Help! Big Al SSS 4 string and Reflex HSS 5 string volume difference

[scuzzy]

Hello, long time lurker here. Happily bought both of these off this forum. Both play and sound great, both have new 9volts, but the big Al is a fair amount louder. Is it supposed to be this way? I thought the pickups and preamp were the same. Any and all advice welcome!

 

[Jef]

Hello, same strings ? Same pickup heights ?

 

[scuzzy]

Same pickups heights. Both have DR lo-riders, med. The 5 has SS, the 4 has nickels.

 

[Jef]

In active mode ? Or passive ? Or both ?
Is the Big Al also louder when played unamplified ?

 

[scuzzy]

The volume in both is the same difference in active or passive. Meaning, the 4 is still louder in passive as the 5 in passive, the 4 in active is the same amount louder than the 5.


Unamplified, they both sound like solid body electrics unplugged.

Hence the reason for the OP, they are basically the same, barring SSS and HSS, yet the 4 is a fair amount louder.

 

[scuzzy]

I just got response from ebmm, and apparently the preamps and pickups are, in fact, different. Who woulda thought.

 

[Jef]

I've learned something, Thanks