I’ve misplaced the owner’s manual for my Yamaha Motion MB-II mid-scale bass. I’ve searched to the end of the internet (no more search results) but I cannot find one anywhere online. Does anyone here have one I can get a copy of?
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What do you need to know?
Hmm not sure for one that old. Good luck though!
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That’s not much a manual can offer anyways. If your pickup is shot, just rebuild it as for control it’s just like a jazz bass control, vol/vol/tone.
Oh…no, nothing is shot. Everything works perfectly on it. The thing is, it’s got a push-button tone knob. I never have used it with the button “popped” out, only “in”… and adjusted for tone that way. I’m trying to figure out what the popped out position is supposed to accomplish. Any ideas?
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Hey @Al1885 , it’s got a push-button tone knob. I never have used it with the button “popped” out, only “in”… and adjusted for tone that way. I’m trying to figure out what the popped out position is supposed to accomplish. Any ideas?
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I saw a you tube video about this bass in a humbucker configuration that said it had coil splitting. Pull up for humbuckers or push down for single coils.
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That is a common use of push/pulls with humbuckers for sure.
I would simply pop it and see if you like the sound 
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Yeah! like @Vince and @howard said, push/pull usually for passive/ active or humbucker/ single coil.
Push/pull can also be for series/parallel
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It can, but by far the most common usage with humbuckers is coil split.
Here’s what I found going through second hand listings:
- Two humbuckers with push pull coil tap setting on tone pot
- in German: passive Elektronik (Volume, Volume, Tone als push / push Poti)
And here’s some info about coil splitting and coil tapping:
https://www.sweetwater.com/insync/coil-splitting-vs-coil-tapping-difference/
Basically, you’ll get different tones when pushed or pulled.
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What they are calling a coil tap is probably a coil split in reality, if it is a humbucker. If it is a single coil, it is most likely a tap.
I am not sure if the soapbars on a MB-II are humbuckers or not. I suspect they are single coils if Yamaha called it a coil tap, but you never know. Most listings I saw called them humbuckers.
I have only seen the P/J Motion Basses in person myself.
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This group is a great resource! The coils are indeed Humbuckers and I’m sure the manual indicated exactly what the tone switch does… I didn’t think to search YouTube Vince, thanks!
If someone does have a manual, a quick pic of that part of the instructions would be great!
Thank you!!
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Thanks, Vince! I found the same video and it was right on. The standard position (unpressed) is humbuckers, Up position is single coils.
No need for the owner’s manual now. Woohoo!
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Ahh, so it IS a split and not a tap. Makes sense
Coil split is by far the most common use of a push/pull. Every guitar I have owned has had this. Makes sense it’s the same on bass.
What model is this? 2 of my motion basses don’t have push/pull. That’s interesting. Oops! Unless of course I’ve, never pull them, lol.
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Yeah, this is the Motion B MBII. I get hum with the tone knob ‘out’ so that only 1 coil is active on each pickup. But with both coils on (tone knob in the standard “in” position = ‘humbucking mode’), no hum.
It’s a beautiful thing.
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