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Post subject: E String Issues
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 9:05 am
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I have a Squier VM Jazz bass.

The E sounds pretty bad, and I don't know why. I've replaced the strings, tried different gauges, but it's only that string sounding bad. It's hard describe, but it's boomy and life-less, like an old, worn string that doesn't really stay in tune when fretted. It's even worse when I tune to drop-d. I've tried adjusting the pup heights and switching saddles, but hasn't affected anything. One time I replaced it with a 095 and it sounded better, but wasn't practical because it was too thin, the 110 which I tried sounded terrible.

Does anyone have any suggestions how to fix it? The only thing I can think of that might help is replacing the nut, but I'm yet to find a replacement online.


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 10:00 am
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Normally I don't like nickel coated steel strings at all. I always prefer the superior tone of pure nickle windings but I the one time I'll make an exception is on the bass and I'll run these strings:

http://www.fender.com/accessories/strings/super-8250s-bass-strings/

I do so only because they have taper-wound E strings.
The part that goes over the bridge is smaller diameter than the rest of the string.
The result .... no more muddy E string.
Try them. You'll never go back to conventionally wound strings.

Now ... if Fender would just offer taper-wounds in pure nickle I'd be a happy camper.

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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 10:01 am
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Welcome to the world of bolt on bass guitars.


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 10:31 am
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BMW-KTM wrote:


I like to use steel strings so this looks promising; if they'll fix my trouble, I will definitely try these if all else fails.

So by these strings' logic, could I get the same result from filing the saddle out so the string slots in more?


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Mon May 20, 2013 1:33 pm
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jealousbones wrote:
... could I get the same result from filing the saddle out so the string slots in more?

I don't think I'd want to start messing with my saddles if I were you. Besides, I don't think it would work.

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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 3:28 am
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Let's possibly try a different angle on this...

You didn't mention the amp/speaker or combo amp that you are using... or the size of the room where you are noticing this issue.

Is there any chance that is is simply 'room acoustics' that you are hearing rather than an actual problem with the bass itself? Unless you have enough floor space in the room, the lowest frequency full wavelengths may not have enough distance to travel out of the speaker system before it encounters an obstruction such as a wall or large piece of furniture. Try different speaker locations and try to get as much separation between the front of the speaker cabinet and the closest wall as you can. Some speaker cabinets or combo amps have removable rear casters. Try removing the back casters to angle the cabinet up slightly. Change your standing position in the room as you are playing to see if the sound gets better or worse as you move about in the room in relation to the cabinet. If none of this helps, borrow another bass and test that one as a comparison - under identical playing conditions in that room. If another bass does the same thing, it could possibly be the room's audio response characteristics are what is causing the muddy sound or possibly a frequency response issue with the amp or speaker(s). Good luck with your troubleshooting.


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 12:17 pm
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PaducahLuke wrote:
Let's possibly try a different angle on this...

You didn't mention the amp/speaker or combo amp that you are using... or the size of the room where you are noticing this issue.

Is there any chance that is is simply 'room acoustics' that you are hearing rather than an actual problem with the bass itself? Unless you have enough floor space in the room, the lowest frequency full wavelengths may not have enough distance to travel out of the speaker system before it encounters an obstruction such as a wall or large piece of furniture. Try different speaker locations and try to get as much separation between the front of the speaker cabinet and the closest wall as you can. Some speaker cabinets or combo amps have removable rear casters. Try removing the back casters to angle the cabinet up slightly. Change your standing position in the room as you are playing to see if the sound gets better or worse as you move about in the room in relation to the cabinet. If none of this helps, borrow another bass and test that one as a comparison - under identical playing conditions in that room. If another bass does the same thing, it could possibly be the room's audio response characteristics are what is causing the muddy sound or possibly a frequency response issue with the amp or speaker(s). Good luck with your troubleshooting.


Very good suggestion. I was going to say that plus suggest LOWERING the pickups under the "E" string a bit to see if that helped. Just tighten the screws on both pickups on the "E" side. May or may not help.


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 1:25 pm
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intonated correctly?


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 5:11 pm
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Intonation issues won't make it muddy sounding, just off key.

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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Tue May 21, 2013 9:27 pm
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I won't argue about that right now. :D

I've had the same problem and ended up selling the basses that had that prob- I think it's got to do with the neck and dead spots etc etc. I tried and tried but couldn't figure it out on two or three basses I had-- One of them I'm sure it was the neck. --The others I didn't throw money at them I just sold them and went on to other basses. Now the MM basses I think it was the pickups and the way they were voiced that made the G sound dead. I had three like that.


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Wed May 22, 2013 10:04 am
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Thanks for all the replies. I forget to mention I've played it in loads of places, with loads of amps, so it's safe to rule out room acoustics, also it is properly intonated and I think I mentioned in my first post that I have tried adjusting pickup heights. So I'm really out of ideas, I'll be taking it to a local guitar shop this friday for them to take a look and see what they say about. I'll probably post back with their verdict if people are interested.


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Thu May 23, 2013 5:56 am
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After reading your original post again I come back to strings. Try the taper wounds. It's an inexpensive experiment that can't hurt to try.

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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Sun May 26, 2013 4:21 am
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Ok, I didn't go to my guitar shop and instead opted to try the taperwounds. While the strings themselves are good, it still didn't fix the problem. I hope it isn't the case but I guess I just got a dud bass (I ordered it online) :(
I'll still take it along to the guitar guys to see if there's anything that can save it sometime...


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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 9:21 am
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First thing I like to do in situations like this is give the build (i.e. what the manufacturing plant did) a good going through. On a bargain bass, way up at the top of my checklist would be neck heel-to-body fit. Take an especially close look at how the neck heel and the body's heel cavity are prepped. Sometimes these surfaces are very rough, so that even with the neck screws good and tight the neck is actually mating with the body over only a very small aggregate surface area. Sometimes an irregular (lumpy or sagging) neck finish can ruin the flatness of a neck heel, but I don't know if those Squier necks are finished all the way down to the end of the heel. Anyway, you get the idea: The closer to perfectly flat you can get those two mating surfaces, the better.

Also check the nut for tightness in the slot, check the bridge for flatness against the body (you'll need to remove it to do that -- check that it does NOT rock from side to side or front to back when the screws are out), and make sure the screws are snugged up and not stripped. Also make sure the tuners' backplates are flat against the headstock and aren't warped and all those little screws are snugged up well. Check the headstock surface where the tuners mate with it -- check for bumps, lumps, etc. that would prevent full contact.

Also check to make sure there's at least some tension on the truss rod. If there isn't, then it might be vibrating sympathetically with that E string, sucking the life out of it.

Just a few thoughts ...... hope it helps.

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Post subject: Re: E String Issues
Posted: Fri May 31, 2013 10:13 am
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That sounds like a long shot but it's an interesting theory and is definitely worth trying, thanks for the suggestion.


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