Couple quick questions, appreciate ANY help.

theGrynch · #1 01-27-2008, 10:21 PM

I've got a Warwick Corvette, 5-string. Got the stock pickups, I'm replacing them soon with active EMGs and putting an OBP in. I've got a few issues with the bass, which I'm otherwise really pleased with.

1.) The Low B string is CONSIDERABLY lower in volume, sustain, tone, etc. etc. than all the other strings. I use DR Tapered, Med. gauged strings, 45 - 145, something like that? Anyway, the B string just sounds terrible. However, the material I've been playing lately doesn't really call for the B, so that's not what I'm most concerned with.

2.) The E string. It sounds great... up to the 6th fret or so... It sounds like the intonation is off just a bit, enough for the strobe tuner I've got to register notes like A# and C (we play in Drop-D) as just slightly sharp. I'm planning on messing with the intonation a bit, but it's not REALLY the intonation that bothers me so much, because I know I can fix that. What's bugging me is just the tone of anything past the 6th fret. Just low in volume, no tone, sounds terrible. Unplugged, plugged in, just sounds terrible. It's strange to describe, but suffice it to say that the tone of the A# on the 8th fret on the E absolutely pales in comparison to the A# on the 1st fret of the A. Is fixing the intonation gonna fix that "tone" problem? Or do I have to deal with it?

Thanks for any and all help, guys.

theGrynch · #2 01-28-2008, 10:09 AM

The strings are band new, and it's a problem ever since I've had the bass, not just since the last time I re-strung it, which was only a couple of days ago. Thought I could suffer through the little issues, but if it's something I can fix, I might as well try.

I'll give raising the pickups a shot. As for the intonation, I'll try and mess with that a little bit, too, like I said. I'll post the results whenever I'm done messing around with it.

Funkdrawer4 · #3 01-28-2008, 10:21 AM

Focused B strings are really the issues with 5-6 string basses,It can be as simple or complex as your amp,pickups or your speaker bottom not being able to reproduce the freq as clearly as the other strings.Try using a friends bass rig to see if it the case,then move on from there,I agree write down what your doing to keep track of what you like.Some basses just have dead spots on the neck too.I like EMG's personally.

theGrynch · #4 01-28-2008, 12:10 PM

Well, I never considered the amp to be part of the problem... Unfortunately, I'm pretty much the only guy I know of with a bass rig at all. And then there's only the two guitarists in my band, so I really don't have anything else to compare it to.

I'm using a 350W Hartke Head, and I've got a 4x10 and 1x15 cab under that. I've got a couple more things in the rackmount, but those wouldn't really have any effect on the tone, just a conditioner and a tuner. The other strings sound fine, except for that complaint I had with the E-string, so it's a definite possibility. I'm going to try and tinker with the pickup height and see if that helps.

Hopefully it does, cuz I don't really feel like buying a new head right now, lol.

perucci · #5 01-28-2008, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGrynch

...I use DR Tapered, Med. gauged strings, 45 - 145, something like that? Anyway, the B string just sounds terrible.
...

I'd be interested to know if the string is intonated OK. On my Ibanez, I can't make the saddle far enough from the nut for the B string to intonate properly. I've got "flats", with a tapered B. The action is low, so it shouldn't be a matter of the high-action pulling the string sharp. To tune the dang thing, I need to pick a comprimise (some notes sharp, some flat). I'd try another type of string, but I love my La Bella "Deep Talkin'" strings (medium). If anything, I'd probably get another bridge, and move it a smidge further from the nut.

I don't really think the string is bad; the strings are all longer in length as the strings go lower; the saddles pretty-much form a straight (diagnonal) line.

202dy · #6 01-28-2008, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGrynch

Well, I never considered the amp to be part of the problem... Unfortunately, I'm pretty much the only guy I know of with a bass rig at all. And then there's only the two guitarists in my band, so I really don't have anything else to compare it to.

