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If you should "whack" them, the method is very cumbersome and unwieldy and you must use the right gear. Some uses HEAT (!) yes, warm them up, in order for anything to expand and "grow" inside a bit, especially wax, and then they're a little bit easier to move and change without destrying the surroundings. But as already said, heat, can destroy magnetism, I don't know how it is with ceramics though.
Alnico poles have been known to get destroyed, in staggereed strat pickups, when someone has the wrong stagger. Then they grind down the pole piece flush level with the pickup, and then heat is built up to extreme levels and destroys the magnetsim completely. But then they use a grinder and sparks will fly. It's at those levels. I am talking just to heat it up mildly, absolutely way under boiling levels - you should be able at all times to touch the pickup with fingers, it's easy to loosen up was and "expand" anything in there, and then bring it back to normal room temperature. All these things should be made slowly.
As already said, at a certain level from the string, all pickups sounds equally as weak, and may even (equal) out the difference between strings, but you'll get increased hum and noise for sure, even if it's a humbucking pickup. The noise floor is more audible then.
Alnico poles have been known to get destroyed, in staggereed strat pickups, when someone has the wrong stagger. Then they grind down the pole piece flush level with the pickup, and then heat is built up to extreme levels and destroys the magnetsim completely. But then they use a grinder and sparks will fly. It's at those levels. I am talking just to heat it up mildly, absolutely way under boiling levels - you should be able at all times to touch the pickup with fingers, it's easy to loosen up was and "expand" anything in there, and then bring it back to normal room temperature. All these things should be made slowly.
As already said, at a certain level from the string, all pickups sounds equally as weak, and may even (equal) out the difference between strings, but you'll get increased hum and noise for sure, even if it's a humbucking pickup. The noise floor is more audible then.
Agree with Jazz Ad, sure those screws looks adjustable to me. They have some torx, phillips, at the head slot. One thing too, which isn't shown in the pic. Do they ALIGN up ALONG the string, not in height but in width? Do the poles reside exactly directly underneat each string if you look at them from the top at a 90 degree angle? If some of them are too wide and just "misses" it (the string) then it's all weaker. All strings must pass!
That's why I hate some manufacturers that keep the same width distance for pole pieces with neck pickups and bridge pickups. And they say "not any significant difference" and I tell them "fu". Dimarzio is about the only ones I've heard of who actually paid attention to this. AND having adjustable poles as well in height. Would love to have adjustable WIDTH pole pieces....
But that one is solve by using rails all the way.
The alignment of the poles is perfect.Agree with Jazz Ad, sure those screws looks adjustable to me. They have some torx, phillips, at the head slot. One thing too, which isn't shown in the pic. Do they ALIGN up ALONG the string, not in height but in width? Do the poles reside exactly directly underneat each string if you look at them from the top at a 90 degree angle? If some of them are too wide and just "misses" it (the string) then it's all weaker. All strings must pass!
That's why I hate some manufacturers that keep the same width distance for pole pieces with neck pickups and bridge pickups. And they say "not any significant difference" and I tell them "fu". Dimarzio is about the only ones I've heard of who actually paid attention to this. AND having adjustable poles as well in height. Would love to have adjustable WIDTH pole pieces....
But that one is solve by using rails all the way.
If anything, the G is the loudest string of all, then the E, then D and the A being audibly the quiet one. If I play a run from 12th fret on E across all strings and end on, say, 14th fret (A) on the G string, anything played on the G is noticeably louder, even with the action quite high on that side.
Is it so only with the neck pickup (front), the one you showed a pic of?
Is the bridge pickup one of the rail types?
Is it the same strongness of the G-string there or there is different output when the bridge p-up soloed?
Have you tapped the polepieces with a screwdriver first, as suggested in the earliest post to check if the thud/thump is heard equally as strong all over the pole pieces?
Is the bridge pickup one of the rail types?
Is it the same strongness of the G-string there or there is different output when the bridge p-up soloed?
Have you tapped the polepieces with a screwdriver first, as suggested in the earliest post to check if the thud/thump is heard equally as strong all over the pole pieces?
