is it a common problem?

[hankSRay]

Ive been readin up a lil on the internet and I found something interesting. I searched and found a few posts about it like this one here . I've noticed that this seems to be the case with my SR as well. I was wondering if this is a common problem or if its just fluke thing that happens. My Ray is a 3 band so i was wondering if the 2 band models experience the same troubles. I was already looking to trade my Ray in for either a Sterling or a maple necked ray so now im just wondering if id be safer going for a 2 band ray as opposed to a 3.

 

[jongitarz]

This is so ridiculous... You have 1 or 2 people claiming something is wrong with their basses. Has the "piss poor" guy asked us to evaluate his bass? I doubt it. Stuff like this gets blown out of proportion. Buy the bass you want. Don't change your mind because someone else has a problem. If you do have a problem call us. Getting pissy on the forum does nothing to solve anything.

Think about this. There is less mass in the G string. Therefore it does less to interupt the magnetic field that creates the sound of an electric instrument. Like Gav said, raise the pickup slightly on the G side.

Hanksray, I am not saying you were the pissy one. I understand your concern, but you have been around here long enough to know that if there is a problem, call us. We will take care of our customers.

 

[hankSRay]

i definatly know u guys will fix any problems, i know the quality control on ur basses are sick thats why i figured it was a fluke thing that happens for sum odd reason. Dont get me wrong its not a big problem that i think its a crappy bass, it still owns. Im not too worried about my ray though, Im gonna be trading it in soon (not because of any g string problem) to fund my GAS for either a sterling or another ray just with a maple board

 

[jongitarz]

Cool

 

[hankSRay]

lol ur the man jon

 

[prickly_pete]

My 2 cents: I have a 92 SR4 that had a week g-string. I recently discovered that only one coil was working. I took the pickup apart and resoldered the connections so that now both coils are working. Guess what, no more weak g-string. I wonder if others who have complained about this have a similar pickup problem. btw, my other two current SRs and my former SRs had a perfect g-string.

 

[tkarter]

I have had Fenders galore. They all had a weak G at one time or another. I went to work on why and fixed them.

My SR 5 is suffering from a strong G string. Oh lower the pickup a little bit on the G side.

EQ and strings is the deal. Tension on the string somewhat the deal. Flattened fingered plucking usually the real deal.

As you extend your fingers you rake the string at a different angle. Even on a Fender with a weak G string look to technique.

Try a pick on the same string fretting the G on the fifth fret. See the difference?

Most bass problems are the player no Qc on that front.




tk

 

[prickly_pete]

I have had Fenders galore. They all had a weak G at one time or another. I went to work on why and fixed them.

My SR 5 is suffering from a strong G string. Oh lower the pickup a little bit on the G side.

EQ and strings is the deal. Tension on the string somewhat the deal. Flattened fingered plucking usually the real deal.

As you extend your fingers you rake the string at a different angle. Even on a Fender with a weak G string look to technique.

Try a pick on the same string fretting the G on the fifth fret. See the difference?

Most bass problems are the player no Qc on that front.




tk

I agree with all of this. The g-string on my SR really was weak, though. When popping the g-string the volume was about 1/3 lower in volume than the d-string. Again, though, it was because of a bad solder joint on the pickup.

 

[cgworkman]

This G String will solve your problem!

 

[manoverboard_21]

I had that weak g problem with my Sterling as well...I solved it by raising the g string side of the pickup and lower the bass side... If you do it correctly you can get close to a p bass sound... Ernie Balls rock...Theres no way that you cant find the sound that you want with them...

 

[oldbluebassman]

This G String will solve your problem!

Now that sort of G-string makes ME weak

 

[phatduckk]

so the bass tone I like is "odd" so the way i eq my rig "caused" what seemed like a week G. I use a pick so its not the technique issues described above.

so i like growly lows that can shake the house but at the same time, being a punk bassist, i like to go to the highs for crazy fills ... but i need real sharp highs to cut thru. So EQing to get a nice gowl took away from the highs and made it seem like I had a week G in my SR4. having read about a week G i immediately thought something was wrong ... but it was all in my head.

i just raised the pup on the high side a bit and voila ...

i also remember screwing with pup hight on my sterling a few years ago when i got her.

