Dude, this exact thing happened to my one! I thought the pickup surround was broken, but from what you're saying I think I have the exact same issue. I just used a cable tie to get the pickup to stay up and it's worked so far.
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Fender Mustang Club
- Thread starter FlyingPigSound
- Start date
They need a captive nut within the base of the pickup. Can't believe this design made it out the door. The screws obviously hold the pick up in place just long enough to leave the factory and then fail as soon as you try to adjust the height.
The adjusting bolt on a Mustang pickup threads into the bottom "fiber" (cardboard
) plate of the pickup bobbin. You can see the threaded holes in this photo:The holes in the plastic pickup cover are larger, and are NOT threaded.
As you can see, the holes threaded into the fiber bobbin can be easily stripped with frequent adjustments, clumsy installation, or a blow to the pickup.
Once the hole is stripped you need to either fill and re-bore a smaller hole (try epoxy?) or glue a piece of wood or a matching nut onto the bottom side of the bobbin.
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The adjusting bolt on a Mustang pickup threads into the bottom "fiber" (cardboard
View attachment 4085262
The holes in the plastic pickup cover are larger, and are NOT threaded.
As you can see, the holes threaded into the fiber bobbin can be easily stripped with frequent adjustments, clumsy installation, or a blow to the pickup.
Once the hole is stripped you need to either fill and re-bore a smaller hole (try epoxy?) or glue a piece of wood or a matching nut onto the bottom side of the bobbin.
Yep.
What pickup is that? I've never seen a Mustang bass pickup with that bar between the poles. I imagine it's there to reduce the characteristic impulse surge due to the single poles.
The pickup is an original vintage Fender pickup, but I don't know what year. Probably early 70s? I know some vintage pickups have that bar connecting the poles. I think possibly the poles don't line up perfectly under the strings (spacing slightly too wide?), and the bars are a "kludge" to even out the magnetic flux...
I just "borrowed" an online photo I found that clearly shows the threaded holes in the bobbin.
Very interesting that it's a Fender pickup. I believe you are correct in it's puprose. Odd that it was only on some pickups.
The bi-pole pickup design of the split Precision and Jazz bass pickups was developed to widen the flux field to reduce the impulse surge on attack which resulted in speaker damage. That bar would have the same effect.
Having had the pick ups out and looked at them, the yosemite pick ups in my American Performer definitely aren't threaded. all four screws just free spin. There was just enough material for the screw to catch on, but not after a few turns. Now the spring tension just plops the pick up down flush with the pick guard.The adjusting bolt on a Mustang pickup threads into the bottom "fiber" (cardboard
View attachment 4085262
The holes in the plastic pickup cover are larger, and are NOT threaded.
As you can see, the holes threaded into the fiber bobbin can be easily stripped with frequent adjustments, clumsy installation, or a blow to the pickup.
Once the hole is stripped you need to either fill and re-bore a smaller hole (try epoxy?) or glue a piece of wood or a matching nut onto the bottom side of the bobbin.
I have always thought that having the pickup mounting screws thread into what is basically cardboard is a design flaw, especially given that the rest of the guitar/bass is so solidly built.
Knowing how the screws work makes me be careful and gentle if I adjust my pickups!
Since all four screws are loose in their holes, you might consider trying slightly larger diameter screws?
The pick up surround is actually plastic. I should just return the bass, but I got a decent deal on it and I really like it. I like it enough to modify the screws. I've purchased nuts to match the screws and I'll epoxy those to the base of the pick up surround so the screws have something to thread into.
I'll take some photos and keep you all posted.
Where my screwdriver is pointing (the half of the split M pickup) the holes aren't threaded, but funny thing is the upper half of the split M has holes that are threaded.
So I sourced nuts to match the bolts to use on the lower section of the M pick up:
All the faffing about also broke one of the solder joints on the pick up wire so I had to solder that back. Not really happy to do all this on a fairly new bass....and a American made bass that should have better quality control, but otherwise this bass is fantastic and plays like butter.
So I sourced nuts to match the bolts to use on the lower section of the M pick up:
All the faffing about also broke one of the solder joints on the pick up wire so I had to solder that back. Not really happy to do all this on a fairly new bass....and a American made bass that should have better quality control, but otherwise this bass is fantastic and plays like butter.
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Yes, doing that would be safer than trying larger screws.
EDIT : Thanks for the pics.
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You obviously have mixed feelings, but I'm pleased to learn that it feels good to play.
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I agree, gluing a nut in place is better than using larger screws! That was just a suggestion in case all four holes were stripped.
Also, it looks like the pickup bobbins are wax potted. Be sure the glue you use will stick...
I'd check to see if fitting a small T nut attached from the bottom might be a better solution.
T nut. Great idea. Much more betterer. Maybe even the bestest.
meh.... just mount them to the body, then pickguard changes don't require pickup adjustment.
Yeah I'm working on developing a lighter touch with fingerstyle, so these strings are useful trainers for me. Picking is a whole other animal lol, I'll have to get whispery to plectrum this thing. I do think GHS is majorly missing out on a wide-open market by not offering them in med gauges since the extra stiffness would be appreciated by many a player... and with that said, I'm thinking, once I have $ to burn again, of getting a set for my P bass, though I haven't decided what gauges I'd want for that. They sound just fabulous, though!
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The only bass strings which GHS offers in short scale which satisfy MY sense of proper gauge and feel/tension, those would be their Brite Flats [ground to flat like D'Addario Half Rounds are].
Fortunately I like those, from using the long scale lighter ones on my Ric for many years.
The gauges are 49-62-84-108, IIRC, and contrary to what else they offer for short scale basses, they only offer these in that heavier gauge.
I have a set on my 2010 USA Gibson SG bass, and can find no fault with them.
They are wound to 32.75" of wrap, same as their other short scale bass strings, so they should also fit many Hofner and similar basses which have a trapeze-style bridge and tailpiece.
Yes, GHS is IMNSHO missing the boat/bus by only offering the light gauge version of their flatwounds, and other types such as you mentioned, in short [and medium] scale.
A lot of other bass string makers are similarly narrow-minded as well.
LaBella is one refreshing exception, offering 3 or more gauges of their Deep Talking flatwound sets for each scale length, and I suspect as many in roundwound, though I've not researched those.
And while I am on the topic, let me add that nearly ALL string makers have not responded yet to another not so recently opened market at all, which is to offer a proper winding length of strings to fit the 28.6" 'extra-short' scale basses such as the Ibanez Mikro, Jackson Minion, and Squier Mini-P.
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D'Addario short scale Chromes and short scale nylon tapewound strings fit my Mikro perfectly.
