Marcel's RCM-4F (PBG build #3)

Thanks for sharing Marcel.

Polytune at $169 is up there for a tuner compared to $70 for the Korg.

Yes Waz. The Korg is good value, actually both are, and makes the $110 Behringer quite a disappointment...

After spending all that time on the setup and and more time playing I have found an issue which may take some effort to sort out. I had wired in a replacement switch so that I could have the proper RB style wiring. Setting either volume to zero doesn't kill the other PU in the middle position.

The neck PU sounds just so fine...Full fat lows with enough top end that has you eagerly and happily tweaking all the tone controls on the amp to set things just right... Sweet!

The bridge PU.... Hmmm... Yeah, it works, it makes noise, all the notes are there... But!!!.. it's so thin and no bottom end. A lot thinner than even my Basswood JB build...Ok, I'll lift the PU... Ohh no.. the screw fell out... Seems the P90 screws I used/stole to hold the JB PU in place aren't long enough to get sufficient height in the PU...

And both PU's on.... Don't like that sound at all....

Hmmm, maybe the freebie generic J Bass PUP's don't have enough grunt to match neck PUP. Being a humbucker gives it an advantage.

I put Entwistle Neodymium's in my J Bass and they sound OK which makes their Ceramic Bar PUP at $28.95 seem like an inexpensive upgrade worth considering compared to cheapest Tonerider at $55 which is still not unreasonable. Not that resistance is a true measure of output but the Tonerider has a higher value than either Entwistle and most guys on the forum who have used them give good reports.

https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/...-style-basses/
https://www.pitbullguitars.com/shop/...bridge-pickup/

Taken any pics of the pickup heights?

No pics Simon...

Where the JB PU sits now is about 1mm of the PU screw shoulder mount above the level of the body, and about 5 to 7mm away from the strings. The JB PU sits fractionally further away from the strings than the HB PU. A difference in level is understandable and is almost expected but the difference in tone is way beyond that and is what is most concerning.

Marcel, If you want to cover postage you can have the J pickup out of one of these sets. I got it cheap from StewMac and have used the P (and it's pretty good) but i'm not going to use the J. it's still in the plastic and has the screws.
http://www.stewmac.com/Pickups_and_E...ickup_Set.html

PM me if you're interested and we'll sort something out

edit - if you want to know more about EMG Selects:
https://www.talkbass.com/threads/jus...y-jazz.317502/

That's a long way away from the strings, Marcel, for the bridge pickup. I'd be looking at around 3mm. You'll get a lot more output.

Can you try a temporary fix with some card and tape holding the pickup in place to get it higher and see what it sounds like then?

Like I said earlier Simon. This is going to take some effort to sort out. FYI, the current volume of the JB is about half that of the HB, so not too much more height is needed for the JB to balance them up in the volume department.

I have a JB build (my first ever kit build) so I have an on hand example of how the PU should be as that build sounds fine. And I doubt there is anything actually physically wrong with the PU as it is a 2nd hand one that Waz gave me. I have it in my head that technically it is all only a setup problem that needs to be fixed, however tone wise it is a whole other kettle of fish...

Thanks for the offer Billb. Depending on how things go I might take you up on it. There was certainly good write ups on those passive EMG Selects.

Hi Marcel, only had those Chinese kits PUP's in my J Bass for a short while. Tone wise they were average but lacking in output hence why I upgraded.

The distance from the strings is quite a lot and wondering how the bridge is sitting as that could be a contributing factor along with the low output PUP. Do you have it hooked up to a 250k pot as a 500k will sound a lot thinner.

For both volume and tone the HB is on 500k and the JB is on 250k. When the switch is in the centre position the HB PU could electrically "see" the JB 250k volume pot.

Action is reasonable at 2.5mm @ 12th fret. Bridge isn't set to any extreme heights or intonation offset.

Can't adjust any extra height out of the JB PU until I can find longer PU screws, as the former P90 screws I'm using now are only just holding on.

Now that you have reminded me Waz about the history of the JB PU I might take up Billb's offer of that EMG Select PU.

Fair enough mate.

Sometimes those J Bass PUP's need a bit of high density foam underneath to bring the level up. The Entwistles that went in were much taller and required a bit dug out of the bottom of the rout as the magnets were thicker and bigger.

Thanks Billb for the EMG Select PU.

I fitted it (the EMG Select JB PU) today and it made a world of difference to the tone and volume of that selector position. The volume is a much closer match to the HB, and the tone is quite full sounding for a JB bridge PU with plenty of top end yet not overly bright in the upper treble range... a real nice JB style PU, and something I'd definitely consider fitting to any JB style guitar.

On a sad note, I now have a buzz when all volume controls are set to zero... a similar level of buzz as you typically get from single coils... and yep, the EMG at full volume has the buzz too... Interestingly the HB and the combined position do not buzz...

Buzz Gremlin hunting is now in process... And my AC15 amp build has 50Hz hum, which I also need to correct...Buggar !

Bugger about the buzz!
Glad the sound is good other than that though