G string volume

[blackpitt69]

Hi Anthony, hope you can help me out here. For years I've never been able to get decent volume out of the G string (think of I predict a riot by the Kaiser Chiefs - the double hammer on at the end of the chorus bar). I always assumed it was the cheap gear I was using but now that my gear has improved I still have the same problem. I don't know if it's a problem with technique or with eq but the notes from the G just fade against the rest of the strings and don't cut through. I've almost given up and started shooting up the fret board on the D instead. Any ideas? it might be hard to diagnose without seeing me play but any advice would be great.

Ta
Pitt

[JimL]

A semi-wild guess... but a good setup might help. Whoever owned the last pre-owned bass I purchased had done the worst setup possible and the pickups were way too high and it completely messed up the volume balance between the strings. After adjusting everything to factory specs (and in particular the pickup heights), everything was perfect.

[blackpitt69]

Originally Posted by JimL

A semi-wild guess... but a good setup might help. Whoever owned the last pre-owned bass I purchased had done the worst setup possible and the pickups were way too high and it completely messed up the volume balance between the strings. After adjusting everything to factory specs (and in particular the pickup heights), everything was perfect.

Thanks JimL
I used to think that, especially with my 2nd bass (Westone Spectrum GT) which is the one I played for many years and still can't bear to part with. I messed with the pickups on it and was able to get a small improvement but it's been the same on every bass since and now I send them to my local Luther for a set up as soon as I get them. I'm guessing if you and other members don't get the same problem then it's something to do with my technique thats wrong. make's sense as I'm self thought so probably have lots of bad habbits.

[Anonymatt]

Maybe you're not hammering hard enough? Are you using roundwound strings?

My trouble is always that the G string is a little more strident and doesn't match the others tonally for certain kinds of lines. Like my touch has to be more mellow when I get to it.

[Lichtaffen]

I used to have a MM Stingray that had a weak G string. One of the reasons I got rid of it. Seems to be inherent with those basses.