polymolly Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 The title says everything. The high E on my firebird VII sounds dead in every pickup, especially on bridge pickup. I've tried to lower the pup's, raising them, everything! Always sounds damped... Could it by the pickups being disaligned , or could the problem be the nut needing to be replaced? And another question: also considering a pickup replacement. I need a "twangier" sound for my bridge. Should i go for a p-90, or a minibucker with coil-split? and which pickups do you recommend? i've heard lot's of great things about Lollar and Kent Armstrong. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Even after changing to a fresh high E/set of strings? If so, there must be something screwed up in your setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antwhi2001 Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 It's either the nut or the bridge saddle. As far as the pup goes, what sort of twang are you after? Are you happy with the power/output but want more brightness, in which case a different value capacitor would be a cheap and easy fix? Or do you want more bite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polymolly Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 @Richochet: Unfortunately, even with fresh strings, the high E always sounds dead... @antwhi2001 I guess i'll just have to try to replace the nut and bridge. I was already going to replace the bridge, since the gold hardware, as on alll cheap guitars, is already wearing out, and full of green gunk and tarnish... As for the pickups: i am happy with the power. I have a "evil" twin-amp and just took 2 of the four valves for less output volume... I have had a tele once. 72 custom reissue. Great sound, but awful guitar... I love the sound of the tele bridge, so i guess i'm looking for both brightness and bite. But i've been guessing that a p-90 may be a good solution. The other one is to build a tele (no more cheap fenders for me, thank you...). As always, thanks everyone for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Is the string dead when played open and fretted? Might show it to be a bridge prob if ok when fretted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polymolly Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 well... when playing it unpluggued i don't feel like it is lower or "more dead" than any other string. but i've tried every possible adjustement to the pickups, and it always sounds the same.... and it sounds like this in every amp i've tried it on... and it sounds as dead (through the amp) open and fretted... ](*,) ](*,) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 @Richochet: Unfortunately' date=' even with fresh strings, the high E always sounds dead...I guess i'll just have to try to replace the nut and bridge. I was already going to replace the bridge, since the gold hardware, as on alll cheap guitars, is already wearing out, and full of green gunk and tarnish...quote'] Right there, could be the problem, or part of it, anyway! That "Gunk" could be dampening your strings vibration enough, to cause that problem. Or, as stated, it could be the nut, or both?! Hard to say without hearing it/seeing it. As to "Twang" in the bridge pickup? Might check out TV Jones pickups at: www.tvjones.com He makes some great pickups, for the higher end Gretschs, and would probably have one that would drop right in, IF changing pickups ends up being what you want to do? Good luck, CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 I really don't like the pups in my Firebird VII. The gold is worn and the sound is *thin*. GFS makes great replacements from what I hear and I'll have them installed soon. Going all silver as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 and it sounds as dead (through the amp) open and fretted... I would say that leaves the bridge saddle. The small groove must be clean cut. Also check if it makes the appropiate angle towards the tailpiece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polymolly Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Sorry for the "foreign newbie factor" question, but... ... what do you mean by "appropiate angle towards the tailpiece"? I guess i'll go with one of those schaller roller bridges. What do you guys think? As for the pickups, the GFS are pretty cheap!!! but they are ceramic and not alnico. Could that be a decisive factor? As always, thank you so much for all the help!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 ... what do you mean by "appropiate angle towards the tailpiece"? I guess i'll go with one of those schaller roller bridges. What do you guys think? Strings should have an angle after the saddle. The angle is down towards the tailpiece or body. More angle means more pressure on the saddle' date=' and an improvement in tone. Old instrument makers(violin, cello etc) knew, and increased the neck angle to facilitate this. The string vibrates(from the middle up) in a [i']wave[/i] form. If the string is running straight(no angle) after the saddle, this wave will just run over the saddle. Making no full contact, and sounding dead. I dislike rollerbridges after having had 2 bad experiences, but I suppose if you have a maestro/bigsby-type tremolo it would be the way to go. And Schaller stuff is of the highest quality. Ceramic or Alnico? Either one has made for some great PUs, and some not so great. The GFS fat mini is Alnico V. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polymolly Posted April 25, 2008 Author Share Posted April 25, 2008 i'm really embaresed to say this... well... the angle in the bridge is right, the angle in the headstock isn't... The bridge is in such a bad shape that i was inclined to think that the problem HAD to be there... but it isn't... it just that the string is poorly wound around the tuner, so there isn't enough angle towards the nut... Now I am going to spank myself :- ](*,) Thanks everyone, specialy ricochet*, who got me re-analysing the all thing... And now to the ungratefull task of chossing pickups: i'll be getting a mini with adjustable pole pieces and a p90, but i'm haven-t decided which one will go on the bridge and on the neck... *@ricochet: since i have a vibrola on my firebird, the schaller roller bridge seems a good choice, but i would like to know about your 2 bad experiences with them! once again, thank you all so so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricochet Posted April 25, 2008 Share Posted April 25, 2008 *@ricochet: since i have a vibrola on my firebird' date=' the schaller roller bridge seems a good choice, but i would like to know about your 2 bad experiences with them! [/quote'] Glad it turned out ok for you! Regarding the roller bridge. It's just my personal experience. I don't want to present it as a general rule, and discourage you on your path to tonal nirvana. I have had 2 roller bridges. One was a Kahler-type tremolo. One a wilkinson rollerbridge. It was my impression the rollers ate tone. Like bad intonation, the pitch was wobbly. Also the Wilkinson was rambling, maybe not due to the rollers itself, but more because of overal construction. The Schaller looks a whole lot better in that respect and again, if you have a vibrola it's probably the way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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