Strange volume problem

[drp146]

I wonder if anyone has run into this before or knows what may be causing it. I have a 1985 Japanese Fender Strat that I love and have had for over 10 years, but recently I noticed that I have a problem on the two bottom strings 1 & 2, E & B. They are louder when I pick them on the downstroke than on the upstroke. It seems that on the upstroke the pick is contacting the string more from the bottom than from the top and if I angle the pick to contact the string more from the top, the volume is the same. I have not changed my picking style and I don't plan to. Is there any way this could be affected by the pickups?. By the way, this is my first post and I'm glad I found this site.

[newey]

drp146-

Hello and welcome to G-Nutz2!

I assume that this difference is significant, at least enough so to cause you to go searching for answers. I don't have any explanation that would cause a significant difference in volume on the down vs. upstroke.

But I would note that, generally, there is some difference- at least for me, in my playing, the upstroke is weaker, and thus has a slightly lower volume. It's a difference in pick attack, and I don't know that there's any way to control for that, in terms of any testing to replicate this.

So, again, I don't know if that's your issue or not, but it may be one factor.

[drp146]

Thanks for your reply newey. I modified my post after I discovered a few minutes ago that the way the pick was contacting the string from top or bottom was the cause, but I have been picking the same way for years and just noticed this lately. And the volume difference is significant. I have two other Strats and 10 guitars overall and none of the rest have this issue. This is my favorite and I want to resolve it. I thought of swtitching pickups from one of the other Strats, but have not done so.

[newey]

Different brand or type of strings, perhaps, making a bigger difference with your picking style?

[drp146]

I have thought of changing the strings to see what difference it might make. These have been on there for 2 weeks and are GHS, the same strings I've been using for years, but maybe there was a difference with this set. Thanks so much for responding.

[reTrEaD]

Mar 1, 2012 14:49:37 GMT -5 drp146 said:

I wonder if anyone has run into this before or knows what may be causing it. I have a 1985 Japanese Fender Strat that I love and have had for over 10 years, but recently I noticed that I have a problem on the two bottom strings 1 & 2, E & B.

Referring to strings as "bottom" or "top" is ambiguous. For some "bottom" means the strings closest to the floor. For others it means the strings lowest in pitch. With no other information, I associate "bottom" with lower pitch.

I commend you for also including "1 & 2" and E & B". This clarifies exactly what you meant.

Mar 1, 2012 14:49:37 GMT -5 drp146 said:

They are louder when I pick them on the downstroke than on the upstroke. It seems that on the upstroke the pick is contacting the string more from the bottom than from the top and if I angle the pick to contact the string more from the top, the volume is the same.

Digging in more will cause a greater deflection in the strings. Hence you would expect to get more output. Since you're getting LESS output, perhaps you're unconsciously compensating for the greater resistance you feel when digging in?

Mar 1, 2012 14:49:37 GMT -5 drp146 said:

I have not changed my picking style and I don't plan to. Is there any way this could be affected by the pickups?

There might be some additional affect associated with the pickups, but my guess is that it's primarily a mechanical string deflection issue.

Look carefully at the relationship between the strings and the polepieces. Strat pickups have a greater spread on the polepieces than the string spacing. Since the bridge pickup is angled, the strings tend to pass over the center of the polepieces. But the neck and bridge pickups tend to have the D & G strings sitting directly over the center of the polepieces, the E & A strings sitting toward the floor in relationship to the center of the polepieces, and the B & E strings sitting away from the floor, in relationship to the polepieces.

Maybe you're causing the deflection to be more "vertical" when picking in one direction or the other. This combined with the offset position of the string in relation to the center of the polepiece might cause more or less output, than a string that's centered over the polepiece. Idk.

What does the apparent volume difference sound like acoustically? (turn the amp off) Is it the same or does it seem more equal when picking up and down? Is the difference in volume the same when using the bridge pickup as it is when using the neck or bridge pickup?

Mar 1, 2012 14:49:37 GMT -5 drp146 said:

By the way, this is my first post and I'm glad I found this site.

Cool. We're glad to have you.

Mar 1, 2012 15:38:22 GMT -5 newey said:

Different brand or type of strings, perhaps, making a bigger difference with your picking style?

Doesn't seem all that likely to me, but strings are cheap and easy to replace. I'd definitely take that possibility out of the equation first by replacing the strings.

[rockledge]

Try polishing the saddles on those two strings with some 0000 steel wool.
If that doesn't work, lower the pickups and see if there is still the same difference.

I suspect that perhaps your strings are very close to the pickups, and when you pick down you are pushing the string laterally, but when you pickup you are actually getting the pick a little beneath the string and pulling it out away from the guitar on those strings and they are vibrating toward the pickup and away from it as opposed to side to side across it. Causing the pole pieces to give more magnetic drag on the string.

[Deleted]

+1 to the above rockledge,
recently i got one of the most frustrating buzzing problems and it was due to pups sensing the buzz at a given pup height and above.

The question is why did drp146 notice the problem now? Maybe some kind of weather/temperature/humidity change occurred that maybe gave an up bow or back bow to the neck, and indirectly affected string height in relation to the pups?