Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

[berklee46]

My new bass has a set of Basslines pickups that I got from Lakland Musical Instruments, along with their preamp. The pickups are the MM/J configuration.
What I found is that the MusicMan pickup has pole pieces that are raised for the A & D string, yet are flush with the pickup cover for the E & G string. I realize this may be helpful to follow the string height of a very round neck, but my neck is almost flat and it's causing the A & D strings to be significantly louder than the A & G string. Adjusting the pickup height won't help, since it just brings the polepieces of the A & D that much closer.

Is it possible to get a Basslines MM pickups that has "even" polepieces across all four strings?
Or, is there a way to somehow even out the heights of the polepieces? I'ven even thought of somehow filing down the offending parts with a band-saw or dremel, but don't want to do anything that drastic unless I have no other options.

I really like the sound of the Basslines and don't want to have to use a different brand of pickup, but I can't continue to have two strings significantly louder than the others on my bass. (The Jazz-style pickup does not have the same issue, as the polepieces are all the same height...)

Thanks for any help/info/comments.
Scott

[berklee46]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

Anyone?

[Fresh_Start]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

I remember reading something about possibly ruining magnetic pole pieces by heating them up while grinding them down. The heat can degrade the magnetic field. Don't know if this applies to those pickups, but thought you should be careful.

Hopefully somebody will have a solution for you.

Chip

[berklee46]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

Thanks. So maybe that's not the best option, but there must be a way of correcting this issue, without having to use a different brand's pickups...right?

[jeremy]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

can you push the magnets down? dont grind them, bad idea.

[kill your scene]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

I don't know what to tell you, except for the fact that if you've got a warranty, use it. Rather than void your warranty by grinding the pole pieces down, send it back (if possible) and get a completely new pickup, free of charge. Looking at pictures of the Basslines MM replacement, it seems to me that all the pole pieces SHOULD be flush and I'm wondering if you got an off-chance dud.... it could just be an accident.

[John Wymore]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

I don't know what to tell you, except for the fact that if you've got a warranty, use it. Rather than void your warranty by grinding the pole pieces down, send it back (if possible) and get a completely new pickup, free of charge. Looking at pictures of the Basslines MM replacement, it seems to me that all the pole pieces SHOULD be flush and I'm wondering if you got an off-chance dud.... it could just be an accident.

Nope, I just looked at all mine on the shelf and that's the way they are made.

So, what is you neck radius? Even if you at 15" or 16" heel end radius you would still need to set up with more height on the middle strings to get consistant action height.

[kill your scene]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

Nope, I just looked at all mine on the shelf and that's the way they are made.

No kidding? Alright, original poster, there's your answer. I didn't know that.

[mrelwood]

Re: Polepieces in Basslines MusicMan pickup?

... Adjusting the pickup height won't help, since it just brings the polepieces of the A & D that much closer.

Try LOWERING the pickup as much as ½ inch from the strings, perhaps even further. It's not going to ruin the sound, and it is going to balance the issue some. You'll need more gain from the amp, but that really shouldn't matter.

By the way, did you check if the strings are equally directly on top of the polepieces?


-Aki.