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Question for bassists: the pickups in my j bass have questionable (aka very low) output. Is that normal? It looks like a typical j bass pickup is usually wound to ~8k. To get an audible signal I'm having to really amplify the input signal to levels that I'd consider noisey and unusable, which seems wrong. I moved the pickups closer to the strings and it didn't do a whole lot. I've got a sunn beta preamp that I'm running into a hx stomp. My guitars have no problems with volume in the same signal chain (with roughly similar output levels - or what I think are similar output levels).
 
joeyd said:
Question for bassists: the pickups in my j bass have questionable (aka very low) output. Is that normal? It looks like a typical j bass pickup is usually wound to ~8k. To get an audible signal I'm having to really amplify the input signal to levels that I'd consider noisey and unusable, which seems wrong. I moved the pickups closer to the strings and it didn't do a whole lot. I've got a sunn beta preamp that I'm running into a hx stomp. My guitars have no problems with volume in the same signal chain (with roughly similar output levels - or what I think are similar output levels).
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Did you take a peek at the electronics? Maybe you have a loose connection somewhere so you are losing a bunch of signal? Or one of the caps is shot? Hard to say, but I would poke around. If you’re not afraid to desolder stuff you could test the pickup direct into the signal chain (remove the circuitry). That experiment may give you some useful information.
 
Jazz’s aren't especially loud but mine is about the same output as my guitars into my computer rig (IK Multimedia). I’d suspect some funky wiring somewhere. It would be weird to have both pickups and/or volume pots go south at the same time.
 
Gordo said:
Jazz’s aren't especially loud but mine is about the same output as my guitars into my computer rig (IK Multimedia). I’d suspect some funky wiring somewhere. It would be weird to have both pickups and/or volume pots go south at the same time.
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But a cruddy/bad jack...
 
joeyd said:
Question for bassists: the pickups in my j bass have questionable (aka very low) output. Is that normal? It looks like a typical j bass pickup is usually wound to ~8k. To get an audible signal I'm having to really amplify the input signal to levels that I'd consider noisey and unusable, which seems wrong. I moved the pickups closer to the strings and it didn't do a whole lot. I've got a sunn beta preamp that I'm running into a hx stomp. My guitars have no problems with volume in the same signal chain (with roughly similar output levels - or what I think are similar output levels).
Click to expand...
I’ve got quarter pounders in my JBass, DiMarzio Split Ps in my PBasses and humbuckers in my Ibanez basses, all pretty loud. The JBass is more thump than volume. I use a 4x10 cab and a 1x15 cab under it. The head is a Hartke HA3500.
 
Thanks guys. I'll poke around a bit, reflow the solder joints (the work looks pretty clean). I was thinking, worst case scenario, I could desolder the pickup leads and wire them straight into the input to make sure the issue isn't with the pickups. Hopefully they're wrecked. Then I won't have to feel any regret replacing them with something I arguably don't "need."
 
Funky Jack was audible, but wasn’t full volume
It lived in a Jazz-bass lacking low-end boom
The band would all play, but nobody could hear JoeyD
So he wrote on the forum that was PedalPCB


The forumites couldn't fix jack
They tried, tried, tried
They dropped advice on this jack
that lay inside, side, side, inside
the J. They couldn't fix the J’s jack, or the wires junky
And they couldn't prevent the J’s jack from being funky


But they couldn't fix the J’s jack, or the wires junky
And they couldn't prevent the J’s jack from being funky


Forumites couldn't fix jack
They tried, tried, tried
They dropped advice on JoeyD’s jack
Supplied plied plied plied supplied
But they couldn't fix the J’s jack, or the wires junky
And they couldn't prevent the J’s jack from being funky



[spoken] Final answer!



 
The bass is working. I think something was grounding off under the control plate. I took it apart, tested, got normal output, carefully reassembled. Everything is apparently fine now. I need to take the pickups out and fiddle with the foam underneath to get the height I want though. *Rant edit: using foam to set pickup height is stupid. Springs are the superior technology.

The soldering was surprisingly clean, alpha pots, switchcraft jack. It's a Squire bass so I had very low expectations for the electronics before opening it up. Very pleasantly surprised.
 
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If you can get it use surgical tubing. I dampens them from the pickguard/body a bit more and although it dries out and becomes useless for additional adjustments over the years, you'll never know the difference unless you move them a lot. Then just replace it like 10 years from now.
 
First steps into vero! (Well, perf, as that's what I got here). A Black Art Toneworks "Supreme" Coven shouldn't be too hard...Though the two six position switches are going to be annoying. Curious if these things exist in dual gang as well... 🤔

1000068972.jpg

Update: Dagnabbit, five position max.

xx.png
 
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tegendemuur said:
First steps into vero! (Well, perf, as that's what I got here). A Black Art Toneworks "Supreme" Coven shouldn't be too hard...Though the two six position switches are going to be annoying. Curious if these things exist in dual gang as well... 🤔

View attachment 80285

Update: Dagnabbit, five position max.

View attachment 80290
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I’ve only done a couple things on perf, and no vero, so I’m no expert, but converting a vero layout to work on perf seems like it would be harder than starting with a perf layout if you can find one for what you want to do.
 
tegendemuur said:
First steps into vero! (Well, perf, as that's what I got here). A Black Art Toneworks "Supreme" Coven shouldn't be too hard...Though the two six position switches are going to be annoying. Curious if these things exist in dual gang as well... 🤔

View attachment 80285

Update: Dagnabbit, five position max.

View attachment 80290
Click to expand...

ZYsuDV.gif

Psssssst... So you wanna buy a rotary... rrrriiight.


I've been working on a top secret project...

2P6T 2 Deck (gang) ROTARY .jpeg



The 2P6T 2-Deck Rotary is out there, Scully...

MULDER WITH BADGE.jpg
 
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