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Should I Just Return It?
- Thread starter P Cheen
- Start date
I was thinking you must have OCD.
IME you'll never find a jazz where the pole pieces line up. At last I've never seen one.
How about covering it with black tape, or getting pickups that don't have pole pieces? I do the tape thing all the time, not because of alignment, but to keep from hitting the strings.
If it plays well and you like it other than the pole pieces, play the mofo.
IMO, I can't stress enough how important it is that it plays and feels good to you. Yeah, Fender's QC is a mess and I don't buy from them, but a good bass is a good bass and if you find one, keep it. If not, back she goes. No crime in either choice.
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Oh, God no. There's a thread goin on now about how unhappy a guy is with his new G&L Tribute.
edit: Read the thread to the end. the bass is a mess, and echoes my experience with the tribute line.
Bittersweet NBD - G&L Tribute SB-2 - being too picky?
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The bridge is off, either fix it or send it back. That’s shoddy even for a Fender.
Since it’s brand new and under warranty, I’d go for the return and refund. Second choice would be asking for a discount that would, maybe, cover the cost of the new bridge.
Since the neck looked much better on the other body, I’m thinking it could be a neck pocket problem as well as a bridge issue on the new body. A new bridge location might not fix everything. Maybe the body slipped a bit during the CNC process and QC let it slide. It is shiny and pretty.
If it was a used bass, and I loved everything about it, and it was a great deal, I’d probably just live with it. Or I’d put the new bridge on and do whatever surgery beyond that to make it right. But I wouldn’t be after visual perfection, just a great set up.
It bugs ya, that’s all you need to know. Let Sweetwater make it right.
Since it’s brand new and under warranty, I’d go for the return and refund. Second choice would be asking for a discount that would, maybe, cover the cost of the new bridge.
Since the neck looked much better on the other body, I’m thinking it could be a neck pocket problem as well as a bridge issue on the new body. A new bridge location might not fix everything. Maybe the body slipped a bit during the CNC process and QC let it slide. It is shiny and pretty.
If it was a used bass, and I loved everything about it, and it was a great deal, I’d probably just live with it. Or I’d put the new bridge on and do whatever surgery beyond that to make it right. But I wouldn’t be after visual perfection, just a great set up.
It bugs ya, that’s all you need to know. Let Sweetwater make it right.
Adjustable saddle could help. Buy Bart's and it will get rid of the issue of the poles lining up.. 
About 10 years ago, I got an Ash body EBMM StingRay. Beautiful Ash body. I’m a sucker for Ash, but......
Like your Jazz Bass, the strings don’t line up perfectly over the pole pieces. I didn’t notice it until I got home and bonded with it. Drove me nuts. I suppose I could have taken it back and waited for them to get another Bass just like, whenever that might be. Although I’ve not been diagnosed with OCD, I am somewhat OCD in the figurative sense, so I can relate to your feelings on this. (Having done a lot of business at that store, I was given a smokin’ deal on it.)
I’m the only one that really noticed it. I just decided to live with it. The option I do have, is to replace the pickup with one that doesn’t have pole pieces. I believe there are more than a couple. (I haven’t looked lately.) The problem doesn’t go away, it’s just not as visibly obvious.
So far, I’ve left it as is. I do not regret my decision.
If you like everything else about the Bass, could you install pole-less pickups (EMG, Bartolini’s) and learn to live with it? Believe me, Brother, I feel your pain.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Like your Jazz Bass, the strings don’t line up perfectly over the pole pieces. I didn’t notice it until I got home and bonded with it. Drove me nuts. I suppose I could have taken it back and waited for them to get another Bass just like, whenever that might be. Although I’ve not been diagnosed with OCD, I am somewhat OCD in the figurative sense, so I can relate to your feelings on this. (Having done a lot of business at that store, I was given a smokin’ deal on it.)
I’m the only one that really noticed it. I just decided to live with it. The option I do have, is to replace the pickup with one that doesn’t have pole pieces. I believe there are more than a couple. (I haven’t looked lately.) The problem doesn’t go away, it’s just not as visibly obvious.
So far, I’ve left it as is. I do not regret my decision.
If you like everything else about the Bass, could you install pole-less pickups (EMG, Bartolini’s) and learn to live with it? Believe me, Brother, I feel your pain.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
I had a similar problem with a new '63 AVRI P, it was just that the nut was cut wrong. The G string would actually roll off the fret board while I was playing! Sent it in to my tech, she cut a new bone nut and realigned the pickups and she now sings. Good luck!
I would think that by doing all this you have already precluded your being able to return the bass to Sweetwater. Make whatever mods are required at this point and enjoy your new bass.
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
I would have just returned it, before monkeying with it.
Personally I would try to exchange it if you can.
i went through this same issue with my mim jazz bass. It was my first real bass I got it in 2002. I didn’t even know it was an issue until I’d been playing it a few years. I eventually got it dialed In. Mine was bad the E string sat below the pole pieces. I took it to a tech he ended up filling the holes and drilling new ones to line it up correctly.
i went through this same issue with my mim jazz bass. It was my first real bass I got it in 2002. I didn’t even know it was an issue until I’d been playing it a few years. I eventually got it dialed In. Mine was bad the E string sat below the pole pieces. I took it to a tech he ended up filling the holes and drilling new ones to line it up correctly.
That's why my 73 Jazz bass ended up with EMGs. My MIM Precision and my Squier 50s Precision from China have perfectly aligned pole pieces
wmhill
Inactive
- Aug 20, 2012
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Send it back- you didn't buy a project bass. The last fender I owned (zone) was like this- a sloppy neck pocket route. Besides just bugging me, it was easy to pull the G string off the fretboard as you climbed higher up the neck. Also, the E string never sounded as good as the other strings. Fender, of course, wouldn't do a thing for me, but the dealer did end up taking it back. There are too many good companies building great instruments these days to put up with this shoddy quality.
devnulljp
Supporting Member
I don't have OCD but I hate that misalignment a lot. Return it!
OMG Fender pisses me off with this crap. That's something you used to see on $150 squiers.
QC Fender, get to work on your dang QC! That should be a perfect instrument, and the player series is very well setup feature-wise.
QC Fender, get to work on your dang QC! That should be a perfect instrument, and the player series is very well setup feature-wise.
Neck looks good on this blue body, it seems the problem is on the bridge position of the black one.
Get new pickup covers that do not expose the magnets, for every new bass you buy. Problem fixed for life.
