Someone turned these...
Moderator: jingle_jangle
Someone turned these...
...I'm sure of it!
Terrible photo I know, but the polepieces (especially the D) are raised way up. As far as I've ever been able to tell from these screw-tops, the two screws in the middle have a little "collar" under the head that, when set into the bobbin, keeps them a bit higher than the two on the outside...like this:
Makes sense considering neck radius. And sometimes they just used round screws in the middle and flatter ones on the outside, but whatever...they should all be more-or-less against the bobbin.
Now the pickup works, so unscrewing these didn't do anything to the windings, presumably. But, as the action is very low on this bass and the screws are all too high, I had to lower the pickup way down to avoid clanking the strings off the screws (I don't play light). It's small variations in height but as we all know they can make all the difference in whether the string has clearance or not. I have very little wiggle room in pickup height as it is now. I've never seen one like this, and I'm pretty sure the factory wouldn't have set the poles this way. So, my long rambling point is this:
Should I...
1)Screw the poles back down, aligning them in their correct positions and allowing me to raise the pickup back up (and possibly tearing the windings which didn't tear the first time) Or...
2)Leave the screws as is, with the poles "unbalanced" and the pickup hanging by a thread (or three) in the cavity (the height-adjustment screw ends are at least halfway unscrewed through the steel plate, it's so low)
The safe, sensible answer is 2...but I like 1 better! It's not a volume thing (lower the poles/raise the pickup - should be the same I'd imagine) - I just want it correct and fully-adjustable again.
Terrible photo I know, but the polepieces (especially the D) are raised way up. As far as I've ever been able to tell from these screw-tops, the two screws in the middle have a little "collar" under the head that, when set into the bobbin, keeps them a bit higher than the two on the outside...like this:
Makes sense considering neck radius. And sometimes they just used round screws in the middle and flatter ones on the outside, but whatever...they should all be more-or-less against the bobbin.
Now the pickup works, so unscrewing these didn't do anything to the windings, presumably. But, as the action is very low on this bass and the screws are all too high, I had to lower the pickup way down to avoid clanking the strings off the screws (I don't play light). It's small variations in height but as we all know they can make all the difference in whether the string has clearance or not. I have very little wiggle room in pickup height as it is now. I've never seen one like this, and I'm pretty sure the factory wouldn't have set the poles this way. So, my long rambling point is this:
Should I...
1)Screw the poles back down, aligning them in their correct positions and allowing me to raise the pickup back up (and possibly tearing the windings which didn't tear the first time) Or...
2)Leave the screws as is, with the poles "unbalanced" and the pickup hanging by a thread (or three) in the cavity (the height-adjustment screw ends are at least halfway unscrewed through the steel plate, it's so low)
The safe, sensible answer is 2...but I like 1 better! It's not a volume thing (lower the poles/raise the pickup - should be the same I'd imagine) - I just want it correct and fully-adjustable again.
Re: Someone turned these...
Hm... It kinda surprises me that pickup is still working, really.
Screwing the poles back down - the E and G ones in particular - may or may not spell certain doom for the still unscathed coil...
I tell you what: tweak them polepieces back to their original, lower-set positions, and if the pickup dies on you, I'll be glad to re-wind it for you - for free! I'm dead serious now. Plus, I'll make all four polepieces fully adjustable with no risk whatsoever for the coil.
Deal?
Screwing the poles back down - the E and G ones in particular - may or may not spell certain doom for the still unscathed coil...
I tell you what: tweak them polepieces back to their original, lower-set positions, and if the pickup dies on you, I'll be glad to re-wind it for you - for free! I'm dead serious now. Plus, I'll make all four polepieces fully adjustable with no risk whatsoever for the coil.
Deal?
Re: Someone turned these...
Sergio, that's a hell of an offer! I was hoping you'd see this post...
You got a deal, man! I can't do it until after March 24th (my band's recording)...but I'll let you know what happens!
You got a deal, man! I can't do it until after March 24th (my band's recording)...but I'll let you know what happens!
Re: Someone turned these...
Sérgio is THE MAN!
Rickenbacker '64 & '68 4001 basses ♦ Fender Pre-CBS J & P Basses and 1968 Telecaster Bass ♦ Moog Taurus III Bass Pedals ♦ Hiwatt (Hylight) Amplification
"A good bassist determines the direction of any band."- Ron Carter
"A good bassist determines the direction of any band."- Ron Carter
Re: Someone turned these...
No, RIC are the men!
Re: Someone turned these...
+1rickcrazy wrote: No, RIC are the men!
and Sergio you are the Ric man!
The only thing we can perceive are our perceptions - George Berkeley
Re: Someone turned these...
Sérgio did it with my dead '71 bridge PU and it is now an excellent post-HS-Higain with fully adjustable pole pieces!
Deep growl, clank and nice bite as you can adjust the pole pieces just to pick up the necessary amount of treble.
Highly recommended!
Deep growl, clank and nice bite as you can adjust the pole pieces just to pick up the necessary amount of treble.
Highly recommended!
Re: Someone turned these...
Hey! Thank you kindly, Tom and Peter.
Peter, I still "owe" you an e-mail message. Stay tuned.
Peter, I still "owe" you an e-mail message. Stay tuned.
Re: Someone turned these...
UPDATE: I turned the poles, quite slowly, back to their correct positions, and the pickup still works! At least for now...very odd, but a relief nonetheless.
Sergio, you got a PM.
Sergio, you got a PM.
Re: Someone turned these...
I just replied to it. Cheers!
Re: Someone turned these...
Sure glad it worked for you. You did have a great safety net though!