I've recently picked up an ET-280 bass and something to note about these basses are the pickups and how they work.
The biggest problem with them is the two magnet system. Both magnets need to be facing the same polarity, which means the magnets push against each other, so over time the glue can't hold the magnets and they shoot apart, making the pickups sound either wonky, or if the one magnet flips where they apparently stick together you get half the pickup out of phase with the other half, meaning weak if any output.
What you need to do is get both magnets facing 'north' lets say, which means they will want to push away from each other, but hold them together and glue/epoxy them to the pickup bobbin, then tie them up with rubber bands or string and let the glue dry as long as you can. After that's all said and done, and assuming the winds on both pickups are still good you should have serious output. Mine are super hot, hotter than my Precision bass with a Quarter Pounder pickup.
Also note that in order for both pickups to be Humbucking when used together you need one pickup going North and the other going South magnetically, so test them before you glue the magnets back on.
I'm super satisfied with my ET-280 and I regularly use it live and in the studio. Short scale just has that incredible rich low end that can't be beat.
Cheers,
The biggest problem with them is the two magnet system. Both magnets need to be facing the same polarity, which means the magnets push against each other, so over time the glue can't hold the magnets and they shoot apart, making the pickups sound either wonky, or if the one magnet flips where they apparently stick together you get half the pickup out of phase with the other half, meaning weak if any output.
What you need to do is get both magnets facing 'north' lets say, which means they will want to push away from each other, but hold them together and glue/epoxy them to the pickup bobbin, then tie them up with rubber bands or string and let the glue dry as long as you can. After that's all said and done, and assuming the winds on both pickups are still good you should have serious output. Mine are super hot, hotter than my Precision bass with a Quarter Pounder pickup.
Also note that in order for both pickups to be Humbucking when used together you need one pickup going North and the other going South magnetically, so test them before you glue the magnets back on.
I'm super satisfied with my ET-280 and I regularly use it live and in the studio. Short scale just has that incredible rich low end that can't be beat.
Cheers,