Noise in j-bass neck pickup when touching pole

[allmektig]

When I touch one of the pole pieces of the neck pickup on my jazz bass I get a rather nasty hum.

Doesn't happen when I touch the pole pieces on the bridge pickup.

Is this because of some problem with the pickup?
Or is it because the magnets in the two pickups have reversed polarities?

[newey]

When I touch one of the pole pieces of the neck pickup on my jazz bass I get a rather nasty hum.

Just on one particular pole piece, or if you touch any of them?

If it's just on one pole, that would point to a problem with the pickup. If it's any/all, that could be a grounding issue with that pup.

If it's quiet when you're not touching the neck pole piece(s), it should be fairly easy to avoid touching them while playing.

[allmektig]

Jan 13, 2010 23:58:18 GMT -5 newey said:

Just on one particular pole piece, or if you touch any of them?

Actually, I didn't think of checking that, and now I've dissasembled the bass for shielding.
I just noticed it when I was playing a couple of days ago and the thumb of my right hand touched it

If it's just on one pole, that would point to a problem with the pickup. If it's any/all, that could be a grounding issue with that pup.

I can recheck when I get it back together.
It's a really old squier jazz bass I bought cheap from a friend of a friend etc.

If it's quiet when you're not touching the neck pole piece(s), it should be fairly easy to avoid touching them while playing.

That's true.
It just got me curious as to why it made that noise.
I've bought closed pick up covers for it as well.
Added bonus with that is that I think they look a LOT cooler.