Help! MM Stingray 4 1998 G- string issue

[annvald]

Hi,
This is an old topic but a few questions about original pick-up replacement. I want to exchange the original ceramic pick-up for something that can be changed the poles heights. I would try to raise the poles under weak G- string. Seymour Duncan, Bartolini or Nordstrand or ... something. Does anyone have any experience, which one would be suitable for them. The problem is this that the pickup magnet under G- string out of the center of string and G- string sounds weakly. I raised the pickup closer to G- string, G- string went better but the magnet under D- string rose also higher and now D- string sounds too loudly to compared to E and A- string. Or have somebody else's ideas?

 

[tbonesullivan]

I think a 1998 Stingray would have an alnico pole piece under the G string. Also, the pole pieces should be somewhat compensated.

Is the action set up correctly to compensate for the fretboard radius? What gauge/brand of strings are you using?

 

[annvald]

I use EB Regular Slinky strings 50-70-85-105. Maybe I'd have to test this setting 50-65-80-100- Super Slinky, but G string is thicker than other set?

 

[annvald]

I also have a 5- string stingray and there is not this problem.

 

[Golem]

Tap on the pole slugs with a paper clip or similar tool.
It will make a clunking sound that should sound close
to equal loudness all across the PU. Demonstrate this
"nearly equal" effect to your own ears with your SR5.

Then try it on your SR4. Is the 'G' pole less loud than
the other three ? If so, contact MM customer service.

 

[annvald]

All the poles louded similar. I am interested how much it affects when G- string out of the center of the pole. although the D-string is out of the center too?

 

[Golem]

..........
I am interested how much it affects when G- string
out of the center of the pole. although the D-string
is out of the center too?

This "centering" question arises from time time on
various forums for various brands of bass, and the
outcome is always the same: No effect.

You are not playing the strings to the pole slugs.
You are playing them to the copper coil that wraps
around the WHOLE ROW of pole slugs. The job of
the poles is to magnetize the strings, so that they
become the moving magnets that induce a current
into the copper coil windings.

The exact spacial relationship of the poles is not
critical to this effect ... unless your PU is waaaaay
too close to the strings. When you raise just one
side of a PU to get a high-to-low balance, you are
raising the copper coil which is far more influential
than just raising only the poles without raising the
coil ... as is allowed by some PU designs [such as
GnL] for some degree ... a small degree ... of final
output tweaking.

 

[Golem]

`

I use EB Regular Slinky strings 50-70-85-105. Maybe I'd have
to test this setting 50-65-80-100- Super Slinky, but G string is
thicker than other set?

If you're gonna buy some strings, get the Cobalts. The whole
problem might just go away, and even if not, you'll definitely
have a better sound ax no matter what your G-string sounds
like. The Cobalts are noticeably more powerful, which allows
you to lower the whole PU, which tends to even out response
across the entire string set.