Just picked up a BC Rich nj Warlock and it sounds scratchy and low.. help

#21
40Hz said:
It can be something as simple as a dirty or loose jack connection. There’s also the possibility of corrosion or dirt in the jack or pots, or (worse case) the pickup is shorted.

Fortunately, that bass uses a single split-coil pickup and a V/T knob. So any wiring diagram for a Precision Bass will work if you need to repair or replace the electronics.

Open the control cavity and look for loose or frayed wires and things like rust or dirt.

I’d start by looking at the jack. Are the contacts rusty? If so a light sanding with some very fine 3M sandpaper should get it off.

Next insert your cord and look at the back of the jack while you give it a wiggle. Is it making good contact? Does it look or feel loose? If it is, it’s possible to gently bend the spring contact in a little to make better contact. Alternatively, you can just replace the jack.

If you own a multimeter you can check the DC resistance reading on your pickup. If it’s really low the pickup is probably shorted and will need to be replaced.
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Now that's the kind of information I've been looking for! When I get a day off I will definitely check everything out... thank you
 
#22
If you inspect the bass and find that it is the jack, and you have the sealed kind (barrel jack) there isn't much you can do but replace them. They are fairly easy to replace. I've had to replace a barrel jack on two different instruments (one bass and one guitar) over this past year.
 
#23
Richard Kovacs said:
thank you
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You’re welcome. Post some clear pix of the interior of the control cavity if you’re not finding anything and we can hopefully give you some additional additional help if you need any. :)

If it turns out it’s the pots that are scratchy that’s nothing unusual in a bass that age. Just flick the knobs rapidly back and forth a few dozen times and see if it goes away. About 7 times out of 10 that’ll fix it.
 
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#24
Dip a Q tip in rubbing alcohol (not dripping wet) and swab the output jack like you're plugging in a cable. If it comes out black do it a couple more times till it's fairly clean. If that doesn't help it's more likely more than a dirty jack, but only takes a few seconds with materials most people have laying around the house to check.
 
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