J bass p-up pop/shimming p-up covers?

If you're hitting the strings on the polepieces, your pickups are adjusted too high for your technique.

 

Hmm. You're either going to have to hit it lighter, go with heavier strings for less deflection, or just screw it down lower and have to deal with it :-/

 

Then you're striking the strings toward the bass body, instead of parallel to it. You shouldn't be striking the strings toward you. In fact, you shouldn't need to play very hard at all, unless you're looking to get a bunch of compression. Lighter touch = fatter tone. However, even if you *are* looking for natural compression and less low end, you should still be striking the strings parallel to the body.

Provided the pickups are properly adjusted, it isn't an "equipment issue"...it's a "technique issue".

 

How high are these pole pieces? The ones on my JBass are nearly flush. Maybe 1-2mm extended at most.

 

I have a bass that did that, I covered the pickups with black electrical tape. What you're suggesting would probably work fine as well.

 

don't get pissy dude, I think people are having a hard time understanding your problem (I certainly don't get it).

The short answer is yes, you can put a shim between your pickup and the cover so the cover sits up higher and protects the pole pieces from the strings.

That said, I don't understand at all how you have a situation in which your pickups are close enough to the strings that they can actually come in contact with each other, I think your pickups must be sitting way too high.

 

Well, then my apologies. I never have the problem you're encountering even when "digging in". So best of luck ...i hope you get it sorted.

 

Hm, I've never needed to do it but I would imagine small plastic shim inside the corners of the cover that would raise the cover a few mm would work. My only question is would you then find yourself just hitting the pickup cover and getting a thumping sound from that which the pickups would magnify?

No way to lower the pickups and still get the tone and balance you want huh?

 

It's all good. I understand for sure.

Best of luck to you. And have a great night ....

 

Just rap on the cover with something metallic with the pickup volume cranked and you'll get a pretty good idea how well those pickups conduct the sound.

I think how much of that gets buried depends on how hard your hitting them. If I rap on mine I get a hollow thump or a clack and it's not very subtle but then I'm in my den and my amp isn't roaring out notes at volume either.

 

Wish they'd come out with a model with that feature permanently disengaged or at the very least a mute button.