SteveXFR Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 I'm having trouble with volume difference between strings. When I'm with the band my lowest string is nice and clear but the volume disappears as I move across the strings. Im playing a Fender Mexican standard precision but it's tuned down to A# F A# D# and fitted with .130 .100 .080 .065 string guages. All four strings are the same height off the pickups. Any suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Use a compressor. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Tinker, tinker, and tinker again with the heights until satisfied. When I take a new bass to rehearsals I also take a screwdriver and adjust inbetween songs. On my Precisions I have the bridge saddles to match the radius of the neck, my pickup heights from the scratchplate are approximately: E - 1.5mm A - 6mm D - 8mm G - 5mm This I’ve found is a good starting point for my playing style and I tweak from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Krow Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Raise the pup height at just the G string end so it's a little closer to the G string than the E string. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 3 minutes ago, Lozz196 said: Tinker, tinker, and tinker again with the heights until satisfied. When I take a new bass to rehearsals I also take a screwdriver and adjust inbetween songs. On my Precisions I have the bridge saddles to match the radius of the neck, my pickup heights from the scratchplate are approximately: E - 1.5mm A - 6mm D - 8mm G - 5mm This I’ve found is a good starting point for my playing style and I tweak from there. That's a big difference between E and A. Maybe I that's where my problem is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassybert Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Could it also be your amp/eq settings when in a band context? Are the frequencies of notes on those strings clashing with other instruments? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Do you have the problem when you play without the band? If not, line up each member of the band and get them to start playing one by one, starting with the drummer, then you, then the rest of the musicians. When a musician starts to play and at that point you cannot hear yourself clearly, sack that musician. Problem solved. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 I can clearly see it when I record in to my DAW, the trace from my recording shows huge difference in wave amplitude between the low A# string and the others 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Is this just the string, ie. Does playing a G on the bottom two strings have the same volume difference? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 22 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: Is this just the string, ie. Does playing a G on the bottom two strings have the same volume difference? Same note = different volume Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Well, pickup height to string gauges are the obvious changes then 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newfoundfreedom Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 I have the same problem with my sixer. The only way I could get it to sound anything like even was to lower the pickups at the low end, and raise them almost to the point of touching the strings at the high end. Then add compression to even things out. The rest of the set-up is fine, and I tried new strings. It didn't make any difference. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spencer.b Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 Does it sound balanced acoustically? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 22, 2023 Author Share Posted March 22, 2023 11 minutes ago, spencer.b said: Does it sound balanced acoustically? Hard to tell. The low string just clatters the frets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nilorius Posted March 22, 2023 Share Posted March 22, 2023 The problem is such a big string downtuning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boodang Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 10 hours ago, Newfoundfreedom said: Use a compressor. The thing I have found that helps in these circumstances is using a tri band compressor. Surprisingly the one that worked best and was the most flexible to set up was the cheapest.... TC Electronic Spectracomp. The Captain East toneprint is a good start but if you need to tweak further you can plug in the laptop and there's plenty (too much!) of adjustments to be made. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Pup should take a slant, top of the hill on the G string😎 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 23, 2023 Author Share Posted March 23, 2023 9 hours ago, nilorius said: The problem is such a big string downtuning. I'm afraid that's where I need to be to work with the bands doomy music. There are quite a few bassists tuning P basses just as low or lower so it must be possible to make it work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iconic Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 I set mine the depth (string to pole piece gap) of 2x2p coins with string depressed on highest fret for E string, 1 coin depth for the G string....I'm a very gentle player though. I've recently had a MIMP pass thru my hands and no matter what I did the string to volume balance was ridiculous. Tried everything, ended up installing a new pup on that one which cured the issue. That said do the easy things first. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 23, 2023 Author Share Posted March 23, 2023 Pickup height adjusted and problem solved. Thanks for the tips 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 23, 2023 Share Posted March 23, 2023 Nice one Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gasman Posted March 26, 2023 Share Posted March 26, 2023 I've got this badly with a brand-new Sterling Stingray HH with factory rounds on - lovely rich sound on the E & A strings, weak as gnat's pee on the D & G. Tried tilting the PUP heights, altering the amp and guitar settings, but no significant difference. Gave up on it halfway through the gig last night and reverted to my lovely USA Jazz Plus with La Bellas flats - oh why did I forsake her in the first place? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralf1e Posted March 27, 2023 Share Posted March 27, 2023 On 22/03/2023 at 20:27, SteveXFR said: I can clearly see it when I record in to my DAW, the trace from my recording shows huge difference in wave amplitude between the low A# string and the others If you tune that string either up or down by a bit just to test it does it still ring out? Maybe a resonance thing at a particular pitch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveXFR Posted March 27, 2023 Author Share Posted March 27, 2023 1 hour ago, Ralf1e said: If you tune that string either up or down by a bit just to test it does it still ring out? Maybe a resonance thing at a particular pitch. Nope. That made no difference. Adjusting pickup height fixed it 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mybass Posted March 27, 2023 Share Posted March 27, 2023 Most pickups have flat surfaces and flat even pole pieces. A lot of basses have radius/curved string to fingerboard height so the E and G are usually nearer the pickup pole pieces while the A and D sit higher from the pole pieces to accommodate this fingerboard radius to string height. This has always been a problem and the probable reason why many Precision pickups are ‘angled’ so acutely to accommodate this discrepancy in string height / volumes. There are manufacturers who make pickups with radius contour, I have Delano radius pickups and DiMarzio jazz pickups have high adjustable pole pieces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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