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Fender pj duncan pickup problem

angelopbass

angelopbass

May 18, 2011
279
98
struthers, ohio
#1
So I just put new pickups in my fender pj bass. Seymour duncan quarter pounder p, and a duncan hot stack j. For some reason when I'm hitting the E string hard, it's giving me a crackling sound. I lowered the pickup and it helped somewhat but I still hear it. When the p and j pickups are turned up and when only the j pickup is turned up. Not when i only use the p pickup. Any educated suggestions? A friend suggested it might be a capacitor problem??
 
#3
angelopbass said:
So I just put new pickups in my fender pj bass. Seymour duncan quarter pounder p, and a duncan hot stack j. For some reason when I'm hitting the E string hard, it's giving me a crackling sound. I lowered the pickup and it helped somewhat but I still hear it. When the p and j pickups are turned up and when only the j pickup is turned up. Not when i only use the p pickup. Any educated suggestions? A friend suggested it might be a capacitor problem??
Click to expand...
It sounds like a dirty or worn pot most likely the bridge volume. I'd try cleaning them.
 
#4
Ok so I took it to the tech at guitar center (and I will say, the guy knows his stuff) There was a ground issue. Pots are good to go. Took it home and the problems STILL there! The bass sounds good, but if I pluck the E string hard, I get a crackling sound! Very irritated at this point. Possible there's an issue with the pickup??
 
#5
Take a deep breath ...relax! These problems are always easier to solve than you think. You already have it isolated to the bridge p/u circuit still ..right? ..so that narrows it down already. But check with headphones first ,if you can.
I would first jumper out your volume pot hot wire from the bridge p/u lead to the tip of the 1/4 jack and listen again. Then jumper out the ground lead. Then jumper out the bridge ground. Then jumper the ground p/u lead then the hot lead. Then lift one lead of the cap. If you keep taking things out of the equation, something is going to change. Only if the noise is still remains it may be a bad p/u.

If nothing results from the above test, you can further verify. before suspecting a bad p/u Do you have access to a digital multimeter? If so, you can test the resistance of all wires and connections very easily.

You just start at the output jack and work your way to each p/u.
With the meter set to Ohms, first, test the ground leg by placing one test probe on the shield of the 1/4 jack and the other (2nd) lead on the bridge.
The reading should be low (around 1-2 Ohms) next place the second lead on the tone pot housing. You should see another low reading ..now go to the next volume pot case then the last one. Try moving each solder joint and verify the low readings.
Finally, remove the bridge p/u and back probe the ground lead connection solder joint if the reading is still good, try moving the wire around. If it still remains low, I would try replacing your bridge p/u with your old one to verify you got a dud.

Good luck!

MOFO!
 
#8
Did you try bypassing anything with a jumper yet?
I once had a tone pot on a second hand bass crackle real bad. It turned out that it had not been screwed down tight enough or someone had torqued on it and it slipped and broke the wire but it was making intermittent contact. It was trick to find the fault.
 
#9
I'm waiting on a friend to check it out for me. Thank you for all of your help. I'm not good with electronics at all, but I really have a feeling it's the pickup itself. Mainly because it only makes the sound on the E string. I do have another question though. I still have the fender super 55 jazz pickup that it came with. I didn't mind the original pickups, I just know that I love the aggressiveness of quarter pounder pbass pickups. Would it be worth trying out the duncan qp with the 55 j pickup? I don't care if the p is louder than the j (I just want a little bit of that extra growl that a j gives you) What I want to know is if the qp overpowers the j pickup, will I lose a ton of signal, or will the p just be louder than the j??
 
#10
I think combining those two would be an excellent choice! I am not familiar with any of those p/u's so I can't say if one will mask out the other though but I'm sure someone else could.
If that were an issue, I'm sure there would be a way around it. Perhaps another master volume pot before the output jack or a fader (blend) pot combined with what you have would work.
I would not be one to drill any holes though, I'd go with a concentric pot or don't mod it at all. but that's just me and my own preference. I don't drill or router my Fenders.
I would go so far as hiding a clean, active preamp and battery in the rout cavity if it fits. That way, you could achieve gain for the J p/u but it may not be required. I would try raising the p/u as far as possible, first.

Good luck!

MOFO!
 
#11
angelopbass said:
He wasn't picking aggressively like I do so he didn't hear it at the store. If you aren't trying to help the issue then I don't need a reply. Thanks.
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I actually was trying to be helpful. I assumed you didn't know why the GC tech didn't catch the issue you brought the bass in with and took it home with. I therefore implied that you should go to a different tech, or reassess how you evaluate how well a tech knows his stuff, and I tried to do it as softball as possible.
 
#13
BlueTalon said:
I actually was trying to be helpful. I assumed you didn't know why the GC tech didn't catch the issue you brought the bass in with and took it home with. I therefore implied that you should go to a different tech, or reassess how you evaluate how well a tech knows his stuff, and I tried to do it as softball as possible.
Click to expand...
I'm just messing around. Ya this guy is one of the few techs around with credibility. Although this issue is making me question that. Haha. All in good fun
 
#14
Ok so it's been a few days. I plugged it into a guitar amp and could barely hear it. So I took it home and raised the top of the pickup just a bit. Sounds good. Was it possible that it was just set to high? Is the hot stack a really hot pickup that's so hot that it'd almost crackle when you bang on it if its set too high?
 
#15
IME, the SD Hot Stack J is not a loud pickup, but it sounds a little thicker than some Js (designed for that reason by SD.)

Being a stack, it tends to be less loud than some single coil or split coil J pickups.

I've used SD Hot Stack J pickups in 2 PJs and a JJ, and never had any problem with crackles, etc.
 
#17
I don't yet have the Super 55s installed in a bass (set on order), but I think the Super 55s will be louder in volume.

I have 2 Dimarzio Area J pickups in an Ash body Warmoth, and 2 SD Hot Stack J pickups in an alder body Warmoth ( both P bodies).

At this point, the Area J pickups (split coil) sound louder and clearer & more like single coil than the Hot Stacks, but the Hot Stacks (stack coil) sound thicker in some mids, due to winding.

The Ash vs Alder bodies may play some role, but stack pickups tend to have less volume in my experience and per others who post here.

The Area J pickups use Alnico 2 magnets, and the Super 55s (also split coil) use Alnico 5 which are normally considered stronger/louder in a similar pickup.

I think the Super 55s would also be a little louder than the Area Js due to the magnets and based on reviews I have read here.

FWIW, Dimarzio describes the Area Js as vintage sounding, not as loud as some other J models they make.

The Hot Stacks also use Alnico 5, but are stacks design, etc.

I like the Area Js and the Hot Stacks, but they do sound different.

I've never used a SD QP of any type, but have the SD SPB-1 vintage P with a SD Hot Stack J in an older PJ bass. The P pickup is louder/stronger than the J stack in this bass.
 
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