Thuddy E String?

Would'e? · #1 03-19-2009, 12:33 PM

I'm not sure if this belongs here, feel free to move it if it would go better elsewhere, mods.

I've got my USA Millennium 4 and amp dialed in nicely so that I can get the chimey piano tone I favor across the A, D and G. But they E-string just kind of thuds. I don't think it's a bad string because I can adjust the amp to get that string to sing a bit more, but only at the cost of losing the chimes in the other three strings. Anyone think this could be fixed with a set-up tweak? Perhaps raising or lowering the pups on one side?

The strings are Hi-Beams if it makes a difference.

megadan · #2 03-19-2009, 12:50 PM

Weird that you mention they are Hi-Beams. I just bought several sets of Hi-Beams on recommendations here and elsewhere. I've tried 3 E strings now on my Kramer and they all sound dull. The G,D, and A all have punch and nice crisp tone. The E is just sort of... blah... sounds almost like it's all harmonics, no fundamental.

Anyone else have this problem with Hi-Beams?

I highly doubt it is the pickups in my case, they are Darkstars and I have adjusted the pole pieces very carefully through a significant range.

Mr. Ray · #3 03-19-2009, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by megadan

Weird that you mention they are Hi-Beams. I just bought several sets of Hi-Beams on recommendations here and elsewhere. I've tried 3 E strings now on my Kramer and they all sound dull. The G,D, and A all have punch and nice crisp tone. The E is just sort of... blah... sounds almost like it's all harmonics, no fundamental.

Anyone else have this problem with Hi-Beams?

I found the same thing on a set of Sunbeams the low end was missing on the set. The E lacked the fundamental. The original Fender nickels were warmer and fuller sounding.

Antrocco · #4 03-20-2009, 12:30 PM

I am experiencing the same exact thing. I am going to try a different brand to compare.I am putting them on a P-Bass.

megadan · #5 03-20-2009, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antrocco

I am experiencing the same exact thing. I am going to try a different brand to compare.I am putting them on a P-Bass.

Let us know what you find out, I like these strings very much except for this one oversight.

joeyl · #6 03-20-2009, 01:10 PM

I lower the pickups on the E string side, the heavier E is probably more affected by the magnetic field than the other 3 higher string (or 4 if you are a high C kind of person)

JLS · #7 03-20-2009, 02:23 PM

Sounds like DR has a QC problem, that needs to be brought to their attention.

xgator4u · #8 03-21-2009, 06:31 PM

I parted company with DR for that very reason several years ago, with the price of strings now days, and my "spare time" at a premium, I can not afford to fool with changing strings till I finally find a good one.

megadan · #9 03-21-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xgator4u

I parted company with DR for that very reason several years ago, with the price of strings now days, and my "spare time" at a premium, I can not afford to fool with changing strings till I finally find a good one.

Interesting... What strings would you recommend? In terms of roundwounds, if that's your thing.

xgator4u · #10 03-21-2009, 07:03 PM

Well to each his own, I personally had good luck with Rotosound strings, I played rounds for years, but switched to flat wounds.I play Steve Harris series Flatwound strings by Rotosound. I love them. they start out bright like rounds, play in smooth but still bright for flats, and they don't eat the fingerboard up as bad as the rounds.