Please Help with Smith Pickups!

[Hector Corrales Campos]

Hi everybody!!! I recently bought a Ken Smith Bass, it´s a BSR5M model and the Serial Number is 5M218702T

The bass looks great and it have all of the original Smith Parts (9V preamp, Soapbars pickups with pole pieces wired in parallel, input smith jack, etc.) but i think the bass has a problem in the pickups, because when playing B, E, A, D strings (slap&fingerstyle) these strings sound like "heaven" or in other words they have the legendary sound of the Smith Basses, but the "G" string sound very, very different and i don´t know why

The preamp is working perfectly (push/pull volume, pan, bass mid, higs) with no hum or noise, also the bass has a new 9V battery (duracell) and a new set of fresh Smith Strings Taper Core Medium.

Why the "G" string sound different??? Do you think it will be a problem on the pickups??

Thanx to all in the forum, your help would be aprecciated, especially thanx to Mr. Ken Smith for made the best basses on the planet

Best Regards

HECTOR

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Hector Corrales Campos

....the "G" string sound very, very different and i don´t know why .

What do you mean by "very, very different"?

Two things I would consider first before any other assumptions:

1. It could be the G-string. Just because the strings are "fresh" or "new" doesn't guarantee against a faulty string. While it's rare, it does happen.

2. Has the bass been properly set-up?

Without having the bass in hand, it's difficult to determine what you could be experiencing. I would rule out No. 1 or 2 (above) first.

[Hector Corrales Campos]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

What do you mean by "very, very different"?

Two things I would consider first before any other assumptions:

1. It could be the G-string. Just because the strings are "fresh" or "new" doesn't guarantee against a faulty string. While it's rare, it does happen.

2. Has the bass been properly set-up?

Without having the bass in hand, it's difficult to determine what you could be experiencing. I would rule out No. 1 or 2 (above) first.

Thanx for your answer Tim, but i don`t think the strings are the problem here because it was happening also with the old strings. The bass has properly setup by a pro, then it is not for these causes

To better explain, with the bass eq flat and the pan at center (both pickups) B, E, A, D strings has these "SMITH" sound, but the "G" string sounds like a Fender P-Bass o something like that, but only the G string!!!

I think i need to replace the pickps with new ones...

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Hector Corrales Campos

Thanx for your answer Tim, but i don`t think the strings are the problem here because it was happening also with the old strings. The bass has properly setup by a pro, then it is not for these causes

To better explain, with the bass eq flat and the pan at center (both pickups) B, E, A, D strings has these "SMITH" sound, but the "G" string sounds like a Fender P-Bass o something like that, