Balancing pick ups yup yup

Frankiestylee

Ok, so just a question about multiple pick ups... and stuff...

If you've got lets say two pickups with two volume controls, is there only a certain max output that they have to share?

So, to be specific, I've a jazz pickup and a precision pickup on my bass, I normally keep the precision pickup turned up full or use it as lets say the "base volume", and then I use the jazz pickup for adding a bit of growl to certain songs etc, but if I turn the jazz pickup to the max, will that lower the output level of the precision or will they both output at the same high level?

Just wondering... seems at times the volume just kinda drops out of the song, or rather it seems the fuller precision sound falls out. Does one volume override the other? I've never had a volume thingy like this before, only used to having a switch between pickups.

Sorry if I didn't make sense, I don't really know how to say what I'm getting at.

Doctor J

It depends how they're wired together. This is your Aerodyne, yeah? A standard Jazz (with vol-vol-tone) has the pickups wired in such a way that they're out of phase when combined together, which removes most of the hum associated with using single coils (basically a big humbucker). If they're wired in series (like most humbuckers), combining the two will make a fairly loud and ballsy sound. If it's parallel it should be a bit brighter although with slightly lower output. The Precision pickup is already a series wired pickup and is famous for being ballsy. Do some checking up to see how the Aerodyne is wired up, see if it's series or parallel, if that's what you're getting at.

Of course, if the sound of the Jazz pickup is merely louder than the P pickup, and is the dominant sound when both volumes are up full, just lower it until you're happy with the balance of the two, or raise the P. You can get a lot of unique tones just by changing the respective heights of the pickups and having both up full.

Frankiestylee

Yup tis the Aerodyne. I dunno how it's wired, I know really nothing about it... never came with a manual. I'm just trying to understand the theory behind it, kinda thought there might be a standard setup but I'll do some research and get back to ya. It's precision vol - jazz vol - tone.

Doctor J

Yeah, it's a standard jazz setup with a P pickup. Just raise the P or lower the J.