Troublesome e String, could it be pick ups?

[Ronjolio]

Allo,

Just joined the forum after spending a good few hours trawling through, finding some interesting stuff...

I'm wondering, I bought myself a HSS set for my Deluxe Strat, left handed, and got them installed by a guy who recommended to me; this is the first time I've ever dabbled in switching pickups, so I didn't want to risk doing it myself, first time and all. It's a Nailbomb and two Irish Tours.

Since I got it back, I've noticed that the high e string, is sounding odd; It's slightly quiet and lacking crunch, compared to the other strings it sounds weak... I know I'm not going mad, as other musicians can hear the difference too, but I don't know what it could be. I've tried raising the action, lowering it, raising the pickup on the high e's side, and it isnt making any difference... It's on all pickups too.

Yer man who did it for me, He had to replace all the wiring, ordered 500k pots from BK, stoned the frets, and adjusted the set up.

Any Ideas what might I be experiencing, and can I fix it? The pickups wouldnt be designed to specifically do this?

Cheers

[Twinfan]

Sounds like a dodgy string to me.  Try a fresh one  ;)

[Ronjolio]

Haha yeah, tried that, one of the first things I did :D

[FELINEGUITARS]

I would take a compass or a small magnet and check that all the poles on each single coil are the same magnetism

Each pickup should have 6 magnets of either north or south up.

It doesn't matter if all of one pickup is south and all of the other is North, but it does matter if you get a north in amongst the south or a south in amongst the norths

Once in a blue moon something can happen where one of the polepiece magnets on a single coil gets spun around (via that like poles repelling thing).

Usually this wouldn't have an effect on the nailbomb , but it is certainly worth checking.

Also make sure the single coils aren't adjusted too close to the strings - this can have a dampening effect on the strings - although it wouldn't usually just be the high E

[WhiteRam]

I think it's the bridge or nut. 

If it just does it when playing the string open, but doesn't do it on fretted notes, take it back to the tech and tell him there is something wrong with that particular nut slot.  If it does it equally as well on fretted notes, then it's your bridge saddle on that particular string.

Good luck. :)

[Lezard]

Stupid question, but how's it sound unplugged?

[darkbluemurder]

I think it's the bridge or nut. 

If it just does it when playing the string open, but doesn't do it on fretted notes, take it back to the tech and tell him there is something wrong with that particular nut slot.  If it does it equally as well on fretted notes, then it's your bridge saddle on that particular string.

Good luck. :)

I am thinking the same thing.

@OP: did you change string gauge? If you use a thicker string now the nut groove may be too tight so that the string gets choked. If you use a thinner string now the nut groove may be too wide but that would normally cause a clicking on bends and need not result in a muffled string tone.

And yes, does it do the same when the guitar is not plugged in?

Good luck, Stephan

[Ronjolio]

It's very hard to tell if it's the same when unplugged, The difference is so subtle; I just checked all the poles with a fridge magnet, they all seem to be attracting it. The gauge of the strings havnt chnged, although yer man who set it up did put on some lower gauge strings origanlly, but I went back to my usual (d'addario) 11 guage, (the ones he put on were 10 guage rotosounds... I think. they were definitely 10's though) thinking th strings could be the problem, but the difference remained. The bridge saddle seems like the likely culprit, as it still happens while strings are fretted; it doesnt have the sustain whit pull offs, sounds like it doesnt 'Twang' as much. Looks like it too.

Any more suggestions are welcome, Thanks for the advice eveyone! It's been quite an exasperating experience getting   these high quality pickups, and it not sounding right.

Thanks again

[WhiteRam]

How do your "other" five strings sound?  Do those 5 strings when playing chords and solo notes sound awesome and you like the pickups on these 5 strings?

If the answer is yes, then 'yer' tech (or hopefully a better one) needs to tend to the high E bridge saddle and possibly its surrounding componets to nullify the problem.