Technical question

[Chris P.]

A friend of mine has a five string Jazz Bass. He has a problem and I can't figure it out:)

The D and G string are much weaker on both pickups. If you hit the pole pieces with a metal part you hear a loud clanking sound at the B, E, and E, but hitting the D and G polepieces hardly makes any noise at all. It happened suddenly and it's both pickups. Strange isn't it?

It can't be a pickup failure. I can't imagine both pickups suddenly lose the sound at two strings?

Thanks in advance.

[Alanko]

Perhaps some sort of freak accident degaussed the poles on that side of both pickups? Has the bass fallen over or been stored somewhere unusual recently?

[Chris P.]

A magnet problem. Maybe strings loose on the pickup or gigbag next to a tv or something? Could be yes... Will ask the guy.

[Rob]

It sounds a little harmonic.  Does it feedback?

[Chris P.]

No feedback problems.

[godofthunder]

     Both pickups that is odd. Is the bass active? 

[Chris P.]

Passive. Odd, isn't it?

[Rob]

Passive. Odd, isn't it?

Sure is!  Then I'd recheck wiring with an ohm meter even the harness.

[amptech]

Sure is!  Then I'd recheck wiring with an ohm meter even the harness.

They are standard single coil jazz pickups? Not of the side by side dual coil variety?

[Chris P.]

As far as I can see and know it are just cheap J-Bass pickups. Just normal singlecoils. I think it's a five string Squier.

[Dave W]

As far as I can see and know it are just cheap J-Bass pickups. Just normal singlecoils. I think it's a five string Squier.

If it's a Squier, then it almost surely doesn't have alnico polepieces like an American Jazz. Have him check to see if the steel polepieces are making contact with the ceramic magnets beneath.

[amptech]

Hmmm. I guess the magnet bar under the polepieces (if that is indeed the design) could be broken or has fallen off partially and therefore only impact half of the unit.. in theory! It's unlikely though, and even more so if it has happened to both pickups at the same time!

[Dave W]

Hmmm. I guess the magnet bar under the polepieces (if that is indeed the design) could be broken or has fallen off partially and therefore only impact half of the unit.. in theory! It's unlikely though, and even more so if it has happened to both pickups at the same time!

Agreed, that's very unlikely, but what I'm thinking is that there might have been a defective batch of pickups in which the D and G polepieces aren't connected to the pickup circuit.

[Chris P.]

Thanks guys!

[wellREDman]

Is it definitely the pickups? I had a bass with a low output on one string over both pickups, someone here suggested I check the nut groove which fixed the problem.