Have you done the paperclip test? I goes something like this:
(for guitar but nevertheless test the magnetism over each pole):
It's nothing you can set the pickup height with since it is different for each string, since they have radius. But it's definitely something you can test if the magnetic field is the same all across and along the pickup and above each pole piece, especially since you have no adjustable pole pieces. You can do this on the bridge RAIL pickup too, provided it is one of the rail types.
I don't know if any mods are made on Ric pickups, but generally speaking of ceramics, is that ceramics does not conduct electricity as opposed to - say - alnico. Ceramic pups usually have a magnetic bottom plate, and some other pickups (with Alnico no less) have some added/modded bottom plates for added clarity or lower thump or higher end or increased output. It can vary greatly the reasons behind those bottom plates. Now, if something beneath the pickup has turned loose or is slightly askewed at one end or the other the magnetic field can be greater on one side than the other, or as in your case, all of a sudden, in the "middle" so to speak. It can also involve some wiring not connecting properly or soldering getting loose.
The one thing I am intrigued about is: Has it ALWAYS been like this, since you've bought it, or has it been like that since you got it back from repair only?
This can be hard to detect, because you may have turned accustomed to it, and just discovered it by now, while earlier, it wasn't any of your concern. There's one thing too you can try, a bit far fetched but it has helped sometimes:
You can change the pickup to the other way around. Not upside down (of course), but that the pole piece that resides unde G-string now, resides under the E-string instead. Easy and cheap and doesn't cost you more than 15-20 minutes extra. It may have been put back the wrong way after restoration and refretting? Can it just sit in one way? Usually this just affects when two pickups are in use at the same time (ie in pararell or serial mode) but nevertheless it has to do with all that north-south thing, phase reverse and bla bla...
I goes something like this:(for guitar but nevertheless test the magnetism over each pole):
It's nothing you can set the pickup height with since it is different for each string, since they have radius. But it's definitely something you can test if the magnetic field is the same all across and along the pickup and above each pole piece, especially since you have no adjustable pole pieces. You can do this on the bridge RAIL pickup too, provided it is one of the rail types.
I don't know if any mods are made on Ric pickups, but generally speaking of ceramics, is that ceramics does not conduct electricity as opposed to - say - alnico. Ceramic pups usually have a magnetic bottom plate, and some other pickups (with Alnico no less) have some added/modded bottom plates for added clarity or lower thump or higher end or increased output. It can vary greatly the reasons behind those bottom plates. Now, if something beneath the pickup has turned loose or is slightly askewed at one end or the other the magnetic field can be greater on one side than the other, or as in your case, all of a sudden, in the "middle" so to speak. It can also involve some wiring not connecting properly or soldering getting loose.
The one thing I am intrigued about is: Has it ALWAYS been like this, since you've bought it, or has it been like that since you got it back from repair only?
This can be hard to detect, because you may have turned accustomed to it, and just discovered it by now, while earlier, it wasn't any of your concern. There's one thing too you can try, a bit far fetched but it has helped sometimes:
You can change the pickup to the other way around. Not upside down (of course), but that the pole piece that resides unde G-string now, resides under the E-string instead. Easy and cheap and doesn't cost you more than 15-20 minutes extra. It may have been put back the wrong way after restoration and refretting? Can it just sit in one way? Usually this just affects when two pickups are in use at the same time (ie in pararell or serial mode) but nevertheless it has to do with all that north-south thing, phase reverse and bla bla...
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I bought it earlier this year but since I don't gig it got a few blasts through the amp then was in shop for several months until last week. Doubt the tech guy did anything to the pups. I think it's just me noticing it now.
Will try those tests when I get back tonight. Here's the bass.
Will try those tests when I get back tonight. Here's the bass.
Now this pic (and the other) should be provided to us from the start on. Then we could skip that toaster or "if pickup has rails" discussion and saved us a bundle. Since both pickups have pole pieces you can check with the screwdriver-tapping method first, if there's a louder pop between the different polepieces at the neck pickup as well as bridge pickup. You should tap on these, both when isolated or run together, i e switch in middle position. If they "pop" equally as loudly (both pickups each), it's probably that radius thing, and those A D string pole pieces needs to be raised somewhat. How? Is impossible to say, but I can't think of that there must be someone on the internet/YouTube who has provided us with some know-how wiki or instructional videos to do this. Then I don't think changing strings will help. At all really.
