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Post subject: Few questions about guitar setup (Knopfler Fender) Part II
Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 2:50 pm
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Hello everyone, I'm back again with more questions. :)

There has been some time since my last post
http://www.fender.com/community/forums/ ... sc&start=0

and now I have few more questions to ask.

I took my Fender to guitar shop as I was recommended, and guitar tech changed the strings and adjusted truss rod. Now guitar tunes up perfectly.
But now there's something else I've noticed. The 3rd string is bit louder then other stings. I noticed that after guitar set up string tension is just bit harder then before set up but it's totally OK for playing.
I play mostly with fingers, but I've tried pick also. I've strummed each sting separately both ways and result is same. 3rd string is louder. Amp is Fender Super Champ XD.

Any idea?

Just for record, guitar is really wonderful and easy to play, tone is superb. Just this 3rd string problem is bit annoying, although I can control it when I play I would reather have it fixed. :wink:


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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:38 pm
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Hello again Marin
The pickups are texas specials arem't they? The pole pieces to those pickups are staggered to suit string volume's. It could be that the G string is set lower than it should be in relation to all the other strings. If thats the case it will be nearer the pickup than it need to be to balance correctly.
The string heights should follow the radius of the neck. I believe the knopfler is 7.25 inch radius. You can download a printable template for some radius gauges here courtesy of forum user Brother Dave.
Here's his very good website
http://brotherdave.com/resources.htm
Heres the radius gauges
http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/Images/Pickguardian%20Neck%20Radius%20Gauges.pdf
If you print off the gauges and stick them to something solid (plastic) and use them to check at the bridge. The strings should follow that curve perfectly with the bass side higher than the treble.
Dont lower any strings just raise that G string a bit.

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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:40 pm
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Fender Stratocaster Mark Knopfler has Texas special pickups.

Image


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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:45 pm
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I have found this article online about this matter.

Flat Pole versus Staggered Pole Pickups

If you compared a flat pole pickup to a staggered pole pickup wound the same way, you would get a little more presence ( like a Fender Amp presence knob), a little more bass and a little more overall output from the flat pole pickup. Another way to think about it is that a flat pole pickup will generate a little more output without putting more wire on the pickup coil. Adding more wire changes the frequency response, usually by losing some treble and gaining some bass. If you are already use to using staggered pole pickups, you may find that you will need to turn the bass down slightly on the amplifier because with a flat pole pickup you will no longer have to make up for weak low strings.

In most cases the flat pole pickup will give you a better string balance. The high E won't get buried in the mix like a staggered pole pickup can. You will also notice that the two low strings are louder than a staggered pole set, and the G string does not overpower the others.

Staggered poles create more of a smeared tone when you play more than one note at a time—you may or may not like it. On a staggered pole pickup the low strings rarely overpower any amp, but they can also sound somewhat subdued or weak. The volume on the G string tends to dominate all others. If you have previously played using only staggered poles and you don't notice any discrepancies with string-to-string volume balance, you have learned to compensate for them. If you decide to try a flat pole set, it may take some time to adapt but once you get familiar with the sound, you'll find they work better in most cases than a staggered pole design. For example, all teles up until around 1956 had flat poles—no one ever comments that their 1952 telecaster has bad string balance. Also, most Telecasters, Jazzmaster, Mustangs and Fender bass guitars have historically had flat pole pickups. On Gibson guitars no one ever staggers the adjustable poles as much as strat pickups.


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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:49 pm
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Thanks nikininja I'll try this.


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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 4:56 pm
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If I look closely i think i can see the G string is lower. It could just be the camera angle though. Still it wont hurt to raise the string a couple of turns on the hex screws.

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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 5:24 pm
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If I raise the string, will it effect on intonation of the guitar?
I tried this neck radius measure and G sting is lower than it should be.


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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 6:05 pm
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It will affect the intonation a little. Theres an easy rule to remember with intonation. Tune the open string to pitch, check the 12th fret of that string. If the 12th fret is flat in comparison to the open string move the saddle towards the nut (loosen the screw at the back of the trem plate), if its sharp move the saddle back (tighten the screw). So just remember fret-flat-forwards, fret-sharp-back.

Anymore recordings of your wonderfull playing mate?

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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 9:01 pm
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Hello Marin,

No suggestions, just
That is a really cool photograph. 8)

Cheers.


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Posted: Wed Jun 24, 2009 11:58 pm
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OK, I'll contact that guitar tech today, to see if he can do it properly, because I wouldn't like to mess up the intonation.

I have something interesting to post, I'll upload it later today.


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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 6:43 am
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Sorry for delay, but as I promised here's one more recording of mine.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_mu ... dID=968417


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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:54 am
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So Marin did you get the strat sorted out?

Another great recording my friend. :wink: Very classy playing.

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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:31 am
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On the basis of pure supposition, presumably the heights of the poles on staggered pickups was worked out back in the days of wound G strings - was it?

Do ANY of us still use a wound third string? Given that the vast majority of us don't, isn't it odd that companies still make pickups with that high third pole piece? Weird...

Marin: supposing that your string heights are after all set right, then an alternative way of balancing the individual outputs is to make yourself custom sets of strings, with slightly heavier first and second strings, and perhaps a lighter third. Just alter them by a gauge or so and see if that helps.

(Just on the off-chance you weren't aware of it, some string manufacturers offer strings for sale as "singles", so you can buy each string individually in the gauge of your choice. Ernie Ball and D'Addario are two that do this.)

Or swap in a set of pickups with non-staggered poles. Sort of defies some of the point of buying a Knopfler Sig guitar, but playability is your first priority...

Cheers - C


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 9:45 am
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PS:
nikininja wrote:
Another great recording my friend. :wink: Very classy playing.

Yes, we like Marin's playing, don't we? :D Well remembered, Niki...

And congrats, Dragan. Would love to hear you do something on that Strat...

Cheers - C


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