Greggo

Think this is definitely some setup issue - strings don't ring out clearly when playing finger style so it causes two issues - clicking on open D and G and a thudding, almost high tension boom on lower notes.

Ah I think the clicking is a separate issue but related. I'm thinking that the the booming might be due to the fact that E and A strings don't quite sit in saddle so they aren't ringing properly and it's causing an overtone that is more pronounced over pickup? Also I can't quite identity what is making the clicking but thinking it might be saddle again. So confusing!

http://db.tt/EJEeKQTg Here is a sound clip. It's a bit quiet but conveys weird problem. I've realised it affects all strings not just E and A like originally thought). First part of clip is D string played open which is fine. Second is open D played again but this time I'm fretting another note on a string (but not playing that note if that makes sense) which produces weird clicking sound. Bit annoying I didn't realise how large a problem until I've tested various things acoustically. When playing other notes fretted this clicking seems to happen. Not to same extent but still audible. This is most extreme cases I've found.

I think I've narrowed the problem a bit more but it's a stranger one as it's perhaps more of a click than I originally thought. When I am fretting a note but playing an open string (eg. Playing open A but fretting a note on E) it produces a strange click from the plucked note. Like wise fretted notes on e and a string click a little. I'm not too sure now whether it is hitting a fret or if it's something else. But when amplified these clicks become noisy and boomy. Weird.

Think mystery partially solved with this one! I played bass acoustically and notice that the notes click when played which the pickup is obviously picking up too and making that strange sound. If play a note open it isn't there but if I play same open note but have another note fretted there is an audible click. Or if I play a fretted note the click is there. So seems that is possibly is something in the set up? String height up and it still does it (if anything worse when strings set higher)

It isn't present when playing with a plectrum over pickups seems to be just fingers and playing lighter doesn't seem to make a difference. Best way of describing is like a boomy overtone. Will try uploading some clips.

I've got a weird anomaly on my bass (musicman style bass by vintage) where if I play finger style over the pickup it has a weird boomy overtone which reduces if I play a bit higher up. I've adjusted pickup down but this makes no difference. I've got a clone stingray preamp in, but this issue was present when it was wired passive, but since a string change it seems more present. Is this likely to be because of pickup? It is quite a hot pickup (12 ohms) I believe. Or is it something in set up?

Haha yeah. I need to measure them up first before looking into swap. I'm hoping it will be worthwhile

Attached is pic of underside of pickup. As you can see it has two bar magnets, which I'm planning on swapping out.

Got some Ernie Balls on order now hopefully that will resolve!

Cheers for replies. Think as a a quick work around mouse mats will be a good idea and abundance in supply at work

I put some cheapo a to d strings on my bass as a temporary measure and I notice that the pickups don't pick them very well. There are an other brand low b and e which sound louder. Its very noticeable on playing finger style the notes sound choked. Is this listing likely an issue with strings or the pickup?

I'll post some pictures if anyone's interested. The Wilkinson musicman humbuckers uses steel pole pieces and ceramic bar magnets so a different set up to eb mm pickups. I did this mod on an Ibanez guitar and it was very easy and results noticeable. In that situation the neck had ceramic and bridge had alnico bar magnets so switching them over led to a hotter bridge and warmer neck. I'm hoping alnico magnets in this wilkinson will give a warmer tone and take away some of the aggressiveness.

Loving the puns! I took pickup out to look at adding more foam to raise height and this particular mm pickup has bar magnets. Think I may be back on for A potential swap from ceramic to alnico?

Loving the puns! I took pickup out to look at adding more foam to raise height and this particular mm pickup has bar magnets. Think I may be back on for A potential swap from ceramic to alnico?

Am I likely to experience any issues when replacing pickup foam with springs to raise height of pickup? For example any noises /vibrations etc. I lowered pickup too much in my stingray copy which seems to have compressed foam and now can't raise again. Thanks

Just realised after reading more into it the mm pickup is magnetic pole pieces rather than a singular bar magnetic bar like in the guitar humbucker I'm planning on modding so will shelve this idea! It's an interesting mod though if someone has an Ibanez rg series with v7 and v8 pickups - the bridge as stock has alnico whereas neck has ceramic and when swapping bar magnets over from one to other is meant to improve tone of each pickup respectively, as the pickups are known for being muddy in stock configuration.

Good afternoon, Tried to do a search on this but not seen anything similiar.. Has anyone tried changing the magnets in their pickups in their basses before (rather than replace pickup comletey) I've discovered that magnet swapping can be pretty easy and thanks to a thread on jemsite. Im going to be doing this on an ibanez guitar ive got where im swapping the magnet in neck pickup to the one in the bridge and vice versa. I thought I would also try this on my bass, but buying a repalcement magnet (the website [url="http://www.cermag.co.uk/buy_guitar_pickup_magnet.html"]http://www.cermag.co.uk/buy_guitar_pickup_magnet.html[/url] sells guitar/bass magnets and they seem reasonable) I've got a MM style bass which has a wilkinson ceramic pickup. It sounds pretty decent, but has quite an aggresive tone as stock and wouldnt mind taming it. I've heard good things about the alnico 5 seymour duncans, so thought this would be a cheap mod that would put it in same ball park (hopefully) as one of theirs. Does anyone know if MM humbuckers use rod magnets or bar magnets? Thanks

Ordered a telecaster wiring kit which came with a three way switch alpha pots and jack. Came really quick (literally day after ordered) and was easy to fit, except a slight issue with a capacitor which broke when fitting, but John kindly sent a replacement the day after! Definitely recommend to anyone, goes the extra mile with help and assistance. Hope to deal with again. Cheers!

Highly recommended. I enquired about a solderless passive wire kit for a Musicman style bass with requirement of what I wanted. Very reasonably price and once ordered was made up and sent following day, Also very quick at answering any questions I had. Would definitely like to deal with again for future projects.

Thanks for replies. I think I will definitely do a passive wire up for preference (I think someone on basschat in a previous query did mention they can do solderless kits which may help me!). Does make me realise the preamp itself does take away a lot of character from pickups and arguably sounds closer to a ray passive than with preamp, bizarrely.

I've got a stingray copy bass with one humbucker and a 3 band preamp and recently I pulled battery on preamp and started using passive. I personally think that it sounds better this way as the preamp adds too much bass and loses treble. Anyway, only snag is that in passive "mode" the lower notes (low b, we and a) clip when played hard with finger. I'd this clipping likely to be with it still being connected to preamp albeit with no battery? If I hard wired it passive would this rid problem? I'm not very technical but didn't know if it is an impedance mismatch in wiring. Thanks

Funny you should say that, I bought one of them and one of the circuit boards on one of the pots broke trying to install had to put Wilkinson one back in