Low volume E string: what are my alternatives?

[ivan]

Hello, gents.

My beloved '97 4003 suffers from the proverbial low volume E string. So far I've been circumventing this by raising the top side of my pickups. However, as the polepieces are fixed (we didn't have the adjustable ones in 97), this also increases the output of the A and D strings.

What are your experiences with this issue? What have you done to solve it?

Thanks a lot!

Ivan

[cassius987]

As strange as this sounds I find doing things like adjusting the neck to be straighter tends to help with stuff like this (on any instrument). For your pickups you might consider backing them all the way down and starting from there. I do agree that those radiused poles actually favor the A & D strings a bit if you can't adjust them. Consider beefing up the E string gauge to work around this.

[ivan]

Thanks for the answer, Cassius.

[geofio]

hi, i had this problem with a 4003 and the problem was the screws that hold the bridge onto the guitar were loose so i tightened all the screws and it was like a different bass, give it a go you never know, it worked for me. george

[rickenbrother]

hi, i had this problem with a 4003 and the problem was the screws that hold the bridge onto the guitar were loose so i tightened all the screws and it was like a different bass, give it a go you never know, it worked for me. george

Any screw(s) or even loose strap buttons can possibly alter the tone, sustain, maybe even the volume of certain notes or strings. Don't kill tighten any screws, just snug them all up well.

[ivan]

Thanks, guys, I'll try it.