Jazz Pickup Screws are Hot (making noise)?

[DBMcCully]

Good morning TalkBass.

Recently swapped out my Jazz Bass pickups. When adjusting the height of the neck pickup I noticed a tapping sound coming through my amp when I touched the screw driver to the screws.

The bridge pickup does not have this issue.

Is this normal? If not, I assume the signal is shorting to the screws somehow? Could this be caused by the adhesive in the foam, or the shielding paint in the cavity, or something like that?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[JimmyM]

Not the first time I've heard of this happening by a longshot. Pickups pick up sound, and the noise of the screwdriver touching the screws is triggering the pickup somehow, usually by being a little microphonic. Some pickup designers design slight amounts of microphonics into their pickups because they like the sound. It's nothing to worry about whatsoever as long as you like what you hear when you play.

 

[eastcoasteddie]

I think all my basses do that...

 

[DBMcCully]

Not the first time I've heard of this happening by a longshot. Pickups pick up sound, and the noise of the screwdriver touching the screws is triggering the pickup somehow, usually by being a little microphonic. Some pickup designers design slight amounts of microphonics into their pickups because they like the sound. It's nothing to worry about whatsoever as long as you like what you hear when you play.

Okay great. Thank you for the response. The tone I’m getting from the new AG 5J-60’s is pretty good as it is. But I was just worried I might be missing out on even more tone with a short to the screws.