Volume/depth on D/G strings

[schmig]

Hi all,

Last question I asked here was related to getting a fatter, warmer tone out of my jazz bass, was recommended to pick up a Sansamp VT bass: this has worked out excellently, thank you!

I wonder can anyone give me another tip. Am gigging regularly at the moment, playing a lot of blues, down around the low registers. The problem I'm having is that when for instance throwing in small flourishes that necessitate using slightly higher registers, I may end up on the G string. It's quiet to the point of being inaudible, when compared to the nice boom of my E and A Strings.

Should I stick to those strings and travel up the neck? Seems a horrible solution.

Currenly I'm playing a geddy lee model jazz through a compressor (pretty much flat) followed by the VT bass (mids and highs not far off 12 o'clock, bass a bit higher, character turned left, not much drive). Finally out through a warwick sweet fifteen which has mids a bit down with treble, bass closer 1 o'clock.

I've found the same thing playing through my other basses (old Aria SBs now largely untouched) without any compressor etc...just seems to me when I'm gigging that those strings get lost.

 

[awall]

What size strings are you using? Lighter gauges can get pretty thin sounding in the D-G area. I have switched to flats on my jazz. I playing in a working blues band too, and when I need to play high runs, I move my right hand a bit ahead of the neck pick up. I usually play just behind the pick up. I'm still using light gauge strings, but moving to flats helped a lot.
Al

 

[jtc_hunter]

adjust the "tilt" of your pickups so that the poles are closer to the D and G strings. That will give you more volume with the same attack. By the same token you can lower the end of each pickup on the E and A end to balance the volume. I do both.

 

[lowregister]

adjust the "tilt" of your pickups so that the poles are closer to the D and G strings. That will give you more volume with the same attack. By the same token you can lower the end of each pickup on the E and A end to balance the volume. I do both.

+1

 

[AlembicPlayer]

have you tried adjusting the pickups?
lower on the bass side, higher on the D and G side

bypass your comp when testing for balance

 

[schmig]

Folks, you make this site an unbelievable resource. Thank you. I'll give that a try. Have been meaning to pick up some flats too, from various reports have read here.

 

[MNAirHead]

I"m backing off a few steps..

Is the volume issue through an amp or Front of House

You may have the preferred volume issue as for a solid blues, it's often adviseable to reduce the mids... ghost fills are commonly preferred for this type of thing.

 

[JimmyM]

I would think having mids down would be a significant contributor as well.

 

[schmig]

@MNAirHead, when you say ghost fills, what do you mean?

 

[JackANSI]

I would think having mids down would be a significant contributor as well.

Thats where I went first. If you're cutting mids at all, don't, maybe add a little too..

 

[Ric5]

turn up the low mids.