Strange Bass Guitar E string problem

[Darren]

Hi folks,
I've got a strange thing happening with a customers Bass, and I am hoping somebody may be able to help me out with this one!
My customer brought in an American P-Bass, which seems to be producing a strange 'chorused' effect on the E string. It's only audible from the 1st 3 or 4 frets including the open string too. I've tried changing the strings, and making sure the nut is cut correctly and checked the bridge saddle etc. Does anyone think it may be the pickups. The customer replaced the original with a seymour duncan. I'm stuck with this one, as there does not appear to be much that can be done. As ever, any help with this is greatly appreciated!
Cheers for now,
Dar

[Russell Vance]

Try backing the pickup away from the bass string - It's a long shot but sometimes the large metal core of the string can be captured by the magnetic field of the pickup and introduce dissonance into the mix. This happens with Strats all the time and is know as 'stratitis or wolf tones. Haven't seen it in a Bass but nothing surprises me much these days. Rusty.

[FRANK]

wolf tones hunh Rusty I heard those guys played a great show man I know those Guys in the band.opened for lol, kidden so yea mainly in fretless bass I have heard this has happens quite a bit ,Rusty wolf tones are they just a ? deadened note like a fret problem or something noting him out each time he plays a particular note ? how about relief i say check it again. neck 1st, nut 2ed, saddles 3rd, you should be at least .010 above the first fret with out open string discourse/Buzz even up to .020 above the 1st fret and then about 3 1/2 (32)eds above the 17th fret open E the little e at 3 (32)eds with .010 of relief all of course saying this if your frets are good i hope this helps some times several times looking at it helps come back tomorrow and give it another shot latter O finger placement play with it maby this will help

[Jeffrey L. Suits]

I'd go with pickup too close, and/or bad string.

[Joshua Levin-Epstein]

The aforementioned are all the usual suspects. You should also check to see if the "knot' that holds the ball end is not sitting on top of the saddle, like when you need to move the bridge piece all the way rearward for intonation. If this is the case, the whole bridge should be moved back.