Squier J Bass Bridge Pickup Stuck

[Andrew Knapp]

Hello,
I am trying to set up my friend's Squier J Bass with lower action to improve playability. I know how to adjust basses as I have build some electronic instruments. I am stuck because the bridge pickup will not raise or lower. I have loosened the screws and have tried pulling up on the pickup and it will not move. Normally when I push on a pickup it will depress into the body a bit, but this one will not budge. It is playable and decent as it is, but it could be so much better.

TLDR: The bridge pickup of a Squier J Bass will not move up or down. Does anyone have an idea as to what could be causing this?

 

[sissy kathy]

Welcome to TalkBass.
The pickup is wedged into the rout. To remedy that you need to remove the pickup and enlarge the rout by sanding the side walls, where the pickup is hitting.

 

[96tbird]

As above, but it also could be stuck on the clearcoat, or there may be a buildup of buffing compound in the route. I’ve seen that before.

Get it out of there and figure out the next move. Don’t pry it, wiggle it out.

 

[Andrew Knapp]

It is strange that a bass like that would have such a flaw coming out of the factory because these are the stock pickups. Thank you for the advice. We don't have any sand paper at our apartment so this project will have to wait for a while.

 

[sissy kathy]

It is strange that a bass like that would have such a flaw coming out of the factory because these are the stock pickups. Thank you for the advice. We don't have any sand paper at our apartment so this project will have to wait for a while.

If it's stuck on the clear as @96tbird suggests, you may not need sand paper, though I'm sure smoothing the cavity would help. You may just need to free up the pickup.

 

[Andrew Knapp]

Thank you, I will try that now.

 

[Steve88]

I have a parts J with this same problem. In mine, the rout is too small...I can see where the pickup cover is wedged. I'll fix it one of these days.

 

[Andrew Knapp]

I fixed the problem. Either the bass was designed to have high action or it was a poor design. The pickup cavity was not deep enough to lower the pickup to the desired depth. I removed the springs and had the foam underside of the pickup sit on the bottom of the cavity itself. After removing the extra height of the fully compressed springs I got the pickup to a good height. His bass now plays much better than it did before. And do not worry, we saved the springs just in case he ever wants to put them back in. Thank you for your help.

 

[sissy kathy]

Springs? Squier basses don't use springs with the pickup.,The pickups sit on the foam pads which sit in the bottom of the cavity. Could someone have replaced the original pickups? Is this a new or used bass.

 

[Andrew Knapp]

My friend says his mom bought it for him about five or six years ago. I am reteaching him how to play for fun so I do not know the full situation. Most electric guitars I have worked on have had springs which regulate the height of the pickup so I assumed that would be the same on bass. Now the pickup is sitting low on its foam pad so all is good.

 

[96tbird]

Cool. Yeah, springs are unusual to find in a bass pickup. Foam is the norm and works better.

 

[sissy kathy]

You should check the other pickup and remove any springs there too.

 

[Andrew Knapp]

Thank you for the suggestion, but that pickup is at a good height as it is so I would rather not mess with it. You know what they say if it ain't fix don't broke it