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Post by Tom(2) on Jan 3, 2020 19:14:43 GMT -5
I have a cheap (but surprisingly good acoustic sounding) acoustic bass that I use for, well, acoustic gigs together with (or against?) 2 western guitars, sometimes a banjo and often ukulele. I have a Mark Bass CMD 121P combo and I would be very happy with that setup if… well, if there wasn't a noticable difference between the a-string and all other strings, when the bass is plugged into the amp. Especially round the 7th fret the sound is louder, compared to the other strings. I have tried to remedy this by finding the right frequency on the amp, but this does not really work, or it does alter the overall sound in a way that I don't like.
Of course, the rest of the band thinks everything is ok (I suspect the guitarists are too absorbed with their own parts, hehehe), but to me this is a bother. I don't know if this a tribute to the cheap price, but since the bass sounds fairly even acoustically, I wonder if there's a way to get this better to the amp?
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Post by hushnel on Jan 3, 2020 20:51:38 GMT -5
Have you changed strings? Is it under saddle or bridge plate transducers? What is it’s scale length?
I’ve had similar problems, with strings. I had to play the one string softer than the others. A PIA.
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Post by Tom(2) on Jan 4, 2020 4:21:39 GMT -5
Have you changed strings? Is it under saddle or bridge plate transducers? What is it’s scale length? it's a normal scale and has the piezos in the saddle I think (haven't taken the saddle out during string change). yep, new strings, I tried Elexir for the first time a while ago. I read somewhere that maybe the saddle's underside is not perfectly flat or that it sits slightly tilted after the string change and thus the piezo does not get the full pressure in some places. I want to try nylon flat wound strings next (played them on a friend's bass and loved the feel and sound), but the Elexirs still have some good life left in them (that coating really works). How did you remedy the problem on your bass?
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Post by hushnel on Jan 4, 2020 10:40:38 GMT -5
Sounds like a bridge saddle problem.
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Post by MacDoof on Jan 5, 2020 4:39:42 GMT -5
Yep. If it sounds good acoustically, then the problem lies with the output. Cheaper piezos often have problems. It could be unseated under the saddle though. Its just a thin strip attached by a tiny wire. if the saddle istnt seated right either.
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Post by Tom(2) on Jan 5, 2020 12:58:49 GMT -5
Yep. If it sounds good acoustically, then the problem lies with the output. Cheaper piezos often have problems. It could be unseated under the saddle though. Its just a thin strip attached by a tiny wire. if the saddle istnt seated right either. thanks… will have a look at the saddle/seating/piezo strip then when next changing the srings
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Post by hushnel on Jan 5, 2020 13:16:02 GMT -5
You can capo the strings, loosen them up and pull them at the pins to check the bridge with out removing the strings from the tuning machines.
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stevedallman
Quarternote
I spent years at FDP....even got a “best amp tech advice” award early on.
Posts: 17
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Post by stevedallman on Jan 17, 2020 10:28:21 GMT -5
For a piezo pickup to pickup evenly, both the bottom of the saddle, and the bottom of the bridge slot has to be perfectly flat. There is a trick to evening out response that I've used often over the years.
Go to Walmart or a hobby store and buy some self-hardening clay. You will only need a small amount and once opened, the package will dry out before the next time you need it, no matter how well you wrap it.
Take a small amount and on a table top, roll a thin, long roll of clay...maybe 1/32" in diameter. Cut it to the length of your pickup. Sandwich it between the saddle and the piezo, or if you suspect the bottom of the slot is the issue, put it under the pickup. Push the saddle in and tighten the strings. Push a bit on the bridge after it's tuned up. Let the bass/guitar sit for a day.
It should be even, or a lot more so as the clay fills the gaps. If it doesn't work, the clay is easy to remove, even when completely dry with a small pick, like a dental tool or very small screwdriver.
You don't need much clay and after it is pressed in, it shouldn't raise the saddle, unless you used too much.
This idea came from an old article regarding uneven response in piezo film pickups called "Is Clay the Way?"
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