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Post subject: Fender Victor Bailey Acoustic Bass E-Sting is very Quietly
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 10:27 pm
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hi, i have buy a used Fender Victor Bailey Acoustic Bass 4 String. The Problem what i have is that the E-String is very quietly. A-D-G are sounded normal. What can i do? The higher tones on the E-String are a Little bit louder. From the B tone up on the E-String they works better but the lower tones are dead! :) This Problem is olny when i have plugged the bass on an amp! without amp it sounds normaly!!

i'm thankful for some tips!!


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Post subject: Re: Fender Victor Bailey Acoustic Bass E-Sting is very Quiet
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 2:57 am
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Location: Albemarle, NC
Sounds like something going on with the Piezo pickup under the saddle and most likely that strip is out of optimum position. Here is what I'd suggest trying.

1. Remove or loosen up all four strings so you have full access to the saddle. (The saddle is the white plastic part that inserts into the wooden bridge.) Keep the instrument flat and stable. Note the saddle orientation, meaning which end is left and and which is right. It sometimes helps to stick a tab of masking tape on each end the saddle for leverage and you can label the end tabs L and R. It is easier to grip the tape than the saddle which is slick.

2. Remove the saddle by pulling it evenly straight up. Once the saddle is removed check the position of thin piece of metal in the slot where the saddle goes. This metal is in the bottom of the slot under the saddle when the saddle is in place. That thin piece of metal is the pickup.

3. Make sure the metal part of the pickup strip is in position to contact the saddle under the E string. Check to make sure there is no debris in the slot. Blow it out with Dustoff or similar product and move the pickup strip into a position that is centered under the 4 strings in the slot.

4. Visually inspect the bottom of saddle where it contacts the pickup strip. It should be clean, smooth and even. Rub the bottom edge on a CLEAN soft cloth and reinsert it in the original orientation so that it re-seats evenly and firmly. After re-seating the saddle keep the instrument FLAT on it's back and avoid ANY lateral movements until it is fully restrung.

5. Restring the E and G strings FIRST then the A and D second. Bring the tension of each pair of strings up incrementally and evenly with no great variance in tension. You don't want to squeeze the metal strip toward one end or the slot or the other.

6. At future string changes, change ONE STRING AT A TIME with the instrument flat on it's back so the tension on the remaining strings stays even to hold the pickup strip in place and to minimize any movement of the strip.

See if that helps. If this isn't a remedy you may need a skilled tech to set it up properly.

What happens sometimes is when someone changes strings and pressure on the bridge is absent or applied unevenly (or even just in the course of normal movement of the instrument) gravity can cause the pickup strip in any under saddle piezo pickup to move toward the center of the earth which of course is away from the top E string. The pressure of the strings should be enough to prevent that. But this can happen if someone doesn't know how the pickup strip can move when doing a string change and they remove ALL the strings at once or bring them up to full tension one at a time. It may take more than one attempt to get the piezo strip in a position where the E and G strings both sound at an even volume. I'm really thinking the piezo pickup strip has moved some and that is all that is wrong here. Worst case scenario is you need a new pickup strip and have to pay a tech for a setup. But I think you should give it a look yourself first.


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Post subject: Re: Fender Victor Bailey Acoustic Bass E-Sting is very Quiet
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 9:40 am
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!! THE BASS WORKS!!! YEHA!!!!! STAY TUNED AND FUNKY!!!!!

:mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: Fender Victor Bailey Acoustic Bass E-Sting is very Quiet
Posted: Wed Oct 15, 2014 1:50 pm
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Location: Albemarle, NC
gerhardpably wrote:
THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!!! THE BASS WORKS!!! YEHA!!!!! STAY TUNED AND FUNKY!!!!!

:mrgreen:


You are welcome. Glad that procedure worked for you. That is a really neat A/E bass.


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