Dead g string on Music Man??

[triggervision]

After not playing my Music Man for like 9 months (played nothing but my Thumb) I've taken it out of the closet and fixed the relief, action, intonation, put new strings on it. The g string seems really quiet though. I don't know if my string is twisted or not but I did take it off and put it back on and it still is quiet...Could there be a pickup problem? Thanks for any help

Deryc

[73jbass]

A lot of MM basses have that issue. The 4 previous ones I owned all had a weak d and g string. I replaced the pickup with a Basslines aftermarket,and the problem went away.The 3 I currently own don't have that issue. Sterling covered that topic in the EB forums a while back. Might want to try there.

[triggervision]

I'll check it out. Thanks. Now that you mention it. When I'm practicing in band situation the d string is tough to hear too. Sounds great when otherwise. Any other input is appreciated.

Deryc

[Baleen]

I haven't experienced a huge difference in volume on the G from the others on my Sterling, but I do have my pickup angled with the G-side higher to balance it. I've also noticed that if I roll off too much of the high band on the EQ I lose some of the umph on the G.

I used Ken Smith Rock Masters (round .045-.105) for several years, but switched to Labella 760FM's (flat .049-.109) for a couple. The LaBella's really brought out the G, actually - made it all very balanced over the neck and across the strings. I've got Labella 760RL (round .044-.104) on now and the balance is pretty good, but I've been playing other basses mostly lately, so I can't comment too much on their performance.

[pkr2]

Originally Posted by triggervision

After not playing my Music Man for like 9 months (played nothing but my Thumb) I've taken it out of the closet and fixed the relief, action, intonation, put new strings on it. The g string seems really quiet though. I don't know if my string is twisted or not but I did take it off and put it back on and it still is quiet...Could there be a pickup problem? Thanks for any help

Deryc

"Could there be a pickup problem?"

It could be. Was the G ever OK, or has it just started acting up?

There aren't that many things that would normally cause a loss of volume on only one string. A bad string, an EQ problem or a bad pickup.

So, by elimination, it's easy to isolate the problem to the pickup.

If it is the pup, about the only thing that can affect only one specific string would be the magnet. Either weakened or polarity reversal is fairly common. That's why it's important to ask if it's a new problem; if it is, the polarity wouldn't be reversed, because that's a function of which direction the magnet is installed when it was made. It can't change.

Pickups do slip out the manufacturers door with reversed magnets from time to time. Luckily, it's easy to check with a plain old boyscout type compass. Just hold it as near each one of the magnets as possible and notice that the pointer is either drawn to point toward the magnet or repelled and will point away from the magnet. if the indication is reversed on any one magnet, that magnet is the culprit.

Simply turning the magnet end for end will correct the problem.

This method doesn't work that well for checking for a weak magnet.

Sorry for the long winded answer.