Loose bridge pickup on J bass

[Alexis Duntov]

I have this MIJ Fender '66 reissue that I really like, best Jazz bass I have owned but the bridge pickup seems to move a lot in the cavity and when my plucking fingers hit it, it makes this pop. It doesn't get transduced through the amp but it's annoying. The pickup height is where I want it. It's almost as though the screws holding down the pickup are too small for the holes they are in so the whole thing moves around. Anyone had this experience?

 

[Pilgrim]

Add a layer of foam under it - if it fits, mouse pad foam is nice and firm.

 

[Alexis Duntov]

Add a layer of foam under it - if it fits, mouse pad foam is nice and firm.

Thanks. But I think it already has that as I can depress the pickup and it slowly comes back up again. It's a 2013 bass so the foam it came with is still foamy, as far as I can tell.

 

[Lownote38]

Thanks. But I think it already has that as I can depress the pickup and it slowly comes back up again. It's a 2013 bass so the foam it came with is still foamy, as far as I can tell.

It should come back up quickly (not slowly) and not be super easy to press down. A lot of times, the foam underneath isn't enough even straight from the factory.

 

[Pilgrim]

Thanks. But I think it already has that as I can depress the pickup and it slowly comes back up again. It's a 2013 bass so the foam it came with is still foamy, as far as I can tell.

I'm with lownote38... I suspect you need a firmer piece of foam or rubber. That bridge doesn't need to move much, even for adjustment.

 

[ThatLeftyguy]

I have this MIJ Fender '66 reissue that I really like, best Jazz bass I have owned but the bridge pickup seems to move a lot in the cavity and when my plucking fingers hit it, it makes this pop. It doesn't get transduced through the amp but it's annoying. The pickup height is where I want it. It's almost as though the screws holding down the pickup are too small for the holes they are in so the whole thing moves around. Anyone had this experience?

If the screws are loose, I've had luck with cutting small dowels out and glueing them in the holes and redrilling for the correct size screw. Maybe try bigger pickup screws? The popping sound you're getting is from a lack of pressure under the pickup. So as the other guys said, add more of that foam and screw the thing down!

 

[Alexis Duntov]

If the screws are loose, I've had luck with cutting small dowels out and glueing them in the holes and redrilling for the correct size screw. Maybe try bigger pickup screws? The popping sound you're getting is from a lack of pressure under the pickup. So as the other guys said, add more of that foam and screw the thing down!

Yeah bigger screws may be the ticket. Thanks.

 

[bobdabilder]

If the screws are loose, use a toothpick and elmers glue to tighten it up. Add some more foam. Boom. Done.