EDIT: It' sure is a nice looking bass. Almost "butterscotch blonde" finsih, usually reserved for Telecasters.
EDIT: It' sure is a nice looking bass. Almost "butterscotch blonde" finsih, usually reserved for Telecasters.
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Well, looks like I've spotted where the problem lies. When I was taking the strings off, I noticed that the A was floating in the nut and not making contact with the base, only the sides; the D was doing the same, though not to the same degree. I surmise that when the tech was doing the fret-work, he lowered the nut but has left the slots too deep and the string angle can't pull them down far enough. I've drop-filled with bone dust and cyano and will recut in a few days.
Thanks for all your input.
Thanks for all your input.
Ok, while this is an error too, it doesn't make sense. This with the NUT should only be a problem with OPEN strings. As fast as you fret anything above it, and you said you ran all over and across the 12th frets and across the fretboard, so it was all over the place. Mind you if this was like that (too deep groove or anything not touching) at the BRIDGE though, it would sound like that all over the place. I find this very peculiar. Still.
If you have problems with weak A and D OPEN STRINGS ONLY then - of course - it's the nut (mind you: too!). But anywhere else it can not possibly be the nut by any means. As fast as you fret down somewhere along the A or D string, what the nut looks like or where it's placed is of no significance at all. You can even remove it if you like. It can very well have to do with overall string action and buzzing on OPEN strings though. To me, you have just discovered an additional error, in that case. Which of course needs to be remedied anyway, or first, before you continue.
We're talking about the NUT slots now, and not the BRIDGE saddle slots in any way, aren't we? The nut up at the headstock where the strings pass over to the tuners?
(sorry, I am not being cute to you, but so there's absolutely no misunderstanding).
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In that case, I thought you said "I will try these experiments after the weekend.." and you haven't followed my earlier suggestions at all, which I early on said, and asked you about... I posted this early on page one:
If you'd carried out the one above, you should be able to detect this problem with the nut, you now have, at the drop of a hat. The above doesn't solve the pickup magnetic radius though.
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Sorry, I must have skipped that post on swapping strings and, being a freelancer, work took precedence over this issue.
Yeh, I get your point about the open/fretted note conflict. However, the nut is now drop-filled. I'll re-cut next week and try the string swap, FWIW.
Thanks, Honch.
Yeh, I get your point about the open/fretted note conflict. However, the nut is now drop-filled. I'll re-cut next week and try the string swap, FWIW.
Thanks, Honch.
I'd almost place money on the neck radius being quite curved and the pickups either dead flat or even with lower inside poles - as has already been stated here before.
I have a Jazz bass with a 7.5" radius or thereabouts and swear that the E and G strings are louder than the middle. Just measuring with a ruler the distances from the strings' underside to the tops of the pole pieces will reveal whether the 'arc' is higher in the middle.
My advice is either change pickups (to something that matches the neck radius or at least with adjustable pole pieces) or use a compressor to even things out.
Only split Precision type pickups can be staggered to overcome individual string volume issues, Jazz and Rickenbacker types are fixed and can not.
The nut will have no effect on this issue -unless the slots for the two inside strings were half an inch higher than the outer ones, which would result in a considerably raised action at the bridge end and subsequently over the pickups!
Peace,
Rob.
I have a Jazz bass with a 7.5" radius or thereabouts and swear that the E and G strings are louder than the middle. Just measuring with a ruler the distances from the strings' underside to the tops of the pole pieces will reveal whether the 'arc' is higher in the middle.
My advice is either change pickups (to something that matches the neck radius or at least with adjustable pole pieces) or use a compressor to even things out.
Only split Precision type pickups can be staggered to overcome individual string volume issues, Jazz and Rickenbacker types are fixed and can not.
The nut will have no effect on this issue -unless the slots for the two inside strings were half an inch higher than the outer ones, which would result in a considerably raised action at the bridge end and subsequently over the pickups!
Peace,
Rob.
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Yes, no matter what it is, the nut thing should be taken care of anyway in the long run. I would take the nut off and make shims underneath it, to raise it all, above the fretboard a bit. But still the strings needs to fit properly in all slots, nevertheless and not rest on the "side walls" of the slots.