Weak Bridge Pickup??

[arabassist]

Hey all,

I've always had a problem with slapping and popping. i posted on here and came to the conclusion it just requires a lot of practice to get the technique right. as a result i gave it up and stuck to fingerpicking. i popped into a music shop (excuse the pun) in manchester city centre (dawsons? i think) and tried out a fender jazz aerodyne. after my testicles rematerialised, i put the bridge pickup to full and did some slap bass. the tone of my playing came out perfect - i was getting the sound ive always wanted to get on my bass. i came to the conclusion that the electronics on the bass and the amp were way better than my VMJ and ashdown amp.

however, i was telling my guitarist flat mate about this and he seemed very surprised. he told me that shouldnt be happening - my VMJ should do almost as good even if my 30W ashdown isnt as good as the beast i was using in the shop. he said it sounded like a problem with the bridge pickup being weak, hence the really weak volume of harmonics i also get (which i always ignored tbh)

he also mentioned that the bridge pup should be really loud and growly, whilst mine hasn't been like that.

My bass is still at home so i haven't been able to look at it at until this saturday.

Any ideas guys?
Cheers

oh and the PUPs ive got are the standard duncan designed you get on the VMJ

Edited October 5, 2009 by arabassist

[OldGit]

Try raising the pickup so it is nearer the strings for the cheapest possible fix.
Everything else (othe than technique) costs money...

It may work

[MythSte]

I had no problem slapping on my VMJ. And i hate to say it but the whole bridge harmonic thing sounds a lot like BS to me.

You should get a percussive slap sound acoustically/with no amplification. Start there before you start worrying about the pickups. It may well be that you need to lower your action a bit. You can raise your bridge pickup to equal out the volume between the two but i doubt thats a solution to not being able to slap on it.

[alexclaber]

Raise the bridge pickup as high as it can go without causing string warble or pole piece collisions, then adjust the neck pickup to match the volume. Bear in mind that heavy use of EQ will throw the pickup balance off.

But as Ste says, you should be able to get your slap sound unplugged.

Alex

[51m0n]

Hmmmm, Bridge pup soloed for slap?

Not normally the best choice IMO. Try both pups on full, or a a slight roll off of the neck pup, or neck soloed.

+1 to the above, you should have no issues getting a strong and bright slap tone with no amp at all.

I've said it before, you need to double check your technique, and the action of the bass...

[Mobius3107]

You must earn your slap technique with many hours of crying, pain and frustration!

I've found the neck pickup better for slapping, especially for when you have to slap the G string (lessons in love by Level 42, for example). It seems to take less effort to make the strong sound you need.

[arabassist]

[quote name='MythSte' post='617520' date='Oct 5 2009, 03:08 PM']I had no problem slapping on my VMJ. And i hate to say it but the whole bridge harmonic thing sounds a lot like BS to me.

You should get a percussive slap sound acoustically/with no amplification. Start there before you start worrying about the pickups. It may well be that you need to lower your action a bit. You can raise your bridge pickup to equal out the volume between the two but i doubt thats a solution to not being able to slap on it.[/quote]

OK well the harmonic thing wasn't my idea. using bridge pickup solo came from the idea that the musicman stingrays are designed for slap and as a result the pickup is positioned further back - that was just my assumption.

I do get a percussive sound from slap and a good result from pop. once i plug it in it just sounds like im fingerpicking with stacatto notes with lots of attack (and bad timing lol)

i'll raise the bridge pickup when i get my hands on it.

im using warwick emp strings (100-40) if that has relavence.

[MythSte]

[quote name='arabassist' post='618512' date='Oct 6 2009, 01:24 PM']OK well the harmonic thing wasn't my idea. using bridge pickup solo came from the idea that the musicman stingrays are designed for slap and as a result the pickup is positioned further back - that was just my assumption.

I do get a percussive sound from slap and a good result from pop. once i plug it in it just sounds like im fingerpicking with stacatto notes with lots of attack (and bad timing lol)

i'll raise the bridge pickup when i get my hands on it.

im using warwick emp strings (100-40) if that has relavence.[/quote]

I understand where your coming from with regards to the stingray. Firstly, I cant agree that it was "designed" for slap (Although do feel free to proove me wrong!) it just so happens that it sounds pleasing to some when slapped. Some people like the sound of a P bass slapped, personally, i find it dire!

The only other thing i can suggest is that you try and borrow another bass and rule out your amp as the weak link in the chain.