Differently sounding strings

[DMKano]

Hello everyone. This is my first post on this forum so I wanted to say Hello and I apologize in advance for my english

I have a problem with sound of my Ibanez SR605:

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My problem is that almost every string in that guitar sounds a bit different. Exception are A and D strings, which sounds pretty similiar. B string sounds muffled, unclean and I think – louder than other strings. On the E string sound is more clean but still muffled. Besides these two strings always sounds more bass than the others. As I mentioned before the A and D strings sounds similiar and cleaner, but less bass. G string sounds very bright and sharp compared to the others.

Another problem is that even on the same string are places on the fretboard where sound is different. So when I play with a band and I’m going from lower to the higher strings I become less audible and even on the lower strings I sometimes hear my bass very well and sometimes not.

These differences become more audible when I play in the room with bad acoustic.

I've recorded some samples so that you can hear it.

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On the last one i played only on the B string:
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I’ve set my guitar volume – 100%, bass, mid, treble – 50%, pickup balance – 50/50 (except two last samples where I used only bridge pickup). Strings that I’m using are D’Addario EXL165-5. Earlier I used the Ernie Ball strings (unfortunately I don't remember which ones, probably the EB2824 but I’m not sure), but the effect was the same. I recorded it on a Peavey rage 158 amp through the headphone output to the line in on my computer. This amp is actually a guitar amp, because at the moment I can’t use the bass one (Fender rumble 150), but I noticed that problem on my bass amp first. Guitar cable is Fender FG186.

I wanted to know is there a way to level out these differences?

 

[Bass Man Dan]

Have you checked/adjusted pick-up height?

 

[DMKano]

Have you checked/adjusted pick-up height?

On one site I found information that the standard distance of the string (pressed on the last fret) and the pickup should be 2-3 mm and on the other site that 3-5 mm, so I decided to set the distance to 3mm (so I lowered it a bit), but the sound is not changed.

 

[DMKano]

Can you give me some another advices what can I do to fix it?

 

[Yahboy]

Bart MK1 pickup syndrome.
I own a SR705 in 2008 which equip with Bart MK1 pup. Close like your described, Big sound B, Less meaty E, less ballsy A and D plus thin G.
The problem solve after replace with deep tone USA Bart P2 soapar pup along with 3band NTMB preamp.
This syndrome also occur on my previous SRFF805 BH1 pickup.

The banana neck SR3xxE powerspan pup has better balance tone than those MK1 pup.

Edit.
OP should try the latest SR8xx bass which equip with new BH2 pup. Balance tone across the board and better sound.

 

[DMKano]

Thanks for your answer. Maybe you're right, but as for the G string I hear that very sharp sound even without connecting to the amp. So if I switched pickups and preamp, would they improve the sound of that string heard from the amplifier? Or it maybe not just a electronics problem. What you think?

 

[AlenH]

How does it sound acoustically (unamplified)? Same issue? If so then its not electronic. I'm sure more 'qualified' TBers will come along shortly... but I would check each string to make sure it wasn't twisted and more importantly that the witness points at Bridge and nut were correctly set.

 

[DMKano]

Sorry for the late response. Unamplified it sounds different too (at least G string), but yesterday I checked on the internet what is that "witness points" because I never heard about it and then I did what the man it this article suggested:

String Seating and Witness Points — Haze Guitars

It didn't help but I took of the E string to check if it isn't twisted as you suggested (i did it to the other string as well) and I put it back on, but before I gently rubbed the saddle groove with a sandpaper, because I noticed that the E string had almost no space on it compared to the A, D and G strings. Then I played something. I'm not sure but I think the sound is now more similar to the other strings, but the difference is still audible.