Nut?

[Stan_da_man]

Just put a new set of strings on my Jazz and have gone down from a 45-105 to a 40-100 gauge. Everything is fine except the A string sounds dead played open - fretted it sounds fine. Gave the nut a quick clean but that changed nothing... how do I stop it sounding dead?! Many thanks.

[spellonyou]

maybe the nut slot is too wide for the gauge of the new a string, causing loss of sustain due to the string moving back and forth.

[Stan_da_man]

Would be surprised if that was the case - I've had a set of TI rounds on this thing before and the A string is .76 (?) and had no issues then.

[Stan_da_man]

Now sorted - problem was solved by lowering the string wrap around the capstan.

Edited June 23, 2013 by Stan_da_man

[iiipopes]

This is an inherent weakness in Fender and all other 4-in-line tuner basses. The A string has to be cut longer to come down right to the bushing or the A string will thump. My speculation is that this is why over the years A strings have been of strange gauges compared to the other strings in the set (for example, the T-I jazz flat is so loose compared to the E, D & G), and that for awhile Precision pickups had the "high A" polepieces. A much better design is to reverse the headstock, so the G has the most break angle over the nut for sustain and moderate "twang," and that it won't bind like the E string does, then the D string, then the A and E strings under the retainer that can be adjusted for position and height to the optimum afterlength and break angle.

[BigRedX]

The fault isn't with the tuners being 4 in-line it's to do with the headstock not being angled back. A cost-cutting construction measure devised by Fender and one which IMO is not longer relevant or appropriate nowadays.

[icastle]

Alternatively, just ensure you put the strings on properly.

[discreet]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1372107601' post='2121805']
Alternatively, just ensure you put the strings on properly. [size=4][/quote][/size]
[size=4]Quite. [/size]

Edited June 24, 2013 by discreet

[iiipopes]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1372082081' post='2121317']
The fault isn't with the tuners being 4 in-line it's to do with the headstock not being angled back. A cost-cutting construction measure devised by Fender and one which IMO is not longer relevant or appropriate nowadays.
[/quote]
That is the cure, not the origin of the problem. And it wasn't exactly cost-cutting, it was just the state of the art of the design for something that had not been invented before. Both Fender and Rickenbacker, which the origins of the 4000, like the P-bass, are also in the '50's, have the straight headstocks. It wasn't until Alembic took a new direction with exotic woods and active electronics that tilted back headstocks on basses, like those on Gibson and Martin guitars, started to come into their own.

Edited June 25, 2013 by iiipopes