exposed magnets making noise?

[taygunov]

one of my basses has exposed magnets (I think its called open pole) and when my pick touches the magnets/if i pluck too hard it makes a loud clack through the amp. I was wondering what I could do to stop this?

[whitefuneral]

Are you sure it's your pickups? Could be faulty leads. I get them a lot.

Well what kind of pick do you use, bass, playing style. We need more information.

[taygunov]

Its an Ibanez, pick is just generic plastic. And I like to play over the pickup as if its a ramp. When I play lightly its fine but if I start to strum hard or tune down, it really starts to clack. Mostly on the E string, cause its the fattest and vibrates the most against the pickup im guessing?

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by taygunov

one of my basses has exposed magnets (I think its called open pole) and when my pick touches the magnets/if i pluck too hard it makes a loud clack through the amp. I was wondering what I could do to stop this?

I doubt that it is because your "pick" touches the magnet poles. The usual thing is when your fingers or metal (strings) touch the poles. The loud clack is usually from metal. Try lowering the pickups. If you don't want to do that (changes output level and may change tone) then you have to put a layer of insulation (tape) over the poles. Best way is to change to pickup covers to ones that that cover poles

[whitefuneral]

Are your pick ups active or passive?

[SGD Lutherie]

Originally Posted by bassbenj

Try lowering the pickups.

This. The loud crack might be the amp breaking up since it happens when you pluck hard. I'd also guess it happens on the low strings and not the high strings, so lower the pickup a bit on the low side.

[taygunov]

I put some electrical tape and lowered the pickups and it worked like a charm without even affecting tone that much! thanks guys