I want a new pickup in my Classic Stingray...

[jbiscuti]

...and here's why:

1) I like the sound of my bass, but the D string is weak and the G is almost non-existent - even with really skewed pickup balance (i.e., the G polepieces almost touching the strings nd the E/A side really low).

2) My index/middle right hand fingers are always sore the night after one of my marathon gigs. I pluck hard but I never had this problem on any other bass. The reason? The raised polepieces. They wreak havoc on my fingers.

So, I want a replacement with no visible polepieces and an improved D/G volume.

Go!

[cybersnyder]

Tap on the G string polepieces with a screwdriver or something metallic to make sure they're working. The preamp is likely the culprit. Reduced G string volume has been a complaint with the original Stingray's but what you're experiencing seems to be more dramatic.

[Devo-lution]

Check your preamp.. If it's a 2 band (three knobs), that means your bass-knob is boost only. In other words. Setting your bass-knob flat can be archieved by turning the knob down completely.

Putting it up full or even halfways boosts the bass frequencies and makes the top two strings louder than the D- and the G string.

[SGD Lutherie]

I second to tap on the magnets with a steel tool like a screwdriver. The preamp shouldn't cause one string to sound THAT weak. That could be from weak magnets under the G string, but then they both wouldn't get that way at the same time. But it sounds more like a pickup issue to me.

Also, I just started making Stingray preamp based on the original 2-band design from '74, and the bass control does cut as well as boost. In fact both controls do. If I turn the bass control all the way down, there's no low end at all. I always thought they were boost only too.