Did I screw up changing my strings?

pics could help.

Sounds like it might have to do with the distance between the string and the pickup. If these strings are a lighter gauge than your last ones, they would sit closer to the pickups, and thus be louder. Try screwing the side of the pickup down a bit more, if it's uneven.

Are you having the same problem with the G string, as well? It seems like if it was the angle of the pickup, it would cause problems there too

As far as blowing your amp, if it's just really trebly, I wouldn't worry about it. Treble doesn't cause big vibrations like bass frequencies do, and so they can't damage your amp nearly as much.

 

Yeah, just as I thought. See in the very first picture, how the bottom pickup angles up towards the D string? There's your problem. Tighten that screw a little bit until your pickups are more lined up. Then, if you need to, pluck each string, and adjust the pickups till the volume sounds even on each. Remember: the closer a string is to the pickups, the louder it will be.

 

If you want a new bridge, I'd get a Badass II. They're really nice...I think there was a thread recently about why they are good. It is designed as a P bass replacement bridge, so it fits on easily.

 

It seems to be a standard setup procedure have the P-pickups kind of arching like that because you usually set your saddle heights to arch with the neck, and then you have your pickup tilting on a slight angle to compensate.

But in your case it would be that your pickup is too close to the strings or on too much of an angle like Naggon pointed out. Probably just set them flat and see how you go since it seems your saddle heights are all "flat" (as in about as high as they can go) so having your pickups flat as well should fix it.

 

well, you pretty much just adjust the pickups until it sounds good....so it could have been a careless setup, or your old D string could have been particularly dead, or something like that, who knows.

I haven't actually tried a Gotoh 201. Badass II is kind of the "standard" p bass bridge upgrade, though. Go give em both a try in a music store and see which you like, thats always the best way to go. Good luck!

 

I don't think you need a special wrench... My MIA P-bass just uses a small philip's screwdriver. I think my MIM squire fretless does too. I don't think Fender would use anything crazy. (Torx at the very most)

 

yeah, just a screwdriver....or even a credit card works, in a pinch.

 

that sucks man. A regular wrench should do the trick, though....pickup screws are rarely screwed in tightly, especially one that's set so high (meaning, the screw isn't screwed in very far)

 

for a quick fix you could alway go to the hardware store with the stripped screw and get a new one for about $.08

 

I seriously doubt that the screw is stripped...the pickup screw is screwed into wood...the more-likely scenario is that the hole is stripped out....

take the pickup loose, stick a toothpick into the hole...break it off flush with the wood surface...put the pickup back in and screw the pickup in...

BTW...have you setup the intonation on your bridge? those bridge saddle positions look quite peculiar...don't just go and move them without cause, however...do a search on setting up intonation...and work it from there...again, a small phillips screw driver is required to adjust that type of bridge saddle.

 

sorry, didn't mean to insinuate that intonation WAS the problem...only noticed looking at the photos that your saddle positions looked strange...



I can't tell very well from the pics the nut slot depths...but they appear to be deep enough...

if a nut slot isn't deep enough, the bass is quite difficult to fret on the first couple of frets...if the nut slots are TOO deep, you can end up getting all kinds of fret buzzing happening between the nut and where you're fretting (some folks call it "back buzzing")...

I'd say, leave them alone...