Help- Pickup Misalignment

[ianpaul]

I've had a cheap Jazz bass copy for almost two years. When it arrived, i notice the strings did not pass above the pole pieces in the correct place, especially the E string. I never did anything about it, partly because it was so cheap and partly because it sounded all right.

Recently,though the E string has been sounding very hollow. It lacks bass but if I EQ it, it just gets all muffled. It's worst when just using the neck pickup or with both- bridge on it's own is alright, but not great.
Also, could it be a pickup height problem?


Any ideas on how to solve the problem?
Thanks guys

[ScottGrahamMpls]

In general try to raise the pickup(s) so that they get as close to the strings as possible without the string ever contacting the poles. The closer they get the greater the output i.e. the more you have to work with. Also, your string(s) may be worn out. Are your fingers getting gray when you play? They don't last forever.

[linuscore]

I might suggest changing the pickups for new ones, EMG has a "Select" line of really inexpensive pickups so you can do the switch.

http://www.wholenote.com/item--MC.SEJ

They have blades instead of poles so the sound is uniform, look into it and give it a try.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by ianpaul

I've had a cheap Jazz bass copy for almost two years. When it arrived, i notice the strings did not pass above the pole pieces in the correct place, especially the E string. I never did anything about it, partly because it was so cheap and partly because it sounded all right.

Recently,though the E string has been sounding very hollow. It lacks bass but if I EQ it, it just gets all muffled. It's worst when just using the neck pickup or with both- bridge on it's own is alright, but not great.
Also, could it be a pickup height problem?


Any ideas on how to solve the problem?
Thanks guys

Wow, usually it's somebody who is torqued because the alignment is 1/16"-1/8" off, but this really is awful! It doesn't look like that pickup is hearing the E string at all.

How does it look at the bridge pickup?

[walterw]

wow yeah, that's not even close. how about a shot of the bass body face-on showing both pickups, the end of the neck, and the bridge?

you might need to rout the pickguard just a little and re-position, or just get pickups with a continuous bar magnet, rendering spacing concerns moot. ("selects" are bottom of the barrel, i'd avoid wasting the money.)

in the mean time, raising them up will make the imbalance worse, so i'd avoid that.

[Muaguana]

Holy bajeesus; suddenly my Squire's neck pickup doesn't look all that bad...

[ianpaul]

thanks walter.
more photo(s) on the way...

[ianpaul]

here they are...
my brother suggested the neck may have shifted - i had the strings off to clean it recently, but i'm pretty sure the problem was there before.

[202dy]

Your brother is correct. Realign the neck. Reevaluate when completed.

[Pilgrim]

Yup. The neck is tilted and you can see the G-string is almost at the edge of the neck. Just loosen the screws, force the neck back into a proper alignment, tighten the screws. Your problem will most likely go away.

[JLS]

Originally Posted by Pilgrim

Yup. The neck is tilted and you can see the G-string is almost at the edge of the neck. Just loosen the screws, force the neck back into a proper alignment, tighten the screws. Your problem will most likely go away.

Hm...I'd swear that the neck pickup is actually wider than the bridge pickup. Swinging the neck over will help, but this is pretty wacky...

[ianpaul]

great thanks guys...i'll try that out and get back to yous

[Coop Soup]

Originally Posted by JLS

Hm...I'd swear that the neck pickup is actually wider than the bridge pickup. Swinging the neck over will help, but this is pretty wacky...

It looks like a neck and bridge pickup were installed backwards. Although it could be an optical illusion due to the pickguard.

[lowendblues]

Originally Posted by Coop Soup

It looks like a neck and bridge pickup were installed backwards. Although it could be an optical illusion due to the pickguard.

Possible. Its not all neck tilt.

Wow....

[JLS]

Originally Posted by Coop Soup

It looks like a neck and bridge pickup were installed backwards. Although it could be an optical illusion due to the pickguard.

Ianpaul--measure them, the one that's longer should be in the bridge position, if this is the case.

[walterw]

ha! that is totally a bridge pickup stuck in the neck position!

what kind of bass is this? even the cheapest squiers aren't that badly assembled.

you do need to loosen, pull over, then re-tighten your neck to get the outer strings to line up with the edges, but that pickup will never be remotely right. it's the wrong size and not centered.

[Eric Moesle]

Even the bridge pickup looks like its angle is off from the bridge itself. What brand bass is this?