Fender jazz E string issues

[Kellie]

Hello
I bought an American Professional Jazz about a year ago. The E string played a lot louder than the rest of the bass so I took it back for set up. The tech lowered the pickups on the E string end of the bass to reduce E string volume. Now the E string lacks body and sounds kind of hollow, it also plays a little sharp at G. Has anyone else had issues with this bass? This is the model https://shop.fender.com/en-AU/elect...erican-professional-jazz-bass/0193900709.html
It's got a two year warranty - has anyone had experience with Fender on warranty issues?
Thanks, Kellie

 

[Yahboy]

Hello
I bought an American Professional Jazz about a year ago. The E string played a lot louder than the rest of the bass so I took it back for set up. The tech lowered the pickups on the E string end of the bass to reduce E string volume. Now the E string lacks body and sounds kind of hollow, it also plays a little sharp at G. Has anyone else had issues with this bass? This is the model https://shop.fender.com/en-AU/elect...erican-professional-jazz-bass/0193900709.html
It's got a two year warranty - has anyone had experience with Fender on warranty issues?
Thanks, Kellie

That is common problem on flush magnet polepiece jazz bass pickups which dint follow fretboard radius.

Ask your tech raise both A and D magnet polepieces follow the fretboard radius.
Set pickups height (while press last fret to measure )3.5mm on E and 2.5mm on G , later finetune by your ears.

Hopehelp.

 

[Kellie]

That is common problem on flush magnet polepiece jazz bass pickups which dint follow fretboard radius.

Ask your tech raise both A and D magnet polepieces follow the fretboard radius.
Set pickups height (while press last fret to measure )3.5mm on E and 2.5mm on G , later finetune by your ears.

Hopehelp.

Thanks Yahboy that's interesting. Didn't realise the pole pieces were adjustable.

 

[Yahboy]

Thanks Yahboy that's interesting. Didn't realise the pole pieces were adjustable.

Try this first yourself....

I raise the polepiece magnet myself while i found unbalance string to string output once major setup done.

This DIY work easier on Alnico V pickups than Ceramic pickups since the bar magnet are glue on bottom and epoxy seal between pickups/ cover.

hope help.

 

[Kellie]

Try this first yourself....
View attachment 4105280
View attachment 4105281

I raise the polepiece magnet myself while i found unbalance string to string output once major setup done.

View attachment 4105279 View attachment 4105282 View attachment 4105283 View attachment 4105284

This DIY work easier on Alnico V pickups than Ceramic pickups since the bar magnet are glue on bottom and epoxy seal between pickups/ cover.

hope help.

OK! I'll give it a go, cheers.

 

[Bent77]

OK! I'll give it a go, cheers.

I have a Pro, very strong on the E and G

I was unable to move the pole pieces on mine. I lowered the pups and turned up the amp

 

[Turnaround]

You can destroy the pickups by trying to move the poles. Not recommended.
On most pickups, the wire is wound directly onto the poles of the pickup. The only thing that insulates the wire from the poles is a very thin coating on the wire itself. When you move the poles it is highly likely that you will abrade that thin coating thus shorting out the windings.

 

[Yahboy]

You can destroy the pickups by trying to move the poles. Not recommended.
On most pickups, the wire is wound directly onto the poles of the pickup. The only thing that insulates the wire from the poles is a very thin coating on the wire itself. When you move the poles it is highly likely that you will abrade that thin coating thus shorting out the windings.

No single issue been meet , but I only suggest raise the inner magnet polepiece instead touch anything on E/G or B/G .
I am not recommend to do on Splitcoil humcanceling jazz pickup.

 

[Yahboy]

I have a Pro, very strong on the E and G

I was unable to move the pole pieces on mine. I lowered the pups and turned up the amp

Bass has low output on A string with both pickups...

scpb1 seymour duncan lacking on e-string

When balancing string to string volume, how should the sound be?

 

[Turnaround]

Even raising the inner pole pieces is risky. You took your chances and luck was on your side.

 

[Bent77]

Bass has low output on A string with both pickups...

scpb1 seymour duncan lacking on e-string

When balancing string to string volume, how should the sound be?

I’m good. Lowered the pups a tad and let the SVT do the work...

 

[Iridescentone]

OK! I'll give it a go, cheers.

No really, don't do that. As mentioned, it's risky. Also, I'd expect that sort of DIY tampering may void your warranty.

Besides, the pole height doesn't have to match the neck radius. If it did, every manufacturer would design their pickups that way in the first place. But they don't. And every bassist with "flat" poles would be changing their pickups for that reason alone. But they aren't. Good luck.

 

[Yahboy]

No really, don't do that. As mentioned, it's risky. Also, I'd expect that sort of DIY tampering may void your warranty.

