Sardonicus

The album I've lined up for this lunchtime's listening is....

When I first started this thread way back in January 2020, I never expected it to be this long until I got to play but finally we’re getting ready to start sung worship again, our first rehearsal is May 21st and I can’t wait 😆.  I’ll be switching between bass and guitar so I’m happy.

Right now I'm listening to one of the best albums ever made....

I’ve always strung my Washburn AB5 with flatwounds as acoustic basses really accentuate roundwound string screech.  I decided to put on a set of Fender 50-100’s and it didn’t exactly go to plan.

The holes have always been tight but I’ve had 105’s on it before and never experienced this, the E and A strings go through so far and then just jam up tight.  The tuning is unstable and so I had to get them off.

Has anybody else had this problem?  I’m going to try a lower gauge set to see if that helps.

When I started this thread way back on 2nd Jan 2020, I never expected it to run for so long, the update is that I still haven’t played a note yet due to constant lockdown etc, the singer/guitarist recently stood down so it looks like I’ll be playing 6 string and singing now 🤷🏻‍♂️

Genuine Metal Church guitar pick for sale, caught at the London Marquee on the 11th May 1990.  This was the gig where Metallica played a secret gig as Vertigo and supported Metal Church.

Genuine Ted Nugent guitar pick for sale, caught at Hammersmith Odeon on Sunday 20th March 1988 on the “If You Can’t Lick ‘Em...Lick ‘Em” European tour.

** NOW SOLD **

** NOW SOLD **

Wilkinson M-Series WMJB Jazz Bass-type NECK & BRIDGE Pickups for sale.
Proprietary "Vari-gauss" technology with enhanced bottom end.
Approx Resistance: 8.40k (Neck), 9.0k (Bridge)
4 String

Perfect for a budget friendly project.

Will post anywhere for free.

A pair of Jazz Bass pickups for sale, taken out of a J&D Jazz Bass and in perfect working order.

Perfect for a budget friendly project.

Will post anywhere for free.

I've decided to keep them and see if I can put both of the thicker magnets under the neck pickup, I love a project and this should keep me busy for an afternoon.

** UPDATE  **
Well that was a waste of an hour  😂, I took off the thin magnet and put both the thicker magnets on one pickup but it was still all for the E and A 🤷🏻‍♂️.  It was worth a try though.

@shoulderpet I contacted JHS and never got a reply.  Customer service it would seem is a thing of the past.

Anything by Charles Mingus.  I have the `Complete Recordings 1957 - 1960' collection on my iPhone and it's amazing, it has all of these on it;

• Word from Bird (with Teddy Charles)
• The Clown
• Mingus Three (aka Trio)
• East Coasting
• A Modern Jazz Symposium of Music and Poetry
• Mingus Ah Um
• Wonderland
• The Weary Blues (with Langston Hughes)
• Blues & Roots

@dave_bass5 I swapped them back to how I know them to be; neck pickup wires to the neck pot and bridge pickup wires to the bridge pot, I don;t think the original way really affected the sound to be fair but it just didn't look right.

I have already taken delivery of a Jazz Bass Loom from @KiOgon and I'm looking forward to a pain free installation over the weekend. 

2 hours ago, gjones said:

The different size magnets seem to be correct on that pickup, according to the picture on this website. 

If it they aren't fit for purpose send them back.

https://stratosphereparts.com/new-wilkinson-wojb-ceramic-for-fender-jazz-bass-pickup-set-pickups/

The pictures on that website are incorrect as only the neck pickup has the thicker magnet under the E and A, the bridge pickup has a magnet of equal thickness along it's entire length.  I agree that the tone it provides is perfect rock Rock and Punk, but only if you play the E and A strings only 😂

If anyone fancies giving them a try, I will be taking some pics and putting an advert on Basschat very soon.  Watch this space.

@A.G.E.N.T.E. You name it, I've tried it, whatever's over the BIG magnet overpowers everything else.

I'm selling them if you're interested.

@Muppet It's a brand new bass and that's exactly it was manufactured.

** UPDATE **

I got an answer back from the seller, it transpires that Wilkinson's new Vari-Guass system boosts the E and A strings only, admittedly they sound fantastic but now the D and G strings sound pathetic.  I was told that they had had only good reviews but in my opinion, it renders the bass unplayable....why would you want a bass with 2 strings louder than the other 2 strings?  IT MAKES NO SENSE !!!

I can't return them as they have been soldered in, if anybody wants to buy them, I'll take £20 and that includes next day delivery to anywhere.

@Muppet I reversed it back to what I know as 'normal' when I installed the new pups.

I hate soldering and was wondering if conductive adhesive glue would work instead when connecting pickup wires to pots 🤔 

Does anybody have experience of using this? 

When I changed the pickups in my Jazz Bass, I found that the neck pickup output was connected to the neck volume pot but the earth/ground was connected to the bridge volume pot.  The bridge pickup output was connected to the bridge volume pot but the earth/ground was connected to the neck volume pot....what kind of madness is this?  Is this normal, because it goes against everything I was always told.

I just installed a set of new Wilkinson WOJB Jazz Bass pickups in my J&D Jazz Bass and the output of the D and G strings  are about 30% compared to the 100% of the E and A strings.  The pole pieces are all level and my soldering is fine but the standout thing for me was the unequal magnets on the back of the neck pickup, the E and A have a thick magnet but the D and G have a much thinner magnet, more than coincidence I’m thinking.

Is this the problem?    The bridge pickup has one magnet along the whole pickup, as did the old pickups.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

I just installed a set of new Wilkinson WOJB Jazz Bass pickups in my J&D Jazz Bass and the output of the D and G strings  are about 30% compared to the 100% of the E and A strings.  The pole pieces are all level and my soldering is fine but the standout thing for me was the unequal magnets on the back of the neck pickup, the E and A have a thick magnet but the D and G have a much thinner magnet, more than coincidence I’m thinking.

Is this the problem?    The bridge pickup has one magnet along the whole pickup, as did the old pickups.

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

@Newfoundfreedom @gjones Thanks for the feedback, I just went onto Amazon and I've got some Wilkinson M-Series (WOMJ) Jazz Bass pickups arriving on Monday 😃👍