Questions about Novaks and Hipshots

[thornev]

Same as stock - 500k. Since the ToneStylers will have the greatest impact on tone, I see no reason to mess with the frequency ranges attributed to the resistance of the volume pots. However, if after trying the new circuitry I sense a great need for more or less treble bleed, I'll swap pots.

 

[lungimsam]

Any value v pot will be fine. It is intersting we got onto the topic here because, at the suggestion and instruction of Stellartone I just did an experiment on my 1MEG pot value and its influence on the effectiveness of the Tonestyler' mids-shaping effect and we found no influence from my 1MG volume pot. The results indicated that the value of the volume pot may increase brightness and output, but it does not affect the mid-range content being sent by the pickups I used- the mids remained essentially the same, no matter what the resistive loading was.
It was determined that the EQ profile of the pickup was more important in helping the tonestyler shape the mids. If your pickup sends enough mids, you will hear a more pronounced effect between clicks of the Tonestyler. It will sound more "effective" between clicks. If the pickup has a mid scooped EQ profile, then the Tonestyler will have less of effect on tone as one clicks thru the settings.

Good thing is, ime, the NS bisonic works really well with the Tonestyler. I am not sure what the EQ profile of the Novak is, but since both Guild's and Novak's goal was to replicate the Hagstrom Bisonic I would think both would work just as well with Tonestylers. Please let us know what your experience is once you get it all up and running.

 

[thornev]

I'm getting no response from Curtis Novak and I'm unsure about how to wire the BS-DS with coil tap to a push-pull DPDT pot. Can someone help me out?

The pickup has 5 wires. Red is for the full coil and white is for the coil tap. Black, Bare and green are all ground wires. Black is signal ground. A DPDT pot essentially has 2 sides, each side for when the pot is pulled up or pushed down. Would I wire red to one side and white to the other side? And then ground would go to common to both sides of the switch?

And then how do I wire the 3 tabs on the pot? I know one end will get a wire from the tone pot. What about the other 2 tabs? I believe the middle tab goes to the 3-way pickup selector, right?

 

[Default]

Here's something from Talkbass.

 

[lungimsam]

Anything here apply?:

http://www.chris-todd.net/images/Novak%20BS-DS%20coil%20tap.jpg

https://www.talkbass.com/attachments/red-tele-bass-jpg.3597681/

This thread lotsa has info and pics. Not sure if applies:

Novak BS DS coil tap Wiring help and general help

Hello, I don't actually have any pickups or parts yet, I'm brainstorming before I buy everything. I want to use a Novak Bisonic/Darkstar for the neck...

www.talkbass.com

 

[lungimsam]

Don at Stellartone probably has a diagram he could email you if you email him and ask him. stylersales@stellartone.com

He helped me alot with my Ric bass. Nice guy. Fast responses. Clear diagrams.

 

[thornev]

Don is great at customer service. I must have about 40 emails between us. He knows ToneStylers for sure.

 

[thornev]

Thanks, Default. That diagram doesn't show all 5 wires from the BS-DS and they go to a standalone switch, not a DPDT pot.

Sam - That talkbass link looks like what I need although it's not to a push-pull pot.

 

[Default]

If three of them are grounds, don't they just go to ground? If all you are doing is setting up a coil tap, the hots go the two outside terminals of a single pole/ double throw switch. One side is the stock setting, the overwound side is the other outside terminal, and the center plug outputs to the volume. Not sure how else to hook up a coil tape on a Bisonic.

 

[thornev]

Default - Isn't there a difference between signal ground and chassis ground? What I mean is the black signal ground would go to something on a switch whereas the chassis grounds go to the back of a pot and are ultimately connected to the main ground at the back of the bridge.

 

[Default]

Default - Isn't there a difference between signal ground and chassis ground? What I mean is the black signal ground would go to something on a switch whereas the chassis grounds go to the back of a pot and are ultimately connected to the main ground at the back of the bridge.

The black wire is the hot, or positive lead, if I understand you correctly? The outside winding of the pickup is generally soldered to the woven shield on the cable because that provides some shielding, but not a substantial amount. On the Guild Bisonic, the black wire from the pickup is the signal from your bass and if it's grounded, it's either through a pot or a mute switch. O a Novak or any pickup with a coil tap, two leads are coming out of the pickup are the original pickup. You have a 42 guage wire soldered to that (generally) and the overwinding goes ontop of the first winding. Now you have two leads with signal potential, the original 7+k to ground, and another that reads 14k to ground. That goes normally to to the volume pot. That wire, if that's what you are referring to, isn't ever called a "signal ground". It's just the signal lead. The only reason I can think for having an accessable ground from the overwound coil, is, I think, having no common internal connection between the two coils. .

 

[thornev]

The BS-DS manufacturer finally replied. No help at all. He said there are too many install variations to know how to wire the pot. I don't buy it but oh well.

His web site says red and white are the full coil and coil tap leads. All the other leads - green, black and bare - are to be grounded. So I have that info and a push-pull DPDT pot (also have a SPST pot). So how many variations can there be such that when the pot is down I get the full coil, and when the pot is up I get the coil tap? I'm just not that good with guitar electronics, but there can't be too many ways to wire it all up to get the functionality I mention. Right?

This looks close to wiring that would work for my scenario:

The only question is given the red and white wires for full coil and coil tap, would they be the inputs to the pots or the outputs? Or is it more complicated than that?

 

[lungimsam]

Did you buy from stew Mac? They have a diagram for the CTSpush pull, if that is what you have.

Wiring the CTS DPDT Push-Pull Pot - StewMac

How to wire the CTS DPDT Push Pull Pots.

www.stewmac.com

Alpha pots diagrams here:

alpha push pull pot wiring diagram - Google Search

www.google.com

 

[thornev]

Sam - I have scoured the internet for days and I can find no diagrams for a single coil pickup that has 2 leads for differing number of coil turns whose wires connect to a push-pull DPDT pot. I'm not kidding that I have spent the last 3 days looking.

 

[Default]

Gimme some time to get coffee and find a switched pot. All you need is that.

 

[Default]

Found a helpful image.
Ok, the wiper (center lug) is where the signal lead on the Bisonic is normally soldered to, am I right? Ok!
Let's take a look at the switch on the pot. There are actually two slide switches on this, but you are only going to use one.
Think a bit on how you are going to play. Are you going to use the stock winding on the pickup or the Novak overwound winding. I'd figure you want the Novak overwound sound.

Solder the lead from the overwound coil to the terminal (lug) on the lower left side, then solder the stock Bisonic winding lead on to the upper left lung. Now solder a short jumper wire from the center left terminal, and run it to the wiper.
When you are playing and you have you volume switch pushed down, the left center and the left lower terminals on the switch are connected. That allows for the signal from the full overwound pickup to flow from the the terminal on the lower left to the center terminal on the center left, then to the jumper, and through the pot, out to your SVT.

Pull up on the volume pot, and the center and upper left terminals are connected, and the same thing happens with the stock Bisonic winding. The lower output signal flows through the switch, through the jumper to the wiper, then exits through the volume pot.

 

[thornev]

I know how the push-pull DPDT works. What I don't know is how to connect the BS-DS wires. I guess I'm just going to have to try different temporary connections and see what I get. I'm sure I'll stumble on the correct wiring that way. I assume there will be an audible difference between the 2 taps. After all this, there had better be !

 

[Default]

Found the diagram.

 

[Default]

If I went overkill on the the description, a: I'm like that, and b: someone with less knowledge about might have the same question down the line. I don't want to be insulting to you, I just want to be thorough for that person in the future.

 

[thornev]

I didn't mean to be antagonistic, Default. I was just stating fact so all know where I'm at with my knowledge. I appreciate your responses and help.