String volume balance problem

Sorry if this is a stupid question. I've just bought my first telecaster - a 1996 Mexican, with a toploading bridge with 6 saddles.

It is without doubt, one of the best sounding and playing guitars I've ever owned, and after playing for 25 years, I'm kicking myself that I never realised that this "basic" guitar was in fact the only one anyone could really need.

However: the top two strings don't seem to have the same volume, presence or sustain as the others - I've angled the pickups to compensate, but I can still notice it. These strings just have to be worked a bit harder to get the best out of them. Is this a common tele characteristic, or is it to do with the Mexican model's pickups, or the type of bridge?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

I have a mahogany '69 Re-issue (MIM) and I haven't had any problems with "string volume" difference. However, I was at Guitar Center the other day trying out a new amp, and while playing on one of their tele's, I noticed that the E&B strings were slightly quieter than the rest of the strings. I would say it's a pickup issue. I don't think it's an issue of string gauge because I started with .009's on my rig, went to .0095' and now .010's and haven't experienced that problem on my MIM tele. Anyone else??

However: the top two strings don't seem to have the same volume, presence or sustain as the others - I've angled the pickups to compensate, but I can still notice it. These strings just have to be worked a bit harder to get the best out of them. Is this a common tele characteristic, or is it to do with the Mexican model's pickups, or the type of bridge?

Any advice would be much appreciated!

I'd try raising the pickup height on the treble side a tad.

...Is this a common tele characteristic...?


I've had several Tele's that seemed low output on the high E with the neck pickup. But others seem OK.

Check the bridge saddles for those strings too. Seems like you'd be able to hear that unplugged, but you'd be surprised sometimes, it can be hard to hear acoustically.
Any imbalance in the aduster "legs" under the saddle can drive you crazy.

Last resort: new pickups! Magnets can be damaged by heat or dropping. Perhaps something happened to them before they were installed into the pickups, though as I recall most MIM standard pickups have bar magnets, not magnetic pole pieces.
Don't see how it could be a factor on a bar magnet, but...

I had a similar problem with volume differences/string.
I made individual slivers of steel, of differing thickness, and glued them to the tops of the pickup polepieces, until a uniform volume was achieved.

Arby:

What a fantastic solution! I believe you may have hit the nail on the head! This is a great idea.

Can you post to let me know what thicknesses the individual "shivers" of steel were: I'll speak to my brother, who's a toolmaker (actually a fairly useless one, but slicing up some shavings should be within his limited capacity - once I explain to him how to do it), and I'll get him to cut the pieces.

Compressors can help... but to each their own...

YMMV

Chitenpicker,
Can your brother work in metric?
These are very precise measurements, and are totally different to Imperial measurements, in fact I think they are totally incompatable.

To be honest, Arby (can I call you RB? It'd make typing quicker), I'd be better off asking an untrained monkey than going to my brother!

<li>Sum of the less expensive TELECASTERs came with bar mag-a-nutes onna P/U and I haff had trouble with them because the mag-a-nutes seem tew be tew short.
<li>If this iss the case yew won't git much change with a P/U adjustment.

http://www.thomaskinkadechico.com/barmagnet.jpg

<li>If in fact it has single slug ALNICO style mag-a-nutes then yew kin dew sum stuff.

http://personalweb.sunset.net/~barron/Rip.jpg

<li>I haff been knowed tew recharge a mag-a-nute.
<li>I haff also heated em up jes a liddo and pushed the mag-a-nute up a liddo.
<li>None of this helps much cept the recharge but iffin the P/Us are bar mag-a-nute style I suggest a change-out tew an after-market brand of yer choice.

OOPS ! Pushed it tew far HEE! HEE!
http://www.thomaskinkadechico.com/neckpu.jpg


http://personalweb.sunset.net/~barron/sig.gif

Please visit my page (http://personalweb.sunset.net/~barron/)

Perhaps this will help:
- rise the action on the treble side.
- Try a graph tech saddle (Eric Johnson does this on the e string on a 50's strat).
- Use heavier e and b strings.

Roe