(x) Essence - low output level?

[cosmicprune]

Hi,
 
I have recently treated myself to a 95 Essence 4. It looks great, plays great and of course it sounds great too, but the output level seems very low compared to my other basses. Is this to be expected?
 
I typically have the volume and tone pots on the bass turned up full (clockwise) and the pan pot dead centre. I'm running it into a 300w Trace Elliot GP7 amp, which is powering a 4x10 and a 1x15 cab. To get a reasonable volume even in my playroom at home, I need to turn the input gain on the amp up to about 7 and the output level up to about 3. If I used these settings with any of my other basses (for instance, my Ibanez fretless with a single passive P-type pickup) it would be absolutely deafening!
 
I've tried switching the battery in the bass but that made no difference. I didn't really think that was the problem anyway because apart from the level, it sounds fine.
 
Any ideas?

[lbpesq]

Simon:
 
Welcome to the club.  While I'm a guitar player, (and I'm sure some VERY knowledgeable bass types will be chiming in shortly), it sounds like the problem might be your trim pots.  The previous owner may have adjusted them to a mimimum signal.  Try turning each trim pot (one at a time) no more than a 1/4 turn at a time and see if it improves.  I would do this separately for each pickup with the pan all the way to one end or the other to isolate the pick up you're working on.  Good luck.
 
Bill, the guitar one

[marcky]

You can also check your pick-up height. This won't make a huge difference but perhaps they are set a little to low.

[adriaan]

Excellent suggestion by Bill.
 
Just note that the standard Essence electronics package has a single trimpot for the overall output level.

[cosmicprune]

Thanks - it was the trim pot. The Essence only has one trim pot, and it was turned way down. I didn't realise there was stuff inside the cavity for me to adjust!

[jacko]

Hi simon and welcome to the club. It's good to see another brit joining.  
 
Graeme