Besides, the pole height doesn't have to match the neck radius. If it did, every manufacturer would design their pickups that way in the first place. But they don't. And every bassist with "flat" poles would be changing their pickups for that reason alone. But they aren't. Good luck.

I been use Dimarzio ultra J on 2007, I meet the flush magnet polepiece cause uneven string to string output even major setup are great. I email to Dimarzio about the problem, they aggree me that design has bit weak output on both A and D but acceptable. They ask me try thier Model J which has adjustable magnet polepiece.

After that I install a set of cheap Fender Original J pup which has raise A and D polepiece magnet as Fender MIM std J stock pickup. Excellent string to string output balance but got notable hum while only run one pickups.

I suggest you check dimarzio website, their current Ultra J already has raise both A and D magnet polepiece than previous .They update the spec after launch the Area J without any clear announcement.

The uneven string to string output much notable on 7.5 radius fretboard Fender Jazz bass like Avri, original am ,flea Sig J... which has flush magnet polepiece.

I recall that an earlier MIJ Geedy Lee jazz stock pup has raise A D magnet piece if I am correct.....

 

[Bent77]

@Kellie

Before you throw the baby out with the bath water, I'd consider a few things:

Make sure your amp isn't part of the problem. Move it away from the walls, and use a decibel meter app on your phone to check (Try another amp if you have one)

Check your setup against some known numbers, and be willing to deviate from these as necessary
How do I set up my bass guitar properly?


As I mentioned earlier, I have the same model bass as yours. I find the sound to be excellent, and wouldn't consider changing the pick ups.
In the end, I was able to lower my pickups just slightly from the suggested Fender numbers in the link. Using the decibel meter, only a deviation of 1-2 dB. Considering the possibility of me creating that error while testing, I was happy with it. I can't hear a difference in the volume

 

[Iridescentone]

I been use Dimarzio ultra J on 2007, I meet the flush magnet polepiece cause uneven string to string output even major setup are great. I email to Dimarzio about the problem, they aggree me that design has bit weak output on both A and D but acceptable. They ask me try thier Model J which has adjustable magnet polepiece.

After that I install a set of cheap Fender Original J pup which has raise A and D polepiece magnet as Fender MIM std J stock pickup. Excellent string to string output balance but got notable hum while only run one pickups.

I suggest you check dimarzio website, their current Ultra J already has raise both A and D magnet polepiece than previous .They update the spec after launch the Area J without any clear announcement.

The uneven string to string output much notable on 7.5 radius fretboard Fender Jazz bass like Avri, original am ,flea Sig J... which has flush magnet polepiece.

I recall that an earlier MIJ Geedy Lee jazz stock pup has raise A D magnet piece if I am correct.....

DiMarzio has been making pickups with adjustable poles since forever. The main advantage is to adjust output to taste per string, which doesn't necessarily mean shadowing the neck radius. In that way, players can compensate for inherent resonant freqs that may stifle, or intensify, a single (or multiple) string's output. Add to that, individual players' tone goals...

The bass "raised" pole concept started with Fender when he changed from s/c to the split P bass pickup in '57. The poles were raised for the 'A' string only. You'll usually see this on original '58's. Can't recall what the original intent was for raising just those two poles, but it was abandoned soon afterwards, never to be seen again that I know of. Why?...because it wasn't necessary.

So Fender was aware of the need to be able to adjust pole height from the beginning, but realized that the pickup mounting screws worked well enough. Also note that when the Jazz bass was introduced, no poles were raised for the same reason....unnecessary, despite the tight neck radius.

Others have introduced radiused pole pickups before, and you can order custom ones that way from certain aftermarket pickup makers, but most builders and players don't bother with it. Automatically adjusting poles to match neck radius assumes that a bass has no inherent properties that may interfere with string output, or that a given set of strings will always have perfectly balanced output per string, or that a player even wants perfectly balanced output. Lots of variables in play, tweak to taste, I say. Cheers.

 

[Yahboy]

DiMarzio has been making pickups with adjustable poles since forever. The main advantage is to adjust output to taste per string, which doesn't necessarily mean shadowing the neck radius. In that way, players can compensate for inherent resonant freqs that may stifle, or intensify, a single (or multiple) string's output. Add to that, individual players' tone goals...

The bass "raised" pole concept started with Fender when he changed from s/c to the split P bass pickup in '57. The poles were raised for the 'A' string only. You'll usually see this on original '58's. Can't recall what the original intent was for raising just those two poles, but it was abandoned soon afterwards, never to be seen again that I know of. Why?...because it wasn't necessary.

So Fender was aware of the need to be able to adjust pole height from the beginning, but realized that the pickup mounting screws worked well enough. Also note that when the Jazz bass was introduced, no poles were raised for the same reason....unnecessary, despite the tight neck radius.

