New pickups - full volume kills tone

[Dropzone]

So I have had two new pickups fitted to my k5 which now sounds great. However, when I wind them both on full the last bit of volume on the neck pickup kills the tone on the bass by swamping it.

Never had this before. If I roll it back slightly it sounds great. Anyone understand the maths?

Ta

Mike

[hubrad]

Possibly out of phase? Is that both full on gives thin sound?

[Dood]

We're gonna need to know what pickups you've put in and how they are wired, but it does sound like you either have a wiring situation or the pickups aren't matched well. Don't forget also that if the pickups are wired to an existing preamp, some have a problem with impedance mismatch.

[Dropzone]

These are hand wound Hot Rod pick ups with the bridge being much hotter than the neck I was informed.

I was wondering if could somehow put a stop on one of the volumes to stop me winding it too far.

[Marc S]

I had this issue (admittedly different pickups) with a Bitsa P/J bass
Someone else had wired the pickups before I bought the body
On careful examination, two of the wires were not in the correct place
At the time, although both pickups sounded great, one was much more lively than the other....

Once fixed (by comparing to an internet wiring diagram) the problem was solved

As hubrad says though - it could be a phase issue, which is noted on many Jazz basses
(I have to say, I've not noticed it on either of the P/J basses I now own)

Check that wiring against a diagram in the first instance
If that doesn't appear to be the problem - you say you "had two new pickups fitted".... does that mean a shop or luthier have done this for you?
If so, I'd chat with them, if they've done something in error, I'd ask them to fix it

Edited October 25, 2017 by Marc S

[Dropzone]

Yep was a luthier who makes his own pickups. I will be trying the bass at volume tonight so I will see what the tone is like. I have found that it is better,as I will forget live, to wind the neck full than have both on but drop back the neck a little. Still it will be interesting tonight.

[fretmeister]

The string movement over the middle is far greater than over the bridge. That's why the bridge pickup is often a higher output to try and compensate. But it can't completely compensate simply because of the physics of the moving string.

So you have to adjust it the old fashioned way...

Lower the front pickup by a mil or 2. That will do it.

[Sparky Mark]

With every passive jazz that I have owned (or played) having both volume controls at max at the same time results in a rounder less forward tone. Backing just one of the volume controls off by about an eighth to a quarter turn will bring the character of the other pickup much more to the front and sounds punchier. I think this is totally normal.

[Dropzone]

Bizarrely live at gig volume I found it best to wind the bridge full and the neck off sounded best, so not what I was expecting