The PBG B46.....Behemoth bass and guitar kit.

[WeirdBits]

I'll have a think about some options and what you will need to do it without having to modify holes etc.

[wazkelly]

Hi Ozzy, I was only just thinking about and this build a few days ago. Good to see you are still keen to pursue building the beast.

[Simon Barden]

You could run the pickup leads direct to a two position double pole switch (the bass/guitar selector switch). The grounds could be commoned up here whilst the switch selected either the signals from the two bass or two guitar pickups, These two output signals (plus the common ground) would run to the control cavity and from there, the wiring is standard two volume/two tone and a 3-way switch for neck/both/bridge pickup selection.

Possible problems are:

1) The length of the pickup wires might not be long enough - so they'd need to be extended. Straightforward to do, but don't forget to strengthen the join area with some heatshrink sleeving.

2) The combination of single coil and humbucker pickups would mean a compromise on the pot resistance selection.

You could have the bridge pot and tones as 500k - which means the bass bridge pup would sound brighter than normal - and then go for a lower value for the neck - maybe 300k rather than 250k, which would make the neck humbucker slightly darker than normal and the neck bass pickup just slightly brighter. Or go with 250k pots for the neck and so make the neck humbucker duller but the neck bass pup as normal. This would be the ideal time to use a very bright neck pickup - such as a Seymour Duncan Jazz - but even a used one is more money than a Tonerider.

Or you go with 500k pots which will make the bass pickups brighter - but it's nothing you can't counteract by turning the treble down on the bass amp. The same basic signal is there, but its got more high harmonics in. Take those out with the treble control and you're back where you were.

Or you compromise on both sets of pickups slightly and go for say 400k pots, making the guitar ones slightly darker and the bass ones a bit brighter.

3) There's quite a length of wiring in there, so I'd use screened cable for the longer runs. You should be able to screen the cavities, but not the connecting holes, so you could pick up a fair bit of noise on those if you just used unscreened single core cables.

[wazkelly]

Hi Simon, just wondering how much brighter 500k's are on single coils as I have some bourns left over from the mods on the EX-5 that I was thinking of dropping in to a Tele build that I am about to start and using the standard Chinese PUP's to begin with. My thoughts were that the 500's might breathe a bit more life into the stock Chinese units.

Ozzy, sorry about the thread jack mate.

[Simon Barden]

Probably just a bit. They often get used on HSS or HSH configured Strat types and they often do sound a bit thinner than normal Strat pickups as a result, but it does depend on the sound of the pickup to start with. If they are rather dull sounding, then 500k ohms would certainly make them a bit livelier.

[wazkelly]

Cheers Simon.

[ozzbike]

Thanks for the big response SIMON.....will have to try and digest that. Thanks for the comments Weirdy...Andrew and WAZZZZZZ

I have so many ideas for the finish on this beast it is hard to nail it down.

But my read, so far, is that I can have the guitar as it is.....with no extra holes.....and the required routing etc. Just longer soldering of pickup and pot wires. I only use the vintage wire from PBG. I have several metres of white, black and the braided shielded wire. I have lots of bits of heat shrink and would be happy to add some more to the pickup leads.

I am just wondering about the options for pots and caps.....I could also do the concentric pots route with the right resistance for each style of pickup...and requisite capacitors. I could also grab my great long drill bit and drop a hole for an earth for the bridge of the bass side of things....then the whole circuit would be self contained.....and the position of the switch that selects bass of guitar would determine what sound goes to the jack socket. If the two circuits were completely isolated and the output of the pickups only goes to the jack socket when the pickup is selected and the neck is selected would that not allow whatever pots and capacitors I need for each pickup? e.g. single coil as opposed to humbucker. No middle ground options would be needed.

The neck selector switch would effectively chose one circuit or the other....no crossover. The earths would be setup for each neck as if they were on a separate guitar body....and go to each separate bridge.

Lots of wire running around the place.....but the bass would be completely separate from the guitar and vice versa...with the neck selector allowing the sound from whichever neck I select to hit the jack socket.

Maybe I am being too simplistic.

[WeirdBits]

I've mentally worked up a couple of layouts using only the existing holes without modification:
1. The cheap way just using stock switches with a minor compromise or two, nothing too detrimental.
2. One stock switch and one (pricey) 4-pole toggle switch, but probably more inline with what you want.
3. Same as 2 but configured differently.

I can draw up the layouts if you want (when i get time) and you can mull over what will work for you. Let me know.

[ozzbike]

I've mentally worked up a couple of layouts using only the existing holes without modification:
1. The cheap way just using stock switches with a minor compromise or two, nothing too detrimental.
2. One stock switch and one (pricey) 4-pole toggle switch, but probably more inline with what you want.
3. Same as 2 but configured differently.

I can draw up the layouts if you want (when i get time) and you can mull over what will work for you. Let me know.

Weirdy...Scott....thanks for your reply....and also your continuing commitment to help everybody with diagrams. You are gold mate. 😀

So.....the four pole...on on on switch would obviously be the pickup selector. All four pickups wired to this switch....then the standard switch would select which neck is in play....nice.

No compromises?

Honestly....like a kid before Xmas......all keen and eager to buy one and get at her. 😀

[ozzbike]

Bugger Bugger Bugger....I hate lifes bills.

Oh well it is now listed as arriving in May.

Time to put tyres on my bike and put some money away for the big girl for May.

Thanks for the advice and ideas guys...I shall keep this thread tagged.