11-48 gauge string imbalance

[level3]

So I've been playing these for a couple of weeks now:



They feel great, seem to last a long time, and I also like that the packaging is just paper.
However, the g string is louder than the d. It's especially noticeable when playing arpeggios. Sure, one can compensate for this by playing harder or softer, but it's just weird and I don't know if I want to get used it.
When payed acoustically, everything is nice and balanced. Also, pickup height and pickup selection make no difference.

I'm used to playing 10-52 and 10-46 sets, and I've never encountered this before.

Is this typical of this kind of string gauge? I suspect it has something to do with the core of the d string being too thin, but who knows.

[JVG]

The difference in volume between an unwound 3rd and wound 4th is a reasonably common issue - particularly when using pickups with pole-pieces staggered for a wound 3rd (eg vintage strats).

My understanding is that you pr assumption is correct, i.e. the difference is due to the contrast in diameter between the 3rd string, and the core of the 4th. The wrap around the core does contribute to the signal generated, but i believe the steel core is the bigger influence [someone will correct me if this in not the case!]

The volume contrast between 3rd and 4th is more noticeable in pure-nickel wrapped sets than nickel-plated, such as the one you’re using now, as nickel is less magnetic than steel/iron.

If you can’t adjust the pole pieces on your pickups, they only way i know of lessening this effect is to use either a thinner 3rd or thicker 4th. That will of course affect string tension and the feel of the guitar.

[Embenny]

What guitar and pickups are you using?

Like JVG said, this is an issue exacerbated by vintage magnet staggers. Adjustable pole pickups (P90s, PAFs, WRHBs, etc) and modern stagger, unstaggered, or rail type polepieces don't suffer this issue nearly as much.

[MattK]

Or - use a wound G, which these guitars were designed for.

[andy_tchp]

It never occurred to me that there were sets that didn’t accentuate this… I tend to use it for effect/dynamics.

[GilmourD]

They feel great, seem to last a long time, and I also like that the packaging is just paper.

This line here makes me feel that this isn't your usual brand besides the gauge.

What brand are those 10-46 and 10-52 sets you're used to?

If you are indeed used to playing a different brand I think what you might be encountering is a wound D with a different core to winding ratio than you're used to and have already compensated for.

[level3]

This line here makes me feel that this isn't your usual brand besides the gauge.

What brand are those 10-46 and 10-52 sets you're used to?

You are correct.
I'm used to D'Addario and Ernie Ball sets, almost always 10-52.

According to Pyramid, the wound strings in the green pack actually have an even thinner core to make them more flexible. So yeah, it makes perfect sense that this is what I'm hearing. I think I'm going to try their regular nickel round wound set (same gauge, blue pack) and see what that does.

[GilmourD]

This line here makes me feel that this isn't your usual brand besides the gauge.

What brand are those 10-46 and 10-52 sets you're used to?

You are correct.
I'm used to D'Addario and Ernie Ball sets, almost always 10-52.

According to Pyramid, the wound strings in the green pack actually have an even thinner core to make them more flexible. So yeah, it makes perfect sense that this is what I'm hearing. I think I'm going to try their regular nickel round wound set (same gauge, blue pack) and see what that does.

If that does the same thing, as an experiment, grab yourself a set of D'Addario EXL115 11-49 to see what happens with those.

[robertoaldunate]

So I've been playing these for a couple of weeks now:



They feel great, seem to last a long time, and I also like that the packaging is just paper.
However, the g string is louder than the d. It's especially noticeable when playing arpeggios. Sure, one can compensate for this by playing harder or softer, but it's just weird and I don't know if I want to get used it.
When payed acoustically, everything is nice and balanced. Also, pickup height and pickup selection make no difference.

I'm used to playing 10-52 and 10-46 sets, and I've never encountered this before.

Is this typical of this kind of string gauge? I suspect it has something to do with the core of the d string being too thin, but who knows.

My german Höfner bass came with nickel flat wound from pyramids and they have a different volume between the E-A pair and the D-G, also the tone is more dead. For this reason I'm gonna try Thomasticks.

[MattK]

grab yourself a set of D'Addario EXL115 11-49 to see what happens with those.

or EXL115W

[GilmourD]

grab yourself a set of D'Addario EXL115 11-49 to see what happens with those.

or EXL115W

I mean, if we're doing science...

[level3]

If that does the same thing, as an experiment, grab yourself a set of D'Addario EXL115 11-49 to see what happens with those.

Yep. Will do.
Thanks!

[andare]

Or - use a wound G, which these guitars were designed for.

I currently have a wound G on my Jazzmaster and the volume imbalance across the strings is noticeable. The flat pole pieces don't make sense with a curved fretboard - and mine is only 9.5", I can't imagine how bad it is with 7.25".
The A is quieter than the low E, the D is quieter than the A and the wound G is quieter than the D. Then the top two strings are very loud. I've had to angle the pickups away from the top strings but it's still bad.
TI flats, 11-47.

I didn't notice it as much with pure nickel rounds but it was still there.

Why did Leo fender design staggered pole pieces for the Strat in 54 and flat pole pieces for the Jazzmaster 4 years later if the fretboard radius was the same?

[Embenny]

Why did Leo fender design staggered pole pieces for the Strat in 54 and flat pole pieces for the Jazzmaster 4 years later if the fretboard radius was the same?

Probably something as simple as using roundwounds on the prototype JM during development after using flatwounds on the prototype Strat, without realizing how popular one option was going to turn out to be compared to the other. He wasn't a guitarist.

There's also no pattern at all to the history of Fender magnet staggers. Strats were staggered in '54. JMs were flat in '58. Jags were flat from '62-'63, then switched to being staggered by '64, but Mustangs were introduced with flat poles in '64.

He either couldn't make his mind up regarding the importance of magnet stagger, or simply didn't care that much.

[MattK]

I currently have a wound G on my Jazzmaster and the volume imbalance across the strings is noticeable. The flat pole pieces don't make sense with a curved fretboard - and mine is only 9.5", I can't imagine how bad it is with 7.25".
The A is quieter than the low E, the D is quieter than the A and the wound G is quieter than the D. Then the top two strings are very loud. I've had to angle the pickups away from the top strings but it's still bad.

Do you have the pickup close to the strings? The closer it is, the more the height differences between the saddles contribute to the distance from the pickup. What I mean is if there is a 2mm difference between the middle strings and the low/high E, then if the pickup is 4mm below that you will have 4mm vs 6mm (50% greater distance for some strings), but if the pickup is 8mm down, the difference will be 8mm vs 10mm (25% greater). Hope that makes sense.