Others have introduced radiused pole pickups before, and you can order custom ones that way from certain aftermarket pickup makers, but most builders and players don't bother with it. Automatically adjusting poles to match neck radius assumes that a bass has no inherent properties that may interfere with string output, or that a given set of strings will always have perfectly balanced output per string, or that a player even wants perfectly balanced output. Lots of variables in play, tweak to taste, I say. Cheers.

From your statement, you have the points from your side and some history knowledge.
But, if you have a nice sounding jazz bass but can't get even string to string output even all setup are great just because flushed magnet pickups, what should you do( instead swap pickups idea and re-adjust action without follow fretboard radius.)？



If raise magnet polepiece are not necessary, why Leo Fender create his MM pickups with raise A D magnet polepiece after let go the Fender brand？ Why has adjustable magnet polepiece on his first Gnl bass ？ I am sure Mr Leo knew what already happened from his in past masterpiece.
Could I suspect his first jazz bass has flushed magnet polepiece actually his mistake ？

 

[Iridescentone]

From your statement, you have the points from your side and some history knowledge.
But, if you have a nice sounding jazz bass but can't get even string to string output even all setup are great just because flushed magnet pickups, what should you do( instead swap pickups idea and re-adjust action without follow fretboard radius.)？



If raise magnet polepiece are not necessary, why Leo Fender create his MM pickups with raise A D magnet polepiece after let go the Fender brand？ Why has adjustable magnet polepiece on his first Gnl bass ？ I am sure Mr Leo knew what already happened from his in past masterpiece.
Could I suspect his first jazz bass has flushed magnet polepiece actually his mistake ？

Not all Leo Fender's ideas were "necessary". Like the stacked control knob array on the early Jazz basses...abandoned within two years, deemed unnecessary. The G&L pickup poles are nice because you can tweak individual pole heights to suit your tastes, whatever they may be. That doesn't automatically mean mirroring the neck radius, because that's not necessary. You might think so, but the overwhelming majority do not.

You might ask yourself why aren't all, or even most, pickups designed the way you think they should be? If it's that important to you, why isn't it to everyone else? Surely by now (decades later) everyone from players to builders and manufacturers should be aware of the pressing need for radiused pickup poles. And yet here we are, still making music with flushed pickup poles....same as it ever was.

 

[Yahboy]

Not all Leo Fender's ideas were "necessary". Like the stacked control knob array on the early Jazz basses...abandoned within two years, deemed unnecessary. The G&L pickup poles are nice because you can tweak individual pole heights to suit your tastes, whatever they may be. That doesn't automatically mean mirroring the neck radius, because that's not necessary. You might think so, but the overwhelming majority do not.

You might ask yourself why aren't all, or even most, pickups designed the way you think they should be? If it's that important to you, why isn't it to everyone else? Surely by now (decades later) everyone from players to builders and manufacturers should be aware of the pressing need for radiused pickup poles. And yet here we are, still making music with flushed pickup poles....same as it ever was.

Good point, same question to you too, why there are raise magnet polepiece pickups from original compare and aftermarket brand still making ？ Include the curve soapar US BartoliNi.

I dint force everyone must have the raise polepiece magnet pickups, but most of the flush pickups on 7.5 or 9.5 radius fretboard Fender /Squier jazz bass I been setup have notable weak A and D string output once major setup done.

When we meet this problem , shouldn't we find out the problem and try to solve it better than “ live with it because the design should be like that.”

 

[Iridescentone]

Good point, same question to you too, why there are raise magnet polepiece pickups from original compare and aftermarket brand still making ？ Include the curve soapar US BartoliNi.

I dint force everyone must have the raise polepiece magnet pickups, but most of the flush pickups on 7.5 or 9.5 radius fretboard Fender /Squier jazz bass I been setup have notable weak A and D string output once major setup done.

When we meet this problem , shouldn't we find out the problem and try to solve it better than “ live with it because the design should be like that.”

To satisfy the minority niche of the player market who feel that it's important, like you. Bartolini doesn't make all their pickups radiused, or even most of their pickups that way. Quite the opposite. My understanding is the Barts that are radiused were done so by request from Mike Tobias, and that they were exclusive to him (and may still be, dunno). Bill Bartolini was fond of creating special electronic configurations for various builders, sometimes to his own detriment.

You seem to be under the impression that radiused poles are a necessity based on your personal anecdotal experiences. Not everyone shares that opinion. Not everyone thinks there is a "problem" that needs fixing.

 

[Kellie]

I have a Pro, very strong on the E and G

I was unable to move the pole pieces on mine. I lowered the pups and turned up the amp

OK, thanks for your input.