The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    Today I changed the strings on my Eastman SB59. It had one year old round wound 010's on it and I wanted something with a bit more body, so I changed to TI Bebop 011 round wounds. All sounded great, until I noticed that the low E string sounded a bit less loud than the rest of the strings. I adjusted the pole piece upwards for that string and it (more or less) fixed the volume thing. However, compared to the A and D, the low E still lacks some clarity or definition. I thought it might be a bad string, but on the bridge element it sounds more or less normal.

    I can't remember I had this issue with the old strings, but of course, I'm not sure whether I listened carefully enough.

    Can anyone explain what I heard? The pickups are Amber Spirit of '59 and they sound like heaven (well, the other 5 strings do...)

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  3. #2

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    You could try adjusting the entire pickup higher, then all the polepieces down a little. IME the low E is usually louder than the others because it's thicker, but I haven't used TI strings in a very long time. The difference in tone could be from the amp, but I don't know what amp you're using, nor can I hear it.

  4. #3
    Good idea. I'll try my amps tomorrow. I've been playing exclusively on my Waza Air since I have it, but the amp sims on it are very good.

  5. #4

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    Amber humbuckers, I have heard a lot of appraisal for them. Luckily my Ants and ECPs make me satisfied still after many years.

    Is the string alignment in its right place? I have had a similar thing happening once or twice and the reason was that the 6th string had gone to 1-3 mm wrong place on my ebony bridge. I suppose there is a slot too from some old alignment and the string slips there easily.

    If You use TOM bridge this does not happen so easily of course.

    Good luck!

  6. #5

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    the thom bebops are pure nickel wrap with a thin inner steel core...so the magnetic reaction with the pickup is going to be less...as sg wrote ^, try raising the pup...you can even angle it slightly higher on the low E side...and then fine tune with the polepieces

    most guitars when going from typical stainless steel or nickel plated steel strings to pure nickel strings can use a pup height adjustment..fact that thoms are designed as they are (tho great strings!) makes it even more necessary

    cheers

  7. #6
    Thanks guys!
    Yes, the SB59 has a TOM bridge. I'll adjust the pickup height tomorrow.

  8. #7
    Adjusting the pickup height solved the problem, but for some reason I get a lot more buzz when I let go of the strings, which I suppose is a grounding issue. Any ideas?

  9. #8

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    If there is a hum when you aren't touching the strings, which goes away when you do touch them, that is usually a grounding problem. The strings should be grounded through the tailpiece, and that thin ground wire can break or come loose.

  10. #9
    Thanks, I'll take it to a tech. I have no experience in electronics whatsoever. Funny thing is that on my (wireless) Waza Air system, there is no hum at all, which makes it even more sense that the problem is a ground issue. I've heard that some people go wireless, just for the sake of getting rid of grounding issues.

  11. #10

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    If there is no noise with a wireless system, and there is with a cable, it's possible that you have a defective cable. It should be easy enough to check if you have another cable.

  12. #11

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    If there is no noise with a wireless system, and there is with a cable, it's possible that you have a defective cable. It should be easy enough to check if you have another cable.

  13. #12
    It's not the cable: I double checked with two other cables. I'll take it to the tech to see if it's a simple grounding thing.

  14. #13

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    it's probably the amp more than the pickups, i live in a 1920s building, and I'm about to buy a Furman power conditioner

  15. #14
    I tried it on two amps. Both the same. On my Waza Air wireless it's dead silent. My house is from 2003, though that's no guarantee for flawless electrics neither I'm afraid.