 

[hankSRay]

well i think it might be a weak solder joint. I started tapping my strings against the magnets and guess what, i get a sound through my amp on the bridge side, but none on the neck side. should i take it in to a local shop or is this an easy DIY sorta thing

 

[prickly_pete]

well i think it might be a weak solder joint. I started tapping my strings against the magnets and guess what, i get a sound through my amp on the bridge side, but none on the neck side. should i take it in to a local shop or is this an easy DIY sorta thing

Try a small screwdriver, or allen wrench -- something steel that the magnets will stick to -- and with the amp pretty low, touch all the magnets; they should all sound the same. If things are not right, and if you are handy with a soldering iron, you can pull the pickup out (you don't have to desolder it from the pots/preamp) and touch each of the solder joints on the pickup. When you get the pickup out you will see them, there are four (with a top and bottom for each, so a total of eight points, if I remember correctly). Smear a little rosen core flux on the joint, and melt each one and let it harden -- carefully. Not a hard job, but if you are unsure, take it somewhere to have it done.


You probably don't need to add any extra solder, just use what's there.


If you do indeed have the same problem I had I wonder if there are others; that would help explain the weak g-string complaints.

 

[jamesattard]

Try a small screwdriver, or allen wrench -- something steel that the magnets will stick to -- and with the amp pretty low, touch all the magnets; they should all sound the same. If things are not right, and if you are handy with a soldering iron, you can pull the pickup out (you don't have to desolder it from the pots/preamp) and touch each of the solder joints on the pickup. When you get the pickup out you will see them, there are four (with a top and bottom for each, so a total of eight points, if I remember correctly). Smear a little rosen core flux on the joint, and melt each one and let it harden -- carefully. Not a hard job, but if you are unsure, take it somewhere to have it done.


You probably don't need to add any extra solder, just use what's there.


If you do indeed have the same problem I had I wonder if there are others; that would help explain the weak g-string complaints.

So guys, did it solve your problem? I'm experiencing a similar problem but quite weird at the same time - yesterday at the garage when i plugged the MM to the behringer head, the needle didn't move at all. when i plugged the fender p-bass, it was ok. When I went back home i measured the volts of the battery and it was fine, around 9.3V. So i plugged the MM with my other amplifier, Laney, and it worked... Before i went to sleep i left the MM plugged in the amp, and this morning when i woke up, MM still sounded OK. So i wonder what could have been the problem and how should i troubleshoot it to identify the source of the problem.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

jamesattard, My guess is that either your battery is not making correct contact with the terminals in the battery compartment or you have an intermittent guitar lead.

Some 9 volt battery brands have slight variations in size although they look identical.

 

[dlloyd]

So guys, did it solve your problem? I'm experiencing a similar problem but quite weird at the same time - yesterday at the garage when i plugged the MM to the behringer head, the needle didn't move at all. when i plugged the fender p-bass, it was ok. When I went back home i measured the volts of the battery and it was fine, around 9.3V. So i plugged the MM with my other amplifier, Laney, and it worked... Before i went to sleep i left the MM plugged in the amp, and this morning when i woke up, MM still sounded OK. So i wonder what could have been the problem and how should i troubleshoot it to identify the source of the problem.

Did you have the volume control turned up on your MM?

 

[jamesattard]

Did you have the volume control turned up on your MM?

hehe are you kidding? of course it was up - i had even boosted the treble/mid/bass knobs.

 

[dlloyd]

hehe are you kidding?

Only half...

I once spent 15 minutes trying to figure out what was wrong with my amp, changed cables and everything until the guitarist came over and turned the volume control on my bass up.

 

[hankSRay]

Holy crap this thread is old lol. I dont even have that StingRay any more, but I did have it fixed. I forget but either the bridge side or the neck side poles werent connected right. Keep in mind I bought that bass from a shop and it was the floor model and it was a little knocked around. This isnt something you really ever have to worry about with EBMM.

Oh and jamesattard, check your battery connections and the battery itself. Leaving you're bass plugged it, even when you arent using it will drain your battery.