Pickup Angle...

[Turtle71]

OK so this could technically go in "Pickups & Electronics" or "Setup & Repair", so Mods please move it if you feel it belongs somewhere else.
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OK folks, check out the pic below, and advise me on wheather I need to remedy this....

I bought some new EMG's for my PJ and installed them, no problem they fit great and sound good...but, just like the OE pups they replaced, they are obviously slanted toward the bridge.

Now, obviously I was aware of this going into it, and knew the new pups would do the same thing since I was reusing the original holes.

Aside from it being a gigantic PITA to set proper pickup height, is there any issue with leaving these the way they are? I mean I've got them set where they sound good, and have good string to string output balance, but I can't help but wonder...

So, if the resounding advice is to fix this, what is the best method for doing so?

Thanks!

 

[StereoPlayer]

At little extra foam padding under the low side of the PU.

 

[Abner]

... I've got them set where they sound good, and have good string to string output balance,...

[emphasis mine]

Isn't that all that matters?

 

[Old Garage-Bander]

[emphasis mine]

Isn't that all that matters?

^ This... numero uno.

Let me hazard a half ass guess here... I think it's more the overall height on average than it is about any point along the width of the pickups. There is no danger of causing harm or long term effects. As long as the strings are not overly impacted by the pickups magnetic fields, to the point where they sound bad, then no problem. And even if that happened, it isn't permanent, just lower the pickups a bit to fix it.

Aesthetics? It might bug you. It would me if it were my bass. But I doubt anyone else would notice.

 

[lark_z]

It's likely doing nothing to the tone.

If you want to pull the pickups, I've had better luck with these than some of the other options
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08LVGNL35/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Vinny_G]

Aside from it being a gigantic PITA to set proper pickup height

This is the problem with foams, which always end up flattening on one side or the other. I sometimes use the same method as Billy Sheehan, which is a kind of surgical tube:



https://www.amazon.com/Inch-Latex-T..._r=PSAEW5VPP6Y7Y0C8F9MG&qid=1661302536&sr=8-2

Fender and Allparts offer such a product:

Invalid Link Removed

GS-0330-000 Pack of 1 Foot Surgical Tubing

Don't laugh, it works (and it's cheap too).

 

[testing1two]

Are these active or passive EMGs? If they are active, they need to be closer to the strings and for that to happen you would need to fix the slant.

If they are passive, I would still fix the slant because it's only a pain to fix once, but it will be an eyesore every time you play it if you don't. You'll know when it's right because the pickup will be perfectly parallel with the pickguard.

The surgical tubing method above makes good sense here because EMGs have disconnect plugs on the bottom and that means foam won't sit perfectly flat which probably explains why the pickups are jacked in the first place.

 

[monti2889]

What's going on there is generally just cosmetic and actually pretty common. So you don't necessarily have to fix it (I can't stand it on my own basses and I fix it) Previous posts are correct about fixing it. There are rare occasions where the screws or screw holes are the problem.
Here's what I've done to fix this in just about every p bass I've owned.
First....new foam (I use adhesive weather strip), and I put springs (or surgical tube, if you prefer) around the screws.
Second....replace the screws if the heads are stripped and/or they're bent.
Third...the hole for the screw should be aligned with the pick-up...if this is sceued it can cause this... unfortunately to fix that situation, fill the old hole (toothpicks and wood glue). Then predrill the new holes in their proper location.
Those are the 3 ways I've had to fix that issue....judging by your pictures....the first suggestion of new foam and springs will get you taken care of. As is the case with 70% of other basses with the same issue. 20% bent screws needing replaced, the tilt on those pickups will vary, but be quite a bit more severe.
The last...will not only be noticable by the tilt, but the pickups will generally not be quite perpendicular to the string either.
As long as the string runs through the magnetic field...it's all cosmetic...but it's so much nicer to have a flat and properly aligned pickup.

 

[Turtle71]

Alright thanks for all the suggestions peeps!

So, last night I pulled the guard off, and pulled the pickups out....

just for grins I put the screws back in without the pickups...low and behold all 4 screws are angled...it's almost as though the drilling jig that was used actually drilled the holes at an angle.

UGGGG, so now I'm forced to plug with toothpicks and re-drill, not what I wanted to do, but I need to fix this...it sounds fine, but the looks are beginning to wear on me.

 

[Turtle71]

Are these active or passive EMGs? If they are active, they need to be closer to the strings and for that to happen you would need to fix the slant.

They are passive.

...because EMGs have disconnect plugs on the bottom and that means foam won't sit perfectly flat which probably explains why the pickups are jacked in the first place.

Unfortunately this wasn't the case, I have the same set in my other P-bass, those sit flat with the body/pickguard.