Individual String Volume Adjusting VIDEO!

[tacomamanguy]

So I found this video on how to adjust the string volume on the CA CE. I think this is very helpful. Never knew how to do it, now I do.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tyjjhewm_dQ


I don't know if someone posted this before, but if not, here ya' go.

[Mike Nye]

The BEST way to do it is with an oscilloscope to perfectly balance each string to the others . . .

[smokymtguitar09]

Good idea if you have access to a scope. For those who don't there are other options. I have a scope that is somewhat of a 'boat anchor', so I find it more convenient to use a 'vu meter' or LED type level indicator on a recorder or other gear to adjust the individual string adjustment on a CE and individual screws on magnetic pickups. I make the fine tuning adjustment to what I hear which depends on what amp I am using. The hardest adjustment seems to be the bass strings on the CE due to the long sustain of the solid mahogany body. The level has to be set a bit lower in order to over ride the sustain effect.

[Mike Nye]

The hardest adjustment seems to be the bass strings on the CE due to the long sustain of the solid mahogany body. The level has to be set a bit lower in order to over ride the sustain effect.

Use piano tuner's method of muting the strings with a strip of felt looped between the strings at the nut to mute ALL but the string you're sampling . . .

You actually get the BEST results doing this as you're NOT hearing any overtones, just the pure tonic of ONLY that string . . .

After all, the main objective here is to obtain a FLAT frequency response of all the strings. If you want any more gain or attenuation use a parametric equalizer; it will allow you more flexibility than any other outboard effect to get EXACTLY what you're looking for.

[Mike Nye]

A reader of this thread who's about an hour from me got hold of my number (don't know how, cuz it's unlisted) and called me, as he was having a problem with a shrill-sounding B string that he'd already had looked at by several people.

After him unsuccessfully trying to explain exactly what the problem was over the phone, he'd driven here for me to take a listen.

He's using low-tension Saverez strings that have a really rich bottom end, but the B & G strings were way too bright compared to the others to where it was annoying.

I'd plugged the guitar into my hand-held oscilloscope, and sampled each string to establish a baseline bias output voltage for comparison. The voltages were all within 5-10 mV of each other, which indicates that the electronics were okey dokey . . .

I'd tuned down the B & G strings, removing the string saddles to examine the transducers, finding nothing wrong with them.

I'd then looked at the mechanics, being the output bias was not the issue. I'd then focused on what I heard & saw, and what had been done by those who'd already looked at the guitar.

I'd asked the owner what each person had done to make a determination as to what needed to be done to resolve the issue. He'd said that they ALL said the bridge pickup was bad. I'd then asked him how they'd determined that it was bad. He said they just played it for a minute or two. I'd also asked him if they'd taken output bias measurements, or any other diagnostics that I hadn't already though of doing; he said no.

I'd then asked him if he'd experienced this problem with other strings. He said NO, that he'd just started using the Saverez strings on this guitar, as he'd been using them on his Ramirez for years, as they have a warm rich tone.

I'd told him that he had one of two choices at this point. ONE = Go back to a higher tension string set, or TWO = Leave the instrument with me for a few days for me to attempt to figure out what could be done resolve the issue.

What I ended up doing was applying a thin coat of dielectric grease to the bottom of the string saddles, re-tuning the B & G strings and played a few scales.

The G string sounded perfect, but the B string had mellowed a little too much, so I'd again removed the B string's saddle, blotted some of the dielectric grease off, re-installed the string saddle and re-tuned the guitar with a stroboscope app that I have.

I'd called him, playing a few scales & chords in different keys over the phone. He said that it sounded perfectly balanced to him over the phone, and that he couldn't wait to play it.

He's coming tomorrow to pick it up, so time'll tell . . .