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weirdest bass malfunction

Discussion in 'Basses [BG]' started by Runlikegregg, Jul 11, 2013.

  1. Jul 11, 2013 #1
    Runlikegregg

    Runlikegregg

    Dec 31, 2011
    Brooklyn
    has anyone heard of this happening?

    a week ago my bass pick-up stopped working. completely. no signal.
    I have a G&L LB-100 with a Lollar split-coil P-bass pickup.

    I took it to my friend (a guitar tech) and he confirmed the pick-up wasn't sending any signal.
    I have a brand new Seymour Duncan Antiquity pick-up and he replaced the Lollar with that, tested it out, sounds great.

    I got the bass home, plugged it in and there was hardly any signal. I tried different cords, different amp, another bass worked fine on the amp.

    After wailing on the E string for a minute the bass comes back to life and seems to play fine until I put it down again.
    Then, after like an hour of not playing the same thing happens.

    WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?
     
  2. Jul 11, 2013 #2
    Rip Topaz

    Rip Topaz

    Aug 12, 2005
    Willow Street, PA
    Sounds to me like something is being pressed against a ground and shorting itself.

    Or the input jack has a wire about to break. Has it been tightened recently?
     
  3. Jul 11, 2013 #3
    Lo-E

    Lo-E

    Dec 19, 2009
    Brooklyn, NY
    Well, if I was a betting man I'd say you've either got a bad pot or a bad output jack.
    Neither one is all that uncommon.

    Try wiring the pickup straight to the output jack - bypassing the pots - and see if the trouble goes away. If it does, you have a bad pot. If it doesn't, try replacing your output jack.
     
  4. Jul 11, 2013 #4
    Runlikegregg

    Runlikegregg

    Dec 31, 2011
    Brooklyn
    well, i'm not sure to be honest.
    It certainly could have been since the bass was just in for this pick-up repair?
    it was set-up as well, so maybe he went over everything.
     
  5. Jul 11, 2013 #5
    Runlikegregg

    Runlikegregg

    Dec 31, 2011
    Brooklyn
    ok!
    that will be the first thing we try!
     
  6. Jul 11, 2013 #6
    Bitterdale

    Bitterdale Natural Born Lurker Supporting Member

    Dec 4, 2010
    Ocala, FL
    Before you do this, check to see if a pot has rotated allowing a lug to contact the shielding paint in the cavity. it can ground itself out as previously suggested. I've had this happen before with similar results.
     
  7. Jul 11, 2013 #7
    Lo-E

    Lo-E

    Dec 19, 2009
    Brooklyn, NY
    Good thinking. Easiest first!
     
  8. Jul 11, 2013 #8
    MonkeyBass

    MonkeyBass

    Mar 22, 2009
    Denver, CO
    Bad or cold solder joint?

    Bad volume pot?

    That's a weird one.
     
  9. Jul 12, 2013 #9
    Runlikegregg

    Runlikegregg

    Dec 31, 2011
    Brooklyn
    turns out it was the pick-up!
    after checking everything else, checked the pick-up, took off the covers and found a teeny tiny spot where the lead wasn't soldered well, apparently that way from the factory.