markdavid Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Just thought I would share this horror story with you all . Just recently bought a used bass , anyhow I thought I would raise the pickups as they were sitting rather low and a little too far away from the strings , so I thought I would stick some more foam padding underneath the pickups to raise them a bit. Anyhow took the strings off loosened the pickup screws , did not realise how short the pickup wires were (very little flex at all) , next thing one of the wires has snapped away from the solder point Now I do very little in the way of diy so I have a couple of screwdrivers and thats pretty much it , stuck with no soldering iron (and no output from my pickups , and no money to take bass to a repair person) I have come up with an idea (a sh*t one none the less) i stuck a 5 pence piece inside the pickup cavity to bridge the gap between the solder point and the wire and put the pickup back inside the bass. It does the job for now (both pickups seem to be working fine) but I think i'll definately take the bass to a tech once I get paid , I really cant believe what a cowboy solution this is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
escholl Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 I'm sure a fellow BC member can sort this out for you? I would do it myself but you're a bit far from Cambridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdavid Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 [quote name='escholl' post='440807' date='Mar 21 2009, 01:56 AM']I'm sure a fellow BC member can sort this out for you? I would do it myself but you're a bit far from Cambridge. [/quote] Thanks , its the thought that counts. Anybody in the croydon area feels like doing some soldering , let me know , i cant pay you for the help but I make a mean cup of tea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Try Ebay i got a very good soldering iron for a fiver, perfect for bass and effects repairs and modding. Once you learn how it's an invaluable skill, changing pickups, new pots etc. The other thing which makes life a lot easier is a 'helping hand' with a magnifying glass that way you can concentrate on the tricky soldering, particularly useful for Sunday morning jobs after a big night out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 What would MacGyver do...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='440833' date='Mar 21 2009, 07:53 AM'] What would MacGyver do...?[/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Golchen Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 Hah! that is such a cowboy fix! Unfortunately I'm too far away to help as well. Got any big DIY stores around you like B&Q? They will have soldering irons (and don't forget solder as well). I think that it's a good thing to tackle instrument setup and repairs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdavid Posted March 21, 2009 Author Share Posted March 21, 2009 (edited) oh well I was thinking of swapping out the pickups eventually anyway , guess i'll do that the end of this month, now what pickups to get? Im after ballsy and aggressive , perhaps Wizard Hammers Edited March 21, 2009 by markdavid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
josh3184 Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 tbh thats pretty ingenious...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted March 21, 2009 Share Posted March 21, 2009 [quote name='josh3184' post='440957' date='Mar 21 2009, 10:59 AM']tbh thats pretty ingenious...![/quote] plus the one. nice 'field repair' i'd be quite happy to do the work for you...but i'm in tottenham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdavid Posted March 23, 2009 Author Share Posted March 23, 2009 Hi Guys , Ive borrowed a soldering iron from work , i will try and fix this one myself Im a complete noob when it comes to soldering however, can I heat the solder thats on the pots from before and then add some more solder onto that or is it best to remove the remaining solder and then reapply? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDM Posted March 23, 2009 Share Posted March 23, 2009 Either is fine really, as long as the old solder is clean (otherwise you might get a dodgy join). Pots can take a lot of heat before the solder on them melts, so just be aware of that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdavid Posted March 24, 2009 Author Share Posted March 24, 2009 Ok , well I tried the repair , only thing is it seems ive done something wrong as the bridge pickup now sounds bassier and louder than the neck pickup , I think I may take it to a tech and have some new pickups fitted at the same time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joegarcia Posted March 24, 2009 Share Posted March 24, 2009 [quote name='markdavid' post='443323' date='Mar 24 2009, 12:38 AM']Ok , well I tried the repair , only thing is it seems ive done something wrong as the bridge pickup now sounds bassier and louder than the neck pickup , I think I may take it to a tech and have some new pickups fitted at the same time[/quote] If you end up going for Wizard Hammers then let me know. Really interested to hear how they sound, thinking of going for some myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markdavid Posted April 8, 2009 Author Share Posted April 8, 2009 (edited) OK , managed to source some US pickups , have taken my bass to Feline guitars to have a look at , they are going to replace the pots , jack socket etc as well as the pickups, they seem very helpful so far , just got to wait for the work to be completed now . Edited April 8, 2009 by markdavid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jobiebass Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 [quote name='Crazykiwi' post='440833' date='Mar 21 2009, 08:53 AM'] What would MacGyver do...?[/quote] My guitarist Bluetacked his pickups in about 3 years ago... still going strong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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