I'm using a 350W Hartke Head, and I've got a 4x10 and 1x15 cab under that. I've got a couple more things in the rackmount, but those wouldn't really have any effect on the tone, just a conditioner and a tuner. The other strings sound fine, except for that complaint I had with the E-string, so it's a definite possibility. I'm going to try and tinker with the pickup height and see if that helps.

Hopefully it does, cuz I don't really feel like buying a new head right now, lol.

An electric guitar, especially a solid body, is one half of a musical instrument.

Everything in your signal chain affects the final sound. If it's in the line, it is suspect. Tuners are notorious tone sinks. True bypass means "maybe mostly but not all" bypassed. There are exceptions to the rule.

To a large extent, pickup height governs output or signal strength. Most neck pickups on bass guitars should be set at and 1/8" and 3/32" bass and treble respectively as measured from the top of the pickup or pole piece to the bottom of the string. Bridge pickups are usually 1/32" of inch closer on both sides. This is a starting point. It may be just right. Or it may be unbalanced. Use your ears. Adjust accordingly.

Sometimes weak sounding B strings are the result of a poor setup that has forced the player to attack the string lightly. Do not overlook your technique. Your technique may change a bit when you are playing in a group setting. It may sound better or worse. Be on the lookout for this, too.

theGrynch · #7 01-29-2008, 12:12 AM

Well, I adjusted the bridge a bit and got the intonation as close as I feel I'm going to be able to on the E string, and I haven't been over to the practice space to plug into my rig to test pick-up height, but the tone of the B and E strings is killing me.

The B string is really weak sounding the entire length of the neck, but the E string gets really weak and dead sounding approaching the 12th fret. Hardly any sustain, and the tone is just... ugh... I'm wondering if I should just have it set up, but it's not really something I'd like to waste money on, having it come back and sounding EXACTLY the same. I dunno, I'll have to wait and see how it sounds after I get a chance to adjust the pickup height.

Has anyone else ever had a problem like this, though? Weird tone issues up along the top half of the neck on any particular string?

202dy · #8 01-29-2008, 05:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by theGrynch

Well, I adjusted the bridge a bit and got the intonation as close as I feel I'm going to be able to on the E string, and I haven't been over to the practice space to plug into my rig to test pick-up height, but the tone of the B and E strings is killing me.

The B string is really weak sounding the entire length of the neck, but the E string gets really weak and dead sounding approaching the 12th fret. Hardly any sustain, and the tone is just... ugh... I'm wondering if I should just have it set up, but it's not really something I'd like to waste money on, having it come back and sounding EXACTLY the same. I dunno, I'll have to wait and see how it sounds after I get a chance to adjust the pickup height.

Has anyone else ever had a problem like this, though? Weird tone issues up along the top half of the neck on any particular string?

Wasting money on a set up is a common fear for those that have never had it done.

Interview with the tech. Have him explain what he is going to do. Tell him what your concerns are and play the guitar for him to highlight the trouble areas. If there are technique issues he can point them out and let you know if the bass can be adjusted to compensate for them. Then make a decision as to whether or not the tech will be able to get your guitar to play it the way you expect it to play.

Just remember, if your needs include negating Newtonian physics, the tech is powerless to grant your requests.

theGrynch · #9 02-01-2008, 09:17 PM

Well, I got in my active electronics, and it sounds great. There's just that nagging tone issue, which I realized may be due to the fact that, like I said earlier, I'm using medium gauged strings, and dropping the E to D, which makes it quite a bit looser than the other strings. The tone is a LITTLE better up the neck when it's tuned to E, and when the string's tighter, so I'm just going to bite the bullet and bring it to a local shop, and talk to the tech, like you guys mentioned. See if there isn't some adjustment he can make that'll make it more tolerable or, better yet, fix it. When I get it back, or maybe even when I talk to the guys, I'll let you guys know. Thanks for the help.