Les Paul Standard Bass question (wiring).

[doombass]

Last week this one landed on my doorstep:



Great bass but I have a question to Hr Hornung, Mr Fertig or anyone who owns or have played one. On my specimen the vol controls act as master volumes when the toggle is in center position. Is it factory correct? I thought that type of stupid wiring was exclusive on the EB-3. I found the schematics PDF at gibson.com but it was was blank although schematics of the LP guitar from early 70's show the same stupid wiring. I'm going to switch the wire connections on both pots tonight (so that the pup signal is grounded not the output jack signal) but thought I'd ask anyway since the toggle is wrong also. Downwards (treble) engage neck pup only and upwards (Rhythm) is bridge pup only. Either it's been tampered with or is  installed upside down (if possible?). May or may not be a Gibson staff screw up.

[Basvarken]

But other than that it is a beautiful bass. I dig the honey burst curved top.
Congrats Daniel!

[Barklessdog]

On my specimen the vol controls act as master volumes when the toggle is in center position. Is it factory correct?

I dont recall mine working that way, but can check over the weekend (I dont have my basses at work like the Germans do!)

[doombass]

Rob: Thanks. I prefer the Honey Burst when it's the pale version like this one. I think I've only seen one more as pale as this. Otherwise I like the Vintage Burst as well. I've been gasing for one of these many years and thought I'd be fine with the Double Cut. The neck is a bit beefier on the Standard and that's what I like about it in comparison. Soundwise it is similar but the Standard has more of everything it seems and in this case I don't mind having more. Price was fair and the colour was nice so I BIN'd it. Downside would be that the bound body is not as confy for the right arm when picking but I'm used to the Triumph and wear my basses low enough.

John: I have rewired it now but it would still be interesting to know how yours work. I could not see any evidence of a rewire (the wire just barely reached the outer lug of the treble vol pot) and the toggle and control cover screws had a distinct snappy sound when loosening which might suggest they have'nt been off the bass since leaving the factory. Why would anyone want to not be able to adjust pup volumes individually? Beats me.

[Chris P.]

Yep, very beautiful finish!

[Freuds_Cat]

(I dont have my basses at work like the Germans do!)

 

Great looking bass btw

[uwe]

I'm pretty sure mine works in that master control way you don't like. Will check once I'm in the office. With my beloved basses.

[Barklessdog]

Maybe take a few pics on the rewire?

Mine must be the same and I agree with you, thats just idiotic.


Looks great Daniel. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoy mine.

I love mine and really has become my favorite non trem passive bass. I definitely favor it over my non reverse Tbird & FenderBird. The Lp has the nice tone of a Tbird, but with more in your face punch that it stands out in the mix, where a tbird tends to blend in, to me. Also I enjoy the neck, cutaway, Toggle and is probably, for me, my fastest playing bass. Setting up the bass is vital with this bass. Quality on mine is fantastic.

The odd body shape takes some getting use to. I dont like the sharp binding either.

Funny but my Lakland Decade comes closest to the tone of the LP.


Daniel you should post more pictures of yours. I love the color.


Fine, I will post mine!





A bit of brilliant German engineering




I think these are probably one of the most dismissed basses, by bass players, but is probably one of the best basses for rock on the market, in my opinion.

[Freuds_Cat]

Great photo's John, and a gorgeous looking bass.

[uwe]

Yup, mine works like that too. Though volume of the neck pup really only starts to noticeably fade once you are at 5 with the control (and all sound is killed around 9) of the bridge pup and vice versa, with the range before 5 enabling quite some tone coloring. There are two reasons why someone would prefer this over a wiring enabling totally separate volume control, albeit none of them especially relevant for bass (maybe they just copied the wiring of the guitars where it makes more sense):

- you can do violin type fade/fade out effects with both pups while only using one vol control (it bothers me how you cannot do that on a Ric for instance),
- you can use one vol control to kill the sound of both pups.

Uwe

PS: Congrats, Daniel, on a very nice and good bass, you've described the differences to a Doublecut/Money well (but forgot that the latter is double octave!), the Standards are more forceful/assertive.  And I see that the sun shines in Scandinavia even this time of year!

[Barklessdog]

Great photo's John, and a gorgeous looking bass.

Thanks.


All we need is Uwe to post some flame top cherry burst pics, then a rare carved top black beauty

[Barklessdog]

Someone at Talkbass owns this Dark Star Paul



I never was a big fan of cross pollenating brands

[exiledarchangel]

That bass looks cool, but overcrowded.

[uwe]

Butt-ugly the Dark Star pups on that Paula. One might have been tolerable, but two is way too much.

[exiledarchangel]

I think it would look much more cooler with 3 minihums than with two big pickups like DS.