Pickup Selector on SR5- I know this PUP question has been asked a thousand times

[theTHICKNESS]

Sorry, Im a newbie and Im sure this question has been asked many times on this board, but I was wondering if somone could be so kind as to give me a breif rundown on the PRACTICAL applications and differences between the 3 different pickup positions on a SR5.

I know that on the 3-way lever pickup selector that position 1 is closest to neck and that these are what the positions mean-

1 - both coils, series mode
2 - single coil
3 - both coils, parallel mode

But again Im looking for the practical differences in tone and power as well as which position is closest to replicating the "default" of a 4 string Stingray.

Im playing an SVT3 pro with the settings pretty much balanced so the main sound difference is going to be coming from the pickup selection on the bass. I dig the sound of bands like Tool and Perfect Circle, but I also love to do little solos high up on the D and G strings ala Jason Newsted's "My friend of Misery" or Shavo Odejian's "Spiders"

I dont usually use a pick BUT from time to time I will.

Again sorry this post is so long, and any info you might be able to share would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Augusto Lopez]

Hi Thickness,
I don't own a SR5 but a wee bit about the tone difference between series & parallel. I bought a SR4 and noticed that its tone lacked growl(SR4s' come with the PU wired in parallel from the factory). As I was playing mainly seventies dance music, I wasn't slaping as much so I wired the pick up in series. I inmedialtely noticed the mid range increased giving the instrument more definition(specially on the G string). The downside was that I lost the snapiness required for slaping.
Going back to your Bass, having that toggle switch means that you can increase the midrange (ie growl) and the bottom end as well by going series, this is good for a lot of finger style playing, maybe a plectrum would sound better in Parallel mode, were the mid-range is more scooped and the sound brighter, also jazz or ballads would sound better in parallel, bear in mind that you can always compensate the mid range scoop by increasing it with the onboard EQ. I found the single coil mode to be a bit week on the SR5.
Hope I'd helped
Cheers
Gus

 

[Masamax]

I ussually do this:

Series for finger style
Single Coil for Picking
Parallel for slap

The single coil offers a a larger high/high-mid range so it's good for picking (it is a LOT better for when you play chords!)


Try my suggestions. Works damn good for me.

 

[theTHICKNESS]

Hey Aug and Max.........thanks alot for yer explinations and suggestions, you guys both seem to share similiar ways of thinking as far as finger style in series, and using parallel for slap. I shall give it a try.


Thanks again guys!

 

[basscat]

Hey Thickness
I'm mainly a jazz and funk player and I use my SR5 mainly in parallel mode for both fingerstyle and slap. I sometimes use the single coil mode for a more jazz bass bridge PU type of sound when playing fingerstyle. I've used the serial mode occasionaly for a more P-bass type of sound. Fat, great for rock or blues IMO.

Basscat

 

[Augusto Lopez]

No problem, glad to help a fellow bassplayer.
Bye
Gus