Hi guys,

I have a problem with a 1980's USA '57 re-issue Stratocaster (with its original vintage pick ups)and was wondering if anyone might be able to help?

Whilst using the neck pick up and playing on the low E string, up in the higher frets, I get a 'warbling' 'multi-tone' type of effect when bending or using vibrato (it is almost like using a quick series of hammer-on's when trying to use vibrato).

I did a search on the net and have found others with this same problem and it seems to have been termed 'Stratitis'. The said cause/cure for the problem is that the pick up is set too close to the strings and hence the magnetic pull of the pick up is interfering with the strings vibration and that lowering that pick up away from the strings will cure the problem.

The trouble with mine is that the low E string is pretty quiet whilst in the neck position (compared with the other strings and also with the same string whilst using the other pick ups) and if I lower the pick up even further away from the strings than it already is, (approx 1.4mm at the moment, I had to bring it up a bit closer to try and get some volume into the low E) the volume of the low E string in the neck position is so low that it becomes almost inaudible compared to the others.

Any ideas guys?

Thanks in advance

Russ

You think that maybe the neck pickup has gone bad? I'm sure you don't want to spoil the all-original pickups. Maybe you could fix it or rebuild it or something?

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2010 American Deluxe Strat Sunset Metallic - Lindy Fralin Blues Specials in the neck and middle, Dimarzio AT-1 humbucker in the bridge.
PRS Custom 22 with solid rosewood neck
Mesa/Boogie Electra Dyne 1x12 combo
DRRI

That had occurred to me but the rest of the pick up seems to be working fine, and the magnetic pull from the suspect pole (from a crude method of testing using a small screwdriver) seems to be pretty much the same as the other pick ups?

Maybe the low E's action is set too low. Them bass strings need room to move. The string is too close to the pickup so somethings gotta give, either the pickup or the string.

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No no and no

That is what I suspected, but, if I create any more distance between the pick up pole and string, either by lowering the pick up or raising the action (I should also add that the action is already set quite high on this guitar), surely I am going to loose the volume on the low E again?

As I said earlier, the magnetic pull appears to be pretty similar on the suspect pole to the other poles in the pick up, is there any other aspect of the pick up that could be causing the low volume on that particular pole?

Thanks for taking the time to try and help guys,

Russ

If you have an ohm-meter available, measure the resistance of the pickups. Plug a guitar cord into the guitar output jack, put the meter on the tip and ring of the male jack that normally goes to the amp, and measure the resistance of the pickup positions 1,3, and 5 and compare. Make sure the tone and volume controls are all the way up to 10.

All I can think if its one string on one pickup is that the polepiece has demagnetized. But in that case you wouldnt get stratitis on that string unless it was coming from another pickup, maybe the middle.

Could you have misdiagnosed the problem?

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No no and no

1.4mm (between 3/64 and 4/64?) seems a tad bit too close if I'm doing my conversion correct.

When you are measuring/adjusting your pickup height are you depressing the E and e strings at the last fret (closest to the body) then measuring from the top of that pole piece to the bottom of the string?

What are the current measurements for both the bass and treble sides for all 3 pickups?

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Chet Feathers

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Magnets lose gauss (pull) over time. It's possible that the pole piece has weakened at an abnormally fast rate. Not a very common complaint at all, but since the pickup has output on the other strings it's not likely that a coil winding is broken. Lots of weird stuff happens to that pickup over time; getting whacked continuously by Pete Townsend-like power strumming could have some effect... I would advise taking the pickup to a reputed repair shop that specializes in guitar pickups. If nothing else, they could replace the dying pole piece and send you on your way (if that is indeed the problem). Cheers.

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

If the polepiece is losing gauss it wont be pulling on the string will it?

I personaly think its a setup/eq setting problem.

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No no and no

I'm thinking pup height and amp settings myself.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

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I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

Niki, he didn't say he had the pull on the string, that was what he found while trying to research his problem.

[/quote]I did a search on the net and have found others with this same problem and it seems to have been termed 'Stratitis'. The said cause/cure for the problem is that the pick up is set too close to the strings and hence the magnetic pull of the pick up is interfering with the strings vibration and that lowering that pick up away from the strings will cure the problem

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60th Anniversary AD Strat, Deluxe Nashville Tele, Player's P Bass. Mesa/Boogie Mk IV combo, Marshall JCM800, 1960A cab, Genz Benz El Diablo 60, Genz 2x12" cab, too many neat little practice amps and kit projects!

Stratitis is the warbling wolf note syndrome caused by having strings too close to the polepieces, isnt it? The other side effect of that is that volume of the affected strings is lowered because the magnetic pull stops the string vibrating freely.

Thats why I suspect its the height of the low E string. If it were pickup height it would affect the A string too. The simple check is does it do it in all switch positions?

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No no and no

Hi guys,

The problem is only present whilst using the neck pick up and playing the low E string in the higher frets and using either bending or vibrato techniques.

The problem is there even when the pick up is lowered quite a way back from the string, but by this point, the volume of the string has decreased so much that the low E string is rendered pretty much useless by this point in normal playing situatuations.

One theory that I have come up with is this; Maybe the pole under the low E string on the neck pick up, for what ever reason, has lost some of its volume? As a result, whilst bending, or using vibrato, the string is moved more towards, and possibly over the A strings pole. The sound is then picked up by this pole and thus causes a sudden jump in volume. As the bend is released (or constantly moved towards the A pole and released in the event of using vibrato) the string moves back over its own magnet (which we could suspect has a loss of volume) and the volume drops again causing the strange warbling type of effect.

Does any of this sound feasible to you guys?

If so, what could be the cause of the volume loss of that pole in the first place, and what, if anything, can be done about it?

Thanks again for all the help and suggestions,

Russ

Like I asked does it happen in other pickup positions?

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No no and no