Jazz bass bridge pickup not working

[biking320]

The bridge pickup on my new American Standard jazz bass is not working. When I turn the volume control all the way up, I can barely hear the guitar through the amp. However, if I turn the tone control up, I can hear it a little better.

I tested the volume pot with a meter and I got the same readings that I got on the volume pot for the neck pickup (readings across the outside posts were in the 100's which was odd because I thought this was a 250k pot-I'm not an expert though and I might have done something wrong).

Any ideas on what might be wrong?

I bought this guitar out of state so I would like to fix it myself it at all possible or at least know what is wrong before I ship it back to the dealer.

 

[Stealth]

I'd say the tone control is wrongly wired, it sounds like it's acting like a volume pad instead of a tone control. That, or the pot itself has gone dead - 100k isn't a normal value for a standard Jazz pot.

Check the wiring against this schematic: Link Removed, it shouldn't take you more than half an hour to find the problem and another half to rewire.

 

[biking320]

Thanks for your advice Stealth.

I'll try what you suggested and let you know the results.

 

[Madwatch]

I just had this happen to me. Turns out one of the wires on the bridge pickup came un soldered. Just had to re solder and I was back in business

 

[biking320]

Thanks Madwatch!

I'll check that.

 

[Electricblue]

Did you test the pots while they were still in the circuit? that will mess up your readings.

 

[biking320]

You're right, Electricblue. The pot was still in the circuit.

However, since both of the pots, still in the circuit, read about 107k doesn't that mean between them they should be about 214k and this would be about what they should read?

I pulled the pickup out and checked for loose wires and I don't see any. With the pickup in the circuit, I tested for continuity across where the black and white wires connect to it and it was okay.

Are there any other tests that I can do without de-soldering anything?

I've attached photos of the pup and the pots on the off chance someone can see something wrong.

Thanks.

 

[onosson]

I have a similar problem with my Aerodyne P-Bass (has one J bridge pickup). When the P pickup volume is turned all the way down, the J volume pot does nothing at all. Even with the P pickup all the way up, turning the J volume pot only seems to bring in a fraction of the volume that it used to. This just suddenly happened without warning. I took the pickguard off (P-Bass style with pots attached to the pickguard) but the wiring seems fine. I'll have to check the pickup itself later today or tomorrow when I have time.

 

[biking320]

Mine seems to have quit without warning also.

 

[Liam keane]

I'm having a similar problem with my bridge pickup, sometimes ill pick it up and plug it in and get no sound out of the pickup, I've strangely learned that tapping it with a screwdriver gets it going, does anyone know what this might mean?

 

[Fonkamex]

I'm having a similar problem with my bridge pickup, sometimes ill pick it up and plug it in and get no sound out of the pickup, I've strangely learned that tapping it with a screwdriver gets it going, does anyone know what this might mean?

Amazing! It works! Thanks mate

 

[MKA1458]

Wow, my new Sire P7 bridge pickup stopped working and I tapped it with a screwdriver just like Liam Keane said and it worked like a charm! Thanks so much!!!