Marky L Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Here's an interesting one that I'm scratching my head on and would love some input on. So, I have a Fender P with a rather fruity maple neck! It's known to a few of you on here already (it's black ). When I collected it I demoed it amped up with flats on and all was good. I replaced the flats with roundwounds (being my prefered string) and off I went. Unfortunately it had to sit in the boot of my car for most of the day which turned out to be one of the rare stupidly hot ones. When I get home I have a look and can see the neck has shifted and it plays fairly badly. My skills are limited and after messing around with it over a few weeks I decided to throw the towel in and go to a luthier I use. The main issue I had was the neck profile being basically mental and also the D string being quiter than the others and the G sounding dreadful. No sustain at all and in fact when played the notes on the G sounded very sort of choked off, particularly up the dusty end. When I showed the luthier he exclaimed "F**k me!! This is the craziest neck I have ever seen!" He reckoned it's actually an elongated S as opposed to just a single relief or bow. That and the fact that the headstock has a weird twist in it too (some of you recognise it yet?!?). Anyway I collected it last week and he had done a sterling job on the profile and action (it has to be medium high which is fine by me) with just a little bowing still present. Unfortunatley his bass amp was not working and so I just had a twiddle with it acoustically and it all rang true. When I got home and plugged in... the D was still quiet and the G though better was still choking and is definietly quiter than the E and A, both of which sound fantastic and big. So where is the problem? Does it sound like a PUP issue? The D & G part of the split is buggered? I just can't think what else. I'll go back to the luthier but would like to suggest some options to him. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 you should be able to tell by the feel of the d and g when you fret as to whether or not its a problem with the neck or the pickup. Simple way is to play unplugged. If unplugged the strings sound quieter/choked, then the neck still aint right. If it sounds normal, then your pup is buggered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcrow Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 (edited) the usual set up is bow action intonation pup height relative to strings your D and G half may need setting up heightwise fret the last fret there should be 1/8 roughly between the bottom of the strings and the pup poles..slightly less is ok and the fender recommended is 6/64 i think the same settings for the A/E is 1/8" the P is the only pup to give ability to set the pups to the strings well Edited August 10, 2009 by mrcrow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 Swap the halves, or tap them with somthing metal and see if it sounds the same Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky L Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 Well I am convinced when played un-amplified it sounds fine across all strings and it certainly plays/feels better after the set up. He said it took him 4 or 5 goes to get the neck to the position it is now and he worked a fair bit on bridge heights and got the intonation true for my guage strings. He did state that he tidied the wiring up and re-set the PUPs to a good height. As memory serves, they are about the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kev Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 yeah, sounds like a pickup issue. Just try raising it on the G side to see if it makes a significant difference, if not your gunna have to invest a bit of money into a new p pup, unless you get it rewound? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky L Posted August 10, 2009 Author Share Posted August 10, 2009 I like the idea of swapping the halves actually. I guess all I need to do is rotate them 180 degrees and try that Didn't think of that one. Ta. Yup, PUPs if this proves the current ones are a bit wobbly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcrow Posted August 10, 2009 Share Posted August 10, 2009 [quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='565030' date='Aug 10 2009, 02:35 PM']Swap the halves, or [u][b]tap them with somthing metal [/b][/u]and see if it sounds the same[/quote] this is a good test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky L Posted August 11, 2009 Author Share Posted August 11, 2009 Just tried the tapping trick with the end of my car keys on each pole piece and I can definitely discern a louder click/tap on the E/A PUP. Tried a few times just in case I was biasing my tap and I am convinced of the result. Pooped PUP? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted August 11, 2009 Share Posted August 11, 2009 [quote name='Marky L' post='565936' date='Aug 11 2009, 02:36 PM']Just tried the tapping trick with the end of my car keys on each pole piece and I can definitely discern a louder click/tap on the E/A PUP. Tried a few times just in case I was biasing my tap and I am convinced of the result. Pooped PUP?[/quote] Yup, can get rewound or get a new pickup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 Hey Mark Think I know which instrument we're talking about here! Hope all works out, I rehearsed it a few times and, neck issues excluded, it seemed a pretty sweet bass to me. Cheers Chris PS Mrs Beedster sends her regards, think she fancies you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky L Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 Wotcha Chris!! He he!! Yep, you guessed right!! I do wonder if roundwounds are not it's friends, very weird cos as I say, when I tried it out it sounded very well balanced and it was nice to play, that and it's quite light too. I'll have a fiddle with the PUPs and see what I can do, or maybe swap them out.. I have an idea I'd like to try some Wizard Thumpers at some point so this could be the opportunity. Still very happy with it though.. well on the E and A strings anyway!! Oh and obviously Mrs Beedster is a lady of very great taste uhm.. ah... as is very ably demonstrated with her choice of you!.. Oh, uhm this is sounding worse all the time!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted August 12, 2009 Share Posted August 12, 2009 [quote name='Marky L' post='566515' date='Aug 12 2009, 09:14 AM']Wotcha Chris!! He he!! Yep, you guessed right!! I do wonder if roundwounds are not it's friends, very weird cos as I say, when I tried it out it sounded very well balanced and it was nice to play, that and it's quite light too. I'll have a fiddle with the PUPs and see what I can do, or maybe swap them out.. I have an idea I'd like to try some Wizard Thumpers at some point so this could be the opportunity. Still very happy with it though.. well on the E and A strings anyway!! Oh and obviously Mrs Beedster is a lady of very great taste uhm.. ah... as is very ably demonstrated with her choice of you!.. Oh, uhm this is sounding worse all the time!! [/quote] You only really need the E and A string on a bass anyway It's a funny thing and perhaps one that wiser heads can enlighten me on, but some basses - and in my experience especially Precisions - seem to be either flatwound or roundwound instruments. My 1982 Fullerton '57 reissue sounded incredible with rounds but had virtually no sustain or usuable tone with flats, despite the fact that I tried two different sets (TIs and La Bellas) which had both sounded great on other Precisions. Interestingly the A-string was noticibly louder than the other strings when strung with flats as opposed to rounds. On the flip side, my old 90's blonde Precision (a.k.a., Kylie), sounded crap with rounds but truly awesome with the same sets of flats that had failed so badly on the '57. Both basses had maple boards, same bridges, stock Fender PUPs etc. I've since found the same with a few basses, my current Jazz is definitely a rounds bass but - somewhat surprisingly - my old pre-EB 'ray sounded average with rounds but truly came to life with flats. You getting the hint Mark A set of TIs might just be what you need on there. Chris LOL Yes, she has very good taste, but worryingly keeps suggesting I buy her an "I'm with the bass player" t-shirt for gigs. I'm starting to wonder if she's talking about a specific player or just bass players in general Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marky L Posted August 12, 2009 Author Share Posted August 12, 2009 [quote name='Beedster' post='566543' date='Aug 12 2009, 09:45 AM']You getting the hint Mark A set of TIs might just be what you need on there. Chris LOL Yes, she has very good taste, but worryingly keeps suggesting I buy her an "I'm with the bass player" t-shirt for gigs. I'm starting to wonder if she's talking about a specific player or just bass players in general [/quote] I just wonder if I could be enticed to the weird world of flats.. I just don't know.. I really don't know!! And as for the t-shirt.. I'd make sure you biro your name in on the end.. just in case Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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