EBMM 'Lazy High E' help NEEDED!

[lifeson1]

I absolutely ADORE my balls, every one that I have owned, which have all been Petrucci's up till my new Axis tribute. HOWEVER, I'm having a serious issue. I just got back from a great gig in the Village here in the NYC area. GREAT sound. But, I"m having an issue with my high 'E' string getting caught on the edge of my pickups during songs - and I'm not even using my bar too much, My action is not insanely low, but I found myself screwed during the major part of two songs reaching to pick my high 'E', and it was caught. This same problem made me ditch my JPX, and it's driving me crazy. Do I have to lower my pickups? I'm not even really strumming a lot, I'm a pretty aggressive picker, I just need a nudge here in the right direction. The guitar is really becoming my number one, I just need to solve this issue.

 

[Norstorm]

Well.. How do you like the stringheights?
I mean as far as I know, the pickups on all JP models are directly mounted to the wood. To lower those pickups, will requier re-routing :S

But I have an idea..
Take a look on some live pictures of Steve Vai.
He has the very same problem, and he took a bit of paint tape on that end of the pickup.
It's not "disturbing" the sound, but it covers the pickups tip, making the string smooth/roll off its edge without getting stuck in the plastick.

Take a look at the neck pickup right here:

 

[TNT]

I hate it too when it happens!! However, I can be pretty quick with the "snap it off" the pickup.

It is just somewhat of a schock when it hapeens during a song. There's quite a few things you can do to remedy the situation (use your imagination), including what Vai did.

 

[banjoplayer]

it happened to me with other guitars before I had my Morse - never with the Morse. I think, because the Pickup is rather low.

It only happened on gigs, never at home. One reason I assume is: when playing live I strummed/picked much harder than at home/practising, because I didn´t hear myself that good on the monitors/in the mix. you can try to avoid it when you work on your monitor mix, so that your picking/strumming is the same as when you play alone

 

[dhalif]

hmm ive never had this problem before, but i was aware of the isssue though from reading in the case of steve vai.. but never on my musicmans..

 

[lifeson1]

Very cool, going to try that tonight in Hoboken - thanks!

 

[ScreaminFloyd]

I use gaffers tape. Put a piece of tape in the area of where the string get caught. It's not uncommon, It happens. I've seen peeps use Painters masking tape as well.

 

[TNT]

Yeah, because it didn't happen too much when I play, I never really considered addressing the issue. However, guess
what happened when I played yesterday - I couldn't believe it - maybe it was an omen??

Well, in all honesty my may concern all along over the years when it happened (other than appearing to the audience like I made a mistake) was not the fact the string gets caught and temporarily screws up my song. It was whether or not it could damage the end of my pickup fin!! I didn't want it breaking it off. Secondly, causing my string to break when I lift it off the pickup.

I guess now I have to get some tape and pop some on the pickup.

 

[LawDaddy]

Yeah, because it didn't happen too much when I play, I never really considered addressing the issue. However, guess
what happened when I played yesterday - I couldn't believe it - maybe it was an omen??

Well, in all honesty my may concern all along over the years when it happened (other than appearing to the audience like I made a mistake) was not the fact the string gets caught and temporarily screws up my song. It was whether or not it could damage the end of my pickup fin!! I didn't want it breaking it off. Secondly, causing my string to break when I lift it off the pickup.

I guess now I have to get some tape and pop some on the pickup.

LOL.

I've only had this happen a few times in all the years of playing live. It usually happens to me when I'm doing funky James Brown-type chicka-chicka rhythms. It is really disconcerting, for sure. Until you look down, you know something's wrong, but not quite what. It takes you out of your game until you get it figured out.

 

[JMD]

I wonder if pick-up covers would fix an issue such as this?

 

[threeminutesboy]

yes it will