Can anyone figure out what is causing this problem?

The problem is that your pole pieces are not grounded.

 

Yeah man, this comes up once or twice a month on this forum. Check out the seach box. I've written lengthy explanations on the cause and the various fixes. As line6 said, you can earth the pole pieces from underneath with copper tape. But you can replace the covers with ones that don't have holes, you can swap bobbins and/or reverse the pickup phase so only one bobbin hums and it is out of the way. If you have a vintage fender, there's a chance that earthing the magnets will short the signal from that pickup. This indicates that the coil needs rewinding...

 

1. Sometimes you can read wire it with opposite polarity a day it won't do it anymore (swap hot and ground).
2. Put electrical tape over the pole piece
3. Has nothing to do with your strings.

 

Correct, the strings are not the cause, but they are the reason you are suddenly now seeing the problem.

With the old strings, you were being grounded while you were in contact with them. So even though the pickup pole pieces were sensitive, there was no noise present on yourself for the pickups to sense.

With the new tapewound strings, you are no longer grounded and are now a noise source. And so the pickups are now sensing this noise through the pole pieces, which are in very close proximity to the coil winding.

As others mentioned above, you can ground the poles, insulate them, or reorient and/or rewire the pickup halves so the most sensitive area is least accessible.

You might also try coating the pole ends with clear lacquer (nail polish).

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. Might try a small copper strip spanning the poll Pieces then SOLDER TO THE LOWER SIDE OF THE COPPER FACING

 

1. Not common but it is a regular thing. I have experienced it with one of my P basses

2. Yes you can.

3. Aside from proper grounding I use clear nail polish to coat the pickup pieces, this also prevents contact.

 

I think the pole pieces are the magnets but I could be wrong. Just take off your covers and coat the pieces, you need to let a layer dry a little before you apply another layer.

I bought stacks of scrunchies, never found anything to actually work so I ended up with fretwraps. It was pretty funny for me when I went to get nail polish though. I had to ask one of the girls to help me find it, as well as which was the strongest, but after asking where it was I clearly and loudly explained it wasn't for my nails. I more so blurted it out before I even realized I was saying it. That girl definitely thought I was weird...

 

If it is something you see when the pickup is installed in the bass it is not a magnet.

 

The round magnets are the pole pieces.

 

AlNiCo: The pole pieces and magnets are one and the same.
Ceramic: The magnets are underneath the pickup where you cannot see or touch them.

The proper fix is to ground the poles, but if that is not an option, then coat them with nailpolish.

 

i try to make sure the cavities, even the copper tape or plates , pots, bridge , etc . all get grounded to the same spot ... i'd check continuity on everything ...

 

This is not necessary. As long as everything is continuous with ground, it doesn't matter where the grounds connect.

 

Humming? Maybe you have these guys for neighbors.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

 

Not usually. Magnets don't do well with screwdrivers as the magnets with slots would splinter very easily.

 

This is an issue with these strings. I have used LaBella black tape wounds on all my basses for years. My J has always had the typical 60hz hum as a J would when you soloed a pup but would go to ground when the strings are touched = no hum when playing.

I too put on the copper wounds LaBellas w/ the clear coating - touching string does not ground & eliminate the hum.

I'm going to have to run a ground up to where I rest my thumb or go back to black tapes unfortunately.

 

Its a Precision pickup. No slots.