Pole height on bridge HG

[cangaroo]

Hi there, i noticed that the A and D string pole of the bridge HG of my 1975 4001 are higher than the E and G poles, and i was wondering if this is a correct feature ...

Thank you

[jps]

This fine as it compensates for the radius of the strings across the neck.

[cangaroo]

no way to lower the A pole ? the A string is the loudest one ...

[rickaddict]

Not relative to the other three poles.

Check to make sure your A string isn't lower than the other three strings. If it is, file the other three saddles lower until all four strings are an equal distance from the fretboard.

[cassius987]

If you take a small ruler you can measure the exact distance from each pole to its respective string on both pickups. The values should be roughly the same for balanced output, although a lot of people like to put more distance between the E string and the pickup than the G string (to compensate for the E string's greater output as a larger string with a greater excursion--this is how all of my basses are set up, with an extra mm or so between the E string and the pickup versus the G string). Maybe the pickup height is set in a way that is skewing it in favor of "hearing" the E/A side just a tad and you're hearing it in the A string, which is going to be easier to perceive than a similar bump in the E string output because lower frequencies are harder to hear. You could also just have a hot string--yep, this happens. Especially with nickel, I have noticed, are you using nickel strings?

[rickaddict]

...although a lot of people like to put more distance between the E string and the pickup than the G string ...

+1

I keep my E side farther from the pickup poles via the bridge pickup height adjusters. I also usually keep the E side a tiny bit (.010 - .015") higher off the fretboard than the G side, but that's just me!

[cassius987]

I do it at the pickup rather than at the bridge because I prefer really low action. But, I definitely know what you're saying, and since a lot of people prefer higher action on a bigger string, why not kill two birds...

[johnallg]

As a caution, do not try to raise or lower the poles on these old pickups - the copper windings of the coil are on the screws and you will break the coil wire. No more sound....

I think Jeff T had the right approach - look at and adjust the heights of the strings relative to each other.