Question The pole pieces seem to be raised higher on some and not others...

[jlepre]

I just received a USED SR5 where some of the individual pole pieces seem to be raised. Some of them are almost flush with the plastic pick up cover, while others are raised as much as 1/8". Has anyone seen this before, and should I be concerned?

 

[patpark]

the center pole pieces are usually higher to match the radius of the strings/fingerboard. Are the 2 outside polepieces lower and they get higher in the center? That sounds normal to me. If it's anything wacky like the center are lower etc then that could be a problem.

 

[ivbenaplayin]

My 20th SR5 is like that... higher in the middle, tapered to the radius of fretboard and strings... my bongos are not like that... the pole pieces are pretty much flat, but the fretboards/strings on the bongos are flatter too...

 

[jlepre]

The E, A & D pole pieces are raised higher than the B & G. I've owned over a dozen EBMM basses, and this is the first time I have seen this. This is also the oldest (1998) EBMM I've ever owned. So I guess this is normal, and it doesn't seem to effect the sound in an adverse way. Also is there any way for me to adjust them if I need to? This is the old style pickup minus the tabs, so can I remove the plastic cover?

 

[bassmonkeee]

Why would you need to adjust them? There absolutely no reason to change what was done by the manufacturer. No offense, but even if they were adjustable pole pieces, I don't know if someone unfamiliar with the concept of raised pole pieces should be mucking about with adjusting them.

Ignore them. Play the bass. Pretend you didn't see it.

 

[DTG]

How does it sound ?

 

[JayDawg]

It's that way too on my Stingray Classic. Like others have aid, it is to match the radius of the neck.

 

[cellkirk74]

It has always been like that on the older models. My '91 Ray 4 is like that too.

 

[jlepre]

It has always been like that on the older models. My '91 Ray 4 is like that too.

Thanks guys, that's what I needed to know.

It sounds great! A little darker than my other SR5, but very nice. Now I need to get a new nut, as while at the gig last night the B string side broke off and now the string just hangs off the edge. The nut looked weird when I got it as it hung over the edge, but I have never had this happen in all my 30+ years of playing.

Any idea how much a nut replacement costs?

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

A new nut should be fairly cheap; it will be the labour to change it and cut the slots that will probably costs the most.

 

[jlepre]

I was wondering how much the entire job might cost. The guy that sold me the bass is willing to split the cost with me.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

Labor charges vary widely around the country; you'll have to ask the shops in your area.

 

[J Romano]

I seem to remember asking at a GC about a month ago. The tech told me $35.

 

[drTStingray]

The single pick up Stingrays all have the A and D string magnets raised noticeably above the level of the E and G - the only difference with the more recent ones is that the pole pieces have rounded edges - the tops of the pole pieces on multi-pick up Stingrays and Bongos are flush with the top of the pick up cover.

I don't know about SR5s. Mine is a 2003, and has the pole pieces level but slightly above the pu cover. I think they may have changed the spec slightly at some point around 2000?

 

[jlepre]

I think you may be right about changing the spec. My 2001 has the poles flush, while the 1998 has them raised.

 

[J Romano]

My 1988 4H has high at the D & A, low on G & E. It is the same, but not as pronounced on my 2010 Sterling BFR 4H. All other basses are flat across, they are 5s with HH and HS configs. Wondering if this is pecular to the single PUs?????