Quiet high E

[timryland]

I’m tending to find that the high E on my Classic 50’s strat is a lot quieter/less sustain than the other strings. This is particularly noticable ablove the 12th fret, especially on tunes like sleepwalk, cavatina, etc. I’m currently using D’addario 10’s.

Any suggestions welcome.

Tim.

[mojolomjl]

Hi Tim,

You could try adjusting the pickups so they are a little closer on the high E side, it worked for me.

Regards,

Maurice.

[George Lewis]

Hi Tim,
If adjusting the pups or replacing the string didn't improve the issue then here a couple of other suggestions.

First make sure the string is not binding in the nut slot and the string path over the bridge is free and lubricated with a touch of lip balm or similar. Then check that the string is not "choking" somewhere (usually on the higher frets). This will reduce the sustain but can also be desirable for some of the earlier more percusive Shad's tunes, so may require a compromise.

In any case, try changing the E 10 string for an 11. That should give a stronger and fuller sound. I use 11-49 but always replace the top string with a 12.

cheers
George

[Simon Underwood]

A bit more drastic, but you could try a set of pickups with the original 54-56 stagger with a higher top E pole and a lower G pole, which suit modern string gauges better, which is ironic. I put a set of Fender Pure Vintage 56 pickups in my 56 NOS CS Strat for that very reason. Fender don't make them any more, but the Fralin Real 54s have the same stagger, although more expensive.

Simon

[peterbower]

I have a similar issue with my CV 50's Strat, only my B string seems quieter than the top E, It could be the pickups, My strings are standard 10-46 Ernie Ball's which are well balanced on my other guitars. Bearing in mind that the CV 50's Strat has a modern 9 1/2 " radius neck, the vintage stagger pickups so designed for the 7 !/4-1/2 " radius necks may be too much although George's suggestion might be the answer. I'm going to try a set of modern US standard pickups which I have spare to see if it cures the B Drop out

Pete

[philc]

If there's room, just add a thin magnet disk to the E pickup to higher it, they come in all sizes and thicknesses.

Phil

[santoinetwo]

I also had the self same issue with my former 'Antigua' and slightly less so with my former "ventures Active Strat. Both were fitted with 11-49 which does help. However I ended up trying a PRS 513 and never looked back. String balance is astounding.

[Ernie Lamprell]

The lack of sustain at the E string on the 12th fret may be the main factor. Try playing the same note on the B string lower on the fretboard - does this have the same lack of sustain as the E string at the 12th fret? If so, the bad news is that there is nothing you can really do about it (apart from change the neck), it is inherent in the guitar. You don't say whether the lack of volume occurs with all pickups? If this applies to all pickups, lack of volume might be due to magnet height, but if only one pickup, it is worth checking the magnetic pull of the polepiece under the E string to ensure it is magnetised.

[timryland]

Thanks for all the advice.
I have since replaced the strings, re-setup and checked neck relief, bridge settings and action. Problem has now gone away.

It got me to wondering if the recent spell of warm(hot) weather we have been having could have contributed to this. I have been playing more recently, so with probably sweatier hands, the strings have aged quicker. I generally have quite acidic hands anyway, so this time I have replaced them with a set of Elixir Optiwebs.

Tim.