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Getting an even tone across all strings


linear
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Is there a brand/type of strings (rounds) that has a really good rep for even tone across all four? The difference between my A and D string is starting to really bother me. I'm going to take another look at the pickup height, but the volume balance seems ok to me, and it's the tone that differs.

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IME all stringsets vary slightly across the strings. I've found most have significantly stiffer G & D strings which lead me to strike them more differently (as opposed to just compensating for the extra mass in the heavier strings) - As of now I've these:

[url="http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=382&productname=EXL220BT_Nickel_Wound__Balanced_Tension_Super_Light__40_95"]http://www.daddario.com/DADProductDetail.Page?ActiveID=3769&productid=382&productname=EXL220BT_Nickel_Wound__Balanced_Tension_Super_Light__40_95[/url]

On a MIM Jazz and they work pretty well. They play fairly evenly and have sounded nice for quite a while.

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Are your strings all the same age/brand/type ?

Maybe look at how you play them. Are you playing each string with the same force and dynamics, and using the same part of each plucking finger ?

If you put your fingers together, your 2nd finger is longer than your index, so using 2 fingers to pluck, you will get a difference in tone because of the angles and dynamics of the fingers hitting the strings. You'll find it's just a matter of practice, i.e. practice playing scales or whatever, and try to play each note the same with both fingers.

A compressor is really just to even out the dynamics of your playing, not really for the tone.

Edited by ambient
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I have experienced good results from DR strings, notably the lo-riders and even better from the DDTs. A bit heavier gauge on the D and G than usual may also help compensate.

Pickup height and action could play a part too, aswell as the stuff mentioned above.

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D'addario exl170 BT (balanced tension)
Each string pulls roughly the same weight when in standard tunings.

Bump your kids, sucking them out will make the two bottom strings boom!!

Pickup height!!! You'd be wrong to think that it has to be equal distance away from each string, the bottom strings vibrate more thus louder so the pickup needs to be a little further away on the low side to compensate. Also adjustable magnets help.

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+1 on mids. Scoopd eq you can get great sounds on the E & A, but the D & G just vanish. Add in the mids and it`s surprising how those strings suddenly come back. Got to say though, depending on sounds I want, I`ll vary between using 5th upwards frets on the E & A, or lower frets on the D & G.

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[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1409348081' post='2539000']
Bump your kids, sucking them out will make the two bottom strings boom!!


Bump your kids?The way things are going these days you'll have the rozzers round in no time if you behave like that!
[/quote]


I would tend to agree. Bumping your kids is usually regarded as illegal and will have arguably, little effect on the sound coming from your bass guitar!

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Depends upon how bad it is. My first bass (Cort) had a real problem with the D and G strings sounding really weak. New Rotosounds brought them back in but a month later they were lost again. Numerous internet searches and forum discussions revealed it to be a common problem but nothing suggested about set up or eq really did more than disguise the problem.

It was solved when i bought a new bass, (MIA Jazz) the D and G are intrinsically punchier with everything from flats to Rotos and beyond. Eq the mids and tops and you get a nice balance. Same with my T-bird and P-bass. I swapped pickups on the Cort for Kent Armstrongs and that works well now, problem solved.

If you are unhappy with this I doubt you'll tweak it out and I don't think it's the strings, though I'm sure some are better than others. Some basses and some pup's are good at this though.

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