any of those ways without a switch ... but I am not sure how to wire it with a switch ... or which switch to use ...

This type of setup would give the 4004 much more tonal variety ...

jps · Post by **jps** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 2:10 pm

See if you can find out how the Fender Roscoe Beck Bass is wired up as that is what you can do with the RB bass. You will find some information at Mr. Gearhead on the Fender website.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:23 pm

The Kramer Barretta bass is that way too ...

keb · Post by **keb** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:43 pm

You'll need a little on/on/on switch. Here's a schematic from Seymour Duncan's website: http://www.seymourduncan.com/website/support/schematics/hum_1vol_series-split-par.html

I'm assuming it wouldn't be hard to adapt it for the RIC pickup leads. The Duncan leads are colored like this: South polarity - Green=start, Red=finish; North polarity - Black=start, White=finish

keb · Post by **keb** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 3:46 pm

P.S.: I was kinda interested in doing this myself (getting a RIC humbucker or two (or maybe a humbucker for the bridge and a toaster for the neck) to throw in my 4003 and using a toggle switch for different modes) but it's kinda on the back burner right now. If you do this be sure to let us know how it all sounds!

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue Jan 20, 2004 1:10 pm

I've been playing my 4004L5 a little more lately ... so last night I go out to play and I forgot the power supply to my bass pod ... so I plugged it straight into an ampeg svt ... I turned up the volume, set the bass at 4-5, middle 5-6, and the treble a 8 ... without my pod there were certain sounds I couldn't get, but I had that bass wailing ... if you set it up right the 4004 has a good treble bite and it is not too thick sounding ... it works very good if you whack the strings like Geddy Lee ...

With my Pod I set the bass 5-6, middle 5-6 and treble 5-6 and turn it up enough to breath ...

I still want to try to add that 3 way switch

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 7:34 pm

OK .. I experimented with different wirings ....

The 4004 comes wired as red to +, blue to -, black and clear wired together and the sheild to -. this seems to be serial ...

I tried red and clear to +, and black and blue to -, this seems to be parallel ...

This rewiring adds a lot more treble bite ... and it is still very hot ... it freaking screams ...

keb · Post by **keb** » Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:16 pm

Cool, very interesting to know. I may yet grab a couple of these pickups to play with. Or I could just go ahead and order a 4004. I need another Ricky bass anyway.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 5:18 am

I played it for a while last night and I decided I don't want to drill another hole in the bass to add a 2way or 3way switch ... I kinda like the bridge pickup wired in series ... it has a nice meaty growl ... but when it is wired series it has a trebley growl ... Sooo ... I think I might try making it like a Lemmy bass ... 3 Ric humbuckers ... except I would wire it with 3 volume controls and no tone ... I would leave the 2 existing pickups as is and add a third closer to the bridge ... and the new bridge pickup would be wired parallel ... and the other two series ... except I would have to route out a hole for a new pickup ... I don't like doing that to a Ric ...

Another option would be to wire it volume volume toggle ... and have the toggle go between series and parallel ...

but ... a third option would be to wire a push pull volume control that would make it go from series to parallel ...

Although the 3 pickup option would probably give me a sound that I would like the best ... the mid growl with added treble bite that could be dialed in ...

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 5:27 am

LOL why dont you just leave it alone and fiddle with the amp. On my 4003, i only ever use the bridge pickup- i use the amp EQ to vary tone.

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 6:01 am

Gee ... thats basically what I do now with the 4004 ...

But then I miss out on all the fun of customizing ...

No really ... with the 3 pickup and 3 volume control I could achieve a hot active type sound that could go from very bassy to very trebly just by dialing in 3 volume controls ...

You see when I am gigging I try to not touch the amp ... 1st ... it looks bad to turn your back to the audience and mess with dials ... 2nd ... it is easier and faster to do it on the bass

atomic_punk · Post by **atomic_punk** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 7:31 am

And to tell Jeff to just stop fiddling with a bass is like telling a musician to stop buying stuff. Just ain't gonna happen!

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 7:53 am

during a gig, i never touch any dials.

My 4003 has, switch in the middle, bass volume 80%, treble volume 100%, both tones 100%

On the amp: a high gain setting, EQ on with bass up a bit, middle up a lot and treble up a lot. Master volume depends where i am.

Thats it. All i need - no pedals no effects, no BS

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 8:47 am

I run my 4003s5 pretty much the same except I go through the bass pod ...

But the new Fender basses have the S1 switch in them ... it switches from serial to parallel ... that's what I want in my 4004!!!!

And I do love 3 pickup basses ...

The deal is when you play 5 string basses ... you go from low b to a high d# ... that's a large range to adjust tone for ... that's why active electronics are popular for 5 string basses ...

jps · Post by **jps** » Wed Jan 28, 2004 1:41 pm

Put toasters in and you will have everything you want along with a VVT arrangement, of course!