in older DS-5s if there is nothing plugged into the Treble output then you get mono out of the Bass output.  The newer versions have a mono/stereo switch.

Jimmy J

Thanks JimmyJ, does that mean each output is for each pickup? And you use which one you want either bass or treble for each separate pickup?

Hi Stan - the DS5 has two outputs: Bass (Neck pickup) and Treble (Bridge pickup) and a switch labeled Stereo/Mono. With the switch in the stereo position, each output does what it says... with the switch in the mono position, the two pickups' signals are combined into the Bass output jack.

Quote from: OJ Dorson on September 01, 2023, 08:12:07 AM
Hi Stan - the DS5 has two outputs: Bass (Neck pickup) and Treble (Bridge pickup) and a switch labeled Stereo/Mono. With the switch in the stereo position, each output does what it says... with the switch in the mono position, the two pickups' signals are combined into the Bass output jack.

Minor correction, the new DS-5 which includes a stereo/mono switch will combine the pickups and output mono from both jacks when set to mono. I use mine this way and send one of the feeds to my tuner.

Kind of. Start with the pickup selector on the bass set so both pickups are on.
Now set the DS5 to mono. You will get both pickups out of the bass jack and the bridge pickup out of the treble jack. So in this case you would send the bass jack to your mono bass rig. Then use the pickup selector on the bass to output whatever pickup you want through your rig. You could use the 'spare' treble output for an effects board or even a guitar amp if you wanted a brighter sound.

Staying with the bass pickup selector to both pickups. If you now set the DS5 to stereo with you will get neck out of the bass jack and bridge out of the treble jack wnich you can send  to a couple of bass rigs/stereo preamp/two DI boxes/one pickup to an effects board and the other dry to your clean rig or stereo bass rig.

When using my series bass on my mono rig, I  set the DS5 to stereo and send the output jacks of both channels to the two input jacks of my preamp which then sum them to a mono signal to my power amp.

Thanks all, the one I'm looking at is without a stereo switch and so the bass output will be for both pickups. I'm just checking it has the voltage switch for 240 v here in the UK.

Stan- I have one old DS-5 without the stereo/mono switch and one newer DS-5 with one, the old one does not have switchable voltage. I would imagine that if you are looking at an older DS-5 made specifically for export it will have the correct voltage and be labeled  as such but if it was made for the US market it will be 110V.. Someone here with electronic knowledge may know if a 110V DS-5 can be modified for 240V.

Love the top and back on your bass!

Instructions for changing voltage on DS-5:


https://club.alembicguitars.net/index.php?topic=230.0