Pick-ups and their slots

[aarono]

I never really messed around with my bass in terms of taking it apart and putting it back together, due to fear of not being able to get it back together. Anywho I was sick of the plastic wrap around my pick-ups from when it shipped a long time ago, so I decided to pull my pick ups out just a bit. After loosening the strings and unscrewing the screws, I pull the pick up out and removed the plastic and I noticed something on my pickup nearest the bridge.

The wire (white) connecting the pick-up into the electronics of the bass is directly under the screw path and not to mention the coating around the wire is already in pretty bad shape from the screw chewing into it and the pick up forcing it into a hard angle. My front pick-up slot has the wire coming from the side and has next to no damage.

Is it normal for the wire to be in such a odd location for it to easily damaged, or is this bad workmanship (I have a Jay Turser Taurus too)?

[The Brad]

Just sounds like a bad design job, or poor craftsmanship both of which you are dealing with in an entry level bass like a Jay Turser (not knocking you, we all start somewhere).

I'd just put some heatshrink tape or electrical tape around the exposed wire and put the pup back in the cavity and try and keep the wire away from the screw hole. If you notice any hum or hiss, it will probably be related to that wire. If it really bugs you, I am sure you could take it to a shop and have them install a new wire if you are unsure of your soldering abilities.... But if you are going to pay someone $20-50 to do that why not just buy a new pickup. It will sound better and you won't have that issue.

[wicked_child]

yeah, that's bad quality control there. the guys in the factory should double check it before sending the instrument out.

[aarono]

If you have electronics in your bass, are they activated when you activate the pre-amp (effects and such)? Or are they always active even if you run the bass through a pre-amp with none of the effects turned on?

Reason I ask this, because in another thread of mine, I get some hissing out of my cab when I turn on the effects of my pre-amp at higher noise levels.

Also, if the wire is already chewed into pretty bad, will it be too late for me to Macgyver it?

[edgebass5]

yeah, that's bad quality control there. the guys in the factory should double check it before sending the instrument out.

Double check it? Its a Jay Turser bass, this is an entry level instrument. The reason basses like this are so cheap is that they do not receive a double check, or high quality control of any kind for that matter. If you make someone check the bass at the factory that will equate to more man-horus per bass and therefore a higher street price. Its just the way they keep costs down.