Strange volume problem on Washburn XS-4

[eamonlaser]

I've got two basses: a Washburn XS-4 which I drop-tune down to CGCF and play through a Trace Elliot GP12 SMX (always set to maximum compression high and low) which I use with my sleazy big-riffed rock band, and a Dean 5 string (standard tuning) which I play through a Mark CMD 121P amp and use for functions gigs (rock, pop, jazz, big band etc). The Mark amp is smaller and lighter which makes set up simpler and easier on my back(!), has fewer controls and, crucially for this problem, no compression.

Until recently I'd never played the Washburn through the Mark amp other than at home (I usually need more volume than the little one can produce!) but had an occasion recently where I took the Mark due to lack of space in the car I was using.

I then discovered that without the compression the Washburn has a really beefy low C (what was the E string) and the volume of the other three strings is almost non-existent!

When I play through the Trace with the compression wound right up it's fine, but through an amp without compression (or if a sound tech insists on taking my bass signal from a DI box before going to the amp) I can barely hear the three thinner strings at all, making the bass almost unusable.

I'm guessing that the problem is due to worn pickups, but before I shell out for them, could it be the active electrics or just a symptom of playing dropped tuning? I love this bass and it sounds perfect for the dirty rock that I play with it, but I'd really like to get this sorted out...

Any comments or theories very welcome!

[Nighttrain1127]

It sounds like it could just be a pickup height Issue any chance you could post pictures from the side of the height of the pickups or just try raising what would normally be the G side of the pickup closer to the strings this should help with the problem.

[eamonlaser]

Hi Nighttrain, I had already played with the height of the pickups and made them extremely biased to the G side of the setup, but this didn't seem to make much difference (other than get in the way of my picking!)

The difference between the volume of the 'E' string and the 'A' string is huge, while the 'A' 'D' and 'G' strings sound virtually identical in volume...

Attached is a picture of the pickups as I have them set now (back to normal). As you can see, this bass has seen some action - I do beat it to within an inch of its life each time I play it....



p.s. Photo taken with my webcam - not sure why this meant the image was flipped round to make it look like a left-handed bass...