Low output on the E and G strings on my SB450

weekend warrior · September 13, 2012, 03:16:20 PM

I just got an SB450 and it has low string output on the E and G strings. Very strange to me. Its a later bass with the the bigger black humbucker style pickups.What could be causing this? any Thoughts?? $:-\$

uwe · September 14, 2012, 07:01:44 AM

The magnetic field of those humbuckers is a bit narrow. File the saddle slots of the E and G deeper or switch the saddles around so that E and G are lowest. You'll get there. It can be fixed, especially on the front pup.

weekend warrior · September 15, 2012, 01:06:20 AM

Tryed thr string height suggestion. Worked a little bit. Gonna try a badaass two instead of the schaller roller on it. will see if that works....

dadagoboi · September 15, 2012, 05:43:56 AM

Quote from: weekend warrior on September 15, 2012, 01:06:20 AM
Tryed thr string height suggestion. Worked a little bit. Gonna try a badaass two instead of the schaller roller on it. will see if that works....

It might help if you narrow the string spread on the Schaller roller.

Basvarken · September 15, 2012, 06:00:05 AM

Is there room for a "Nail That Tone modification" as seen with Mudbuckers who suffer from the same narrow magnetic field?

Just put a bent nail or Allen key on the side to widen the magnetic field.

weekend warrior · September 15, 2012, 10:49:04 AM

Hmnnnnnn....

uwe · September 17, 2012, 07:20:55 AM

I had no idea a Schaller roller bridge was on it!

Dave W · September 17, 2012, 09:36:52 AM

It wouldn't be the original bridge, would it? Did the Schaller roller bridge even exist back then?

weekend warrior · September 17, 2012, 11:08:12 PM

It had the shitty two poster on it originally.Someone pulled the posts as you see and doweled the holes. It had a badassI on it when i got it.Thank god it was sitting on top and not routed for it.I've been tinkering with it and got it sounding pretty even.Its a smoking player and if it weighs 7 pounds i'll be shocked.Ive been thinking about routing this for a vintage Tbird set up. Thunderbuckers with trim rings.I think it would send the bass right over the top.

weekend warrior · September 17, 2012, 11:27:38 PM

heres a full shot of the bass

uwe · September 18, 2012, 11:46:40 PM

Yup, the early SBs still had the two point. And even though - weighing words carefully here - it is such a well thought out and practical concept, as Dave always says, WITH A STRINGHOLDER IT NEVER CAME WITH OF COURSE, it does have its, let's say inherent limits. Perfection, one might say, fatefully stranded on the unlikelihood of the string pull of a long scale. Unforseeable, really.

SBs are fine basses (especially with the ~~3 point~~ Holy Immaculate Trinity Bridge they came with later), but I'm not allowed to say that here. Powers that be insist that they sound dead.

Dave W · September 19, 2012, 02:35:00 PM

A dozen or so years without the tailpiece was just a slight oversight, that's all.

dadagoboi · September 19, 2012, 02:40:33 PM

Quote from: Dave W on September 19, 2012, 02:35:00 PM
A dozen or so years without the tailpiece was just a slight oversight, that's all.

Unforseeable, really.

weekend warrior · September 20, 2012, 12:15:13 AM

And i thought the rick bridge design was flawed.....

Dave W · September 20, 2012, 08:49:56 AM

Some of us never had problems with the 2-point. We must lead charmed lives.