artisan

[quote name='Chris2112' post='757365' date='Feb 25 2010, 06:56 PM']My Sabre special suffered from this quite badly when I first got it. I adjusted the bass and sorted the string heights, and after a tweak and set up by myself, the G string is back in action! Now it sounds full and punchy, whereas before it sounded as flat as a fart! It also has one of those lovely SD MM pickups in it...sounds absolutely incredible! [/quote] bugger me that bass is gorgeous.

[quote name='green' post='757197' date='Feb 25 2010, 06:00 PM']i guess i found out what's wrong with the g-string: the distance of the pole pieces should follow the curvature of the neck, and then bring the strings closer, the thinner they get, right? now look at the pickup of the stingray . the pole pieces on the g-string are even lower than the pole pieces of the e-string. the opposite should be the case. now, if you bring the one side of the pickup closer to the g-string, it will be ok, but then the d-string would be too loud. i guess, the problem is in the pole pieces of the g-string. is there any way to adjust their height ?[/quote] no unfortunately not mate,it's a sh*te design for shure.

[quote name='niceguyhomer' post='756718' date='Feb 25 2010, 09:17 AM']I sorted this problem out by angling the pup a bit, going a gauge higher on the G string and using compression to even things out. It's annoyin' innit?[/quote] cheers Al' indeed it is annoying,shouldn't need to mess with a 1K plus bass. i've already done all possible adjustments inc' messing with my amp + compression + a set of fantastic EB group 2 flats (which sound & play amazing ),i've got the string about as loud as the other 3 but whatever i do it just sounds poxy,but my nordy's just arrived so here's hoping.

[quote name='green' post='756449' date='Feb 24 2010, 09:20 PM']cool how about recording an A/B with a few soundclips ? you could still do that now that the original pickup is still in the bass...[/quote] i'd love to but i don't have anything to record it on

[quote name='OldGit' post='756191' date='Feb 24 2010, 05:55 PM']Did it play differently after that? John Dankworth used to tell a tale of lending his sax to Charlie Parker who had turned up to play wthout his as he'd hocked it ... he said it was totally different ever after...[/quote] not in the slightest,i just had to spend a couple of hours cleaning & restringing it but it was worth it just to watch Norm playing it.

[quote name='green' post='756174' date='Feb 24 2010, 04:38 PM']artisan, let us know if the nordstrand helps. i have the same "problem"...[/quote] will do mate,it should arrive tomorrow so i'll get it fitted asap & let you know.

Bass5 cheers for the info mate,much appreciated but i've already ordered the Nordstrand impulsive me ? never dub cheers mate,if i'm still not happy with it i'll give that a try.

[quote name='martthebass' post='756064' date='Feb 24 2010, 03:43 PM']I don't have a problem with my current Ray4 but have had the problem in the past (particularly on a Sterling 4 I once had). The pup on mine is set 4mm higher on the G side than the E, I think that is the main reason for the decent balance - worth a try?[/quote] cheers,i have been fiddling with the pickup height for a few months now to no avail,i have got the volume pretty even but the g string just lacks balls,is really does sound weak. but i love this bass ti bits & won't ever be parted from it so i'm going to try the Nordy & hope that sorts it + going by the sound clips i've heard it'll sound better too.

[quote name='firmo' post='754833' date='Feb 23 2010, 01:30 PM']Once at a gig my bass was on it's stand right at the back of the stage (behind the curtain) when the support bands bassist bust a string. I was stood there and saw him put his bass down and disappear somewhere, I assumed he'd gone to grab his spare only to find him come back out from behind the curtain with my bass! Cheeky little f***er[/quote] LOL that exact thing happened to me a few years ago but the cheeky little f***er was none other than Norman Watt Roy we were supporting Wilco Johnson at Fibbers in York when Norman broke a string & sent the big ugly mofo guarding the dressing room to fetch my P bass. it was a laugh to watch his first couple on notes though as we were tuned down a half step mind he played like a demon all night without retuning my bass & i got a nice big thank you from him & Wilco over the p.a. plus a good chat afterwards,bloody nice blokes the pair of them. my bass was a real sweaty mess when i got it back though,ive never seen anyone sweat so much.

thanks for the replies guys after much thought & searching i'm going to order a Nordstrand today,so i'll let you know the outcome. even if it doesn't cure it, after listening to the sound clips i much prefer the Nordy's tone anyways & it's only money. i'm pretty shure it's not the pre-amp, but if the pickup doesn't cure it that will be my next move. i'm not going to give up on this bass as it is a beauty. cheers.

i recently bought a new 2 band 'ray ,which i love to bits btw. the only slight niggle i have with it is the g string is weaker sounding than the other strings although not as bad as my old 3 band model which had a totally inaudible g string & hence got flogged on. volume wise it is just a loud as the other strings but lacks the "balls" or "punch" if you like & no amount of adjustment makes a difference. i.ve strung it with some fairly heavy EB group 2 flats which sound amazing,well on 3 strings & give the exact tone i want. i have read up on the 'net about this fairly common problem, which only affects the 4 string Stingrays & people have suggested it could be an e.q. problem-i can confirm it is not. the only people who seem to have cured this seem to have fitted a different pickup,the pickup of choice seems to be one of the following - either a Seymor Duncan SMB4a or a Nordstrand 4.2 has anyone tried either of these & did it work? cheers.

what a nice guy Tom is,just met him this morning to sold him my Gibson SG bass & had a rite good natter. top bloke.

if you can find a second hand one check out the Roland D-bass range,or use the take it away & buy a new one. i sold my Ampeg SVT rig,because i got sick of humping it around,& bought a D-bass 210 & mighty pleased i am with it too. very versatile soundwise,louder than the SVT & it's compact & pretty light too. i used it in my old blues band with my Gibson SG bass producing a lovely old school thump & i now use it with my Stingray in a funk band & it sounds awesome in that too. i really can't rate it high enough,it is the best amp i've ever had in my 30 years of playing.

job well done mate congrats. i know what hard work that is as i've just joined a new band doing a lot of Chic & Sister Sledge / funk stuff,which is a big culture shock for me after 30 years of playing blues/classic rock. obviously what you now need is a nice short scale Gibson bass (ala Andy Fraser) & there just so happens to be one in the for sale section . APPOLOGIES FOR SHAMELESS & RATHER PATHETIC PLUG

after the demise of my old blues band i joined a funk band who play quite a few old Chic / Sister Sledge style songs so i really wanted to get that lovely old disco (Bernard Edwards) tone & my Gibson just can't do that. which was of course a good excuse to buy my 2 band Stingray & nice set of EB flats,sorted.

i had a MIA 62 reissue jazz & i too was not all that impressed especially when the neck decided to develop a clockwise twist & unadjustable forward bow,i believe Marcus has had the same trouble with a couple of these in the past also. personally i'd steer clear & stick with a MIA std or get a '75 reissue as these don't seem to have this problem.