Try and level output balance in a Concord 2- P/J style Bass

I just picked up a nice Cranberry Red Concord 2 P/J style bass. Then only issue that stands out is how loud the  P pickups are compared to the bridge.

Don't get me wrong the bass sounds great but was wondering how to calm down the P set besides using the volume.

Just wondering if anyone else dealt with with this or just used the volume.

Plus has anyone replaced the selector switch, with more stops,  to get more settings?  Like both pickups in series.



Thanks

Nice bass.

Controls are 1 volume, PEQ tone for each pup.

PEQ tone. When in the center position(detent) the pups are in series.
Turning full up, they are then in parallel.

So changing the selector switch is pointless as you have this already or should have if wired correctly.

If the PEQ makes no difference on the bridge pup and is wired right you have a half duff pup. Which would account for the volume drop.

Try raising the bridge pup closer to the strings????

I should of mention that I'm not a fan of the PEQ. My Concord 2  (82-83) and this one ( 83-84) are both wired in series, under the guard. I have installed traditional (Fender style) tone controls. I'm a Fender guy and the PEQ adds a slight midrange hump and  I don't like that ala Musicman. Musicman is a great bass but not for my playing style and music. They own slap and funk. 

As a reference for wire designation- The light colors are positive and the dark colors are negative.

P set-  E & A
          Red- +
          Blue- -

          D & G
          White- +
          Or-  -  


J -(Bridge)

E & A-
Or- +
Green- -

D & G-
Red-  +
Blue-  -

By installing the traditional tone controls the bass is clearly more open and deep with clarity. Some may not agree with me but after a lot of trial & error with wiring experiments , this is what I like. 
You're right on bringing the pickup closer but you're open to overtones. If you have access to a strobe tuner, like a Peterson, you can see that the graph vibrates, even though in tune, if the the pickup is too close. I may be getting too geeky technical but the basses do sound better and even with the pickups set correctly. If you have enough power, amp wise, that will take care of any sound loss.

Well there you go..............

Why didn't you mention all that in the first place??

The human ear can hear if your too close to the strings with a pup.

Can't see the point of having one (both pups in series) big humbucker. Be way too muddy.

Just treat each pup as a coil and wire the two as a h/bucker if that's your desire.

The only reason I brought it up is because the series works with a Jazz bass config. Fender's name for it is known as having a S1 switching. It's a push button series /parallel switch built into the neck J pickup volume control. In other basses I bought the push pull version, much cheaper with same effect.

It works in a 2 pickup config not in a P. 

I don't have to have it. The bass sounds great in the neck and middle settings. The rear pickup is half the volume and bass content. . I had a spare Jazz pickup that I tried with no change. It sounded the same. The pickup I used was a Nordstand. The front (P) is oh so powerful, kind of overbearing and it's been lowered and still very strong.

A P bass pup is wired in series.

Both J bass pups are parallel as standard. A DPDT switch can of course do both. Same for a P bass pup.

On the rear pickup I wired it in series-

Or (+) - to  tone pot center lug -tied with selector switch rear input

Green (-) soldered to Red (+)

Blue - ground

So basically you need help hot rodding your guitar.

Nothing I can help with here. It's your endevour.

Probably just going to leave it as is. Just wish the back pickup had more volume

Thanks

Hi pbman.
I gig westone thunder pj basses every week, and the only way you are going to equal out the volume is a combination of eq and distance from strings.
The peak frequencies at p and j areas are slightly different. And failing that a quick volume tweak never hurt anyone, except maybe the guitar player.

HI Clive

I've already lowered the P set and still it's very powerful. I'll have to rely on the volume control or get a super hot bridge  pickup. Over all I'll probably leave it as is. I just learned about Westone's a few months ago and they are truly a hidden gem. kind of blown away by the quality

Just tried out my Concord II bass this am. again.
There's a slight volume drop but not all that much of course the tone is also brighter at the bridge.
Not a huge drop as you suggest. What does your pup read on a meter?

It was around 8.4

Mine is the same, I lowered the p as far as possible including the poles, and raised the j as much as interference would allow, still a big difference between the two.

Yes, more b..ls that you would ever need. It could use a resistor but that's not normally done.

Thing is, I absolutely adore the tone from this bass, no need to change how it is now.

You're right . this is my second Concord 2. My first was purchased in the summer and it's a 82/83 in Pearl. I removed the PEQ, it's not for me. I'm sure many like it but it is smoother with out it, IMHO. I wired a traditional tone control and cap.  


What's funny how so many players never seen the Westone's before. But the nitty gritty old timers do remember them and also Matsumoko.

I'm totally impressed and I'd put this against any Fender assembly line Custom Shop.