I have a 40th anniversary strat with a weedy sounding 6th string. It has poor sustain, low volume, and an indistinct tone that sounds like it's never really in tune. The problem is mechanical. you can hear it acoustically, even with the scratchplate assembly off the guitar. Over the years I have tried a variety of things; new nut (graphtech), new machine head, three different types of saddle (stuck with graphtech), more springs, fewer springs, floating, flush, different strings, different tunings, etc. The end result a very slight improvement but still not right. Do any of you good people out there have any ideas?

Does it have a string tree on the hadstock for the E string. I had MIM Strat that I took the string tree of for some reason and it did the exact thing to the bottom 2 strings that you are talking about. They need some more downorce at the nut, and the string trees do just that.

Hi dapamjan: the sixth string usually means the thickest one, so string trees wouldn't come into it. However, it is surprising if that is indeed what derekbiggerstaff is talking about - we don't usually hear of this issue with the bottom (bass) E; so that is certainly confusing.

But Derek, whichever E/e string we are talking about, have you tried a fatter gauge string in that position? The chunkier the string the more output it will induce in the pickup. Something to think about if you haven't already tried it, at least.

I guess we could think about adjustments to the height of the pickups on bass or treble side too - but it would be unlikely that this would relate to a problem with just one string.

Really, the first thing we need to be sure about is whether we are in fact dealing with the thinnest or thickest e/E string, Derek? And what type of pickups, please? Do they have a "vintage" stagger (highest pole piece beneath the G string)? Then we'll take it from there.

Cheers - C

First of all everything you have described should only affect the string when played open. Is that only when the problem occurs, when the string is played open?

Still there are rare cases when the string can be muted behind a fretted note. Make sure you trim your strings short to the posts. Little things can have weird side effects.

Make sure you have adequate windings on the post.
For the low E (sixth string) 2 or 3 and for the high E (first string) around 6.

Change your strings to stock 9s if they are not and change the brand to Fender bullets.

If your nut is being made by the same guy then it could well be that.

The nut slots they need to have a good rounded fall away down to the posts so your not breaking over two hard angles of the slot. Also sometimes it pays to "channel" them so that the string can move sideways if it needs to at the back of the nut.

Especially if the low E strings nut slot is deeper than the string itself this can have a muting effect on the string. The only place you want to have contact is the bottom edge of nut slot. The nut may need material taken away from the top as not to totally swallow the string. On the low E you can have half of the string top exposed. It tends not to jump out as easy as the high E.

The fret slot itself needs to be sized correctly so there is no sideways movement. You can do a wiggle test on the string to check its not sloppy (just don't break your nut).

Make sure your action is not so low its muting out on any frets.
Check so see if the string is touch the saddle twice, it should only make contact on one point. You can modify it if this becomes an issue.

Check your intonation and make sure your truss rod nut is not loose.
Make sure the neck is not in backbow.

Measure and record your pick up heights then lower all pickups aside from the bridge pickup. Check what pickups and pots you have installed.
With the other pickups lowered this should reduce magnetic pull on the strings. But I see you have already mentioned you think its mechanical.

Make sure there's not something obstructing the string in the block.
You mentioned you swapped the saddle already. If its muting it has to be something to do with a contact point that the string makes.

Make sure your frets are not worn! If they are consider getting them re-crowned. This can really kill clean notes and intonation.
Speaking of intonation check it from the first to last fret on the string. See if there is a trend (helps if you have a good auto tuner that shows every note).

Hand your guitar to another player and get their opinion. Often its good to get others advice. I take it you have another guitar to compare it to as well.

If you really get stuck then take it to a luthier a good one because most setup techs won't have a clue after you have checked these things.

I am indeed referring to the thickest string. Thanks for all the suggestions; alas Ithink I've pretty much thought of all of these. One guitar tech reckoned he'd cured this problem before by fitting a modern tuner (more mass), but i'm loath to try that on a guitar that is a replica of the first strats made. By the way the problem is all the way up the neck, but more obvious on the open string. Guitar techs here in Scotland seem to be unwilling to spend much time think about a problem like this. Perhaps it's because if they don't find the answer they won't have anything to charge you for.

I forgot to ask has it always been like this?
If the guitar is under warranty (is it 5 years over there?) take it to an authorized repairer and leave it with them until they find the issue.

If it was that obvious I'd throw a neck from a junker on it to test. But then I have spare necks. You could try the low E string by itself to see if its reacting with other strings.

Give it to a proper luthier that does repair work if your sick of troubleshooting it yourself. It is just a case of isolating the problem.

Well how odd. Perceived low output on the top e is a familiar enough problem but this one is unusual.

You say you've tried different strings, but have you tried making your own hybrid set with a significantly bigger bottom E? A 0.048 instead of a 0.042, just for example? (Single strings available from stringsdirect.co.uk and other places.) Mind you, that would normally be a solution to an induced output problem, and it's clear from all you say we are talking about a mechanical issue, not an electronic one. So...

The only thing you haven't mentioned experimenting with is the nut. As has been mentioned above, I'd want a good look at the string slot to make sure it isn't a little tight, so inhibiting the string's vibration. And check for a nice clean breaking point produced by a good backward slant to the bottom of the slot: if the string isn't breaking cleanly from the nut then that will reduce its vibration too.

I get what your guy is suggesting about the tuning machine, but it's hard to imagine it is the source of the issue, presuming the A and D strings are ringing out nicely. Look to the nut is my suggestion. Who knows, perhaps you even have a genuine reason to think about a (harder than bone/plastic) brass nut? Usually a waste of time, but in this case perhaps not...?

...Though that doesn't explain why the problem is still there when the string is fretted further up the neck. ...Ah, one last suggestion. You may just have a neck made from a billet of timber who's grain happens to dampen vibration at a certain frequency range. Curious but not impossible. Shockwarrior's suggestion to temporarily switch in a different neck would certainly confirm for you whether that is the case. Got another Strat (or access to one) with which you could try that experiment? Then you'd know for sure, at any rate.


Maybe. Or perhaps it's because like the rest of us they are fairly stumped by this issue and don't want to take your money if they're not sure of fixing it. They have to get paid for their time, after all.

I on the other hand don't charge: if you were ever to bring that guitar to London I'd be mighty interested to take a look at it and see if we can hunt down the solution for you? Just a thought...

Good luck - C

My son has a California series strat. I'll see if the neck on that is compattible and try the neck swap idea. thanks for your time, people. I'll post the outcome.

One more thing, Derek: there's a few Scottish Forum users here. Let us know approximately where you are and perhaps someone can suggest another luthier for you to try?

Again, good luck - C