Dear all,

Sorry for posting about a so common issue but I am hardly enjoying my strats the past few days

I have g string warble on both my strats, an AVRI 62 with suhr V60LPs and an American deluxe with surh FLs PUs.

The problem is noticeable at high gain levels only (not on clean or acoustically) on the neck PU which is set flat to the scratch plate.
The action may be considered high and the the g saddle is at its maximum height with both screws at the same height.
The trem is set to roughly move when I bend double stops.
The strings are also new and I have applied the magnetic flux synchronization fix proposed by one of the forum's strat-masters.
The problem was persistent with 3 different amps and all of my pedals.

I also contacted John Suhr who was very kind to answer my inquiry but unfortunately told me that it is probably something I will have to live with at high gains if I stick to the vintage-type PUs with higher g and d pole pieces.

I also read that vintage strats were not designed for high gain applications and eq, boost and od pedals should provide the necessary tone for leads rather than cranked up amps or distortion pedals.

However, I can think of a few players using vintage strats at high gains so I imagine there should be a fix..

Is there somewhere particular I should pay attention during set up?
(trem springs, saddles, nut)

Any help would be most appreciated.

All the best!

Is your neck relief set properly? If the neck is too straight, it could cause strings to slightly hit the higher frets, causing a warble.

With your pickups set low, that's the only thing I could think of!

_________________
'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

Thanks for your reply AndyK.

I am not really sure if the neck is set "properly" but there is enough relief for sure.
I am planning to take the guitar for a proper set up 'cause to be honest I am not great at setting the truss rod but was avoiding being afraid that the tech will insist on lowering the pole pieces.
However, I am sure there is plenty of underbow.
The action could go higher I guess but then I would compromise the playability.

Thanks though, this is the kind of input I was hoping to get. truss rod, trem etc.
All the best

Also, you say your action is "low". How low is it? Try this: Raise the G string up higher and see if the problem goes away.

Also also, maybe your neck is shimmed so that the neck angle is causing you to max out your saddle height adjustment screws? Removing the shim would change the neck angle, and maybe resolve the warble.

_________________
'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

Thanks again AndyK.
Actually my action is high, almost uncomfortable. I though neck relief and underbow meant higher action. But I am not a native English speaker so I may have misunderstood.
And if shimmed neck means that the neck has not curvature then mine is not shimmed.
There is plenty (i think) of curvature.
The saddles are not maxed out. They are set so the action on every string is 2mm measured at the last fret so they are "consistent" with the neck radius.
I raised the G saddle all the way up and the warble was there.
I noticed that there is a unsoldered black cable when I checked the electronics.
one possibly associated with grounding but again I am not sure...
Could this have anything to do with it?

Again, thanks a lot.
All the best

Your English is great!

An unsoldered wire? Is it the ground that should be connected to your tremolo claw? Fix that, even though it wont cure your warble.

I still say you need to have LESS underbow (a straighter neck). Try turning the truss rod adjuster 1/4 turn, then see what that does to the warble!

_________________
'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

I straightened the neck twice, reset saddle height, intonation etc and the warble remained.
The cable is not the one soldered to the claw. It 's a black cable which if I am right should be soldered to the second pot.

Any other recommendations ?
Again, thanks a lot

Hi Catthan,

Do you have your trem floating? If so deck the trem or hold the arm and see if that cures the warble.

If it still warbles after that I believe you may have a bad case of "Stratitus"

Unfortunately I can't find the thread in which Forum user Martian explains how to deal with that. I believe you have to....


....by slackening the strings and pressing them down on to all three pickups then re-tune and see if its still warbling. Probably best to give Martian a shout. That guy seriously know his stuff and will do an infinitely better job of explaining it than I can.

Hope this helps!

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness

Backed trem, didn't fix it..
I ll see if I can send Martian a private text.
I tried his fix, maybe i didn't apply it 100% right.
Yup, stratitus is the word
Having the same issue in both my strats makes me hope that it 's my inexperienced set up; I ' ll keep looking..

Thanks again Andy,
You ll know if and when I sort it.
All the best

No worries!

If anyone can sort it, Martian can.

Andy

_________________
Pending Greatness

To find out if it IS Stratitus, cover all 3 pickups with something, then play the notes without plugging into an amp. See if the G string still warbles. If it doesn't, then you know it's got something to do with the pickups.

_________________
'10 American Special Strat
'02 Les Paul R8
'08 Charvel US San Dimas
'85 Jackson Soloist

Splawn Quick Rod

Thanks for your constant input Andy.

I was thinking of isolating the PUs and try but I already know the warble occurs only with some amount of gain- let's say "crunch'' gain level.
It's not there when I play acoustically or on the clean channel.
The same for 3 different amps and OD pedals.
It's like some harmonic content is picked up by the increased overdrive if that makes any sense.

Thanks again,

had the same problem with my 1979 anniversary stratocaster ,, it was my E string that was making a wobble sound turned out to be defective strings ,, sometimes even brand new strings come defective and it may be worth the few dollars to change them again ,,, hope this info helps you ,, D.Faze,,,,,,,,,,, NOTE: if you are using a tube amp it may also cause the problem if the tubes are getting old as they weaken they tend to make the same wobble sound

Thanks Single_Songwriter.

You 're right, at first I though my blues Jr didn't like my pedals or my pedals didn't like the speakers etc but I ve tried other amps, one of them brand new.
I ll check the strings again. I think I have one more set although 2 consecutive faulty string sets make me doubtful.
Nothing to lose though.. I might try a different winding technique too I saw somewhere, who knows..
Thanks for the input.
All the best

i bought bulk like 6 sets of strings and some strings turned out to be defective ,,, finally got a fresh set of strings and the wobble is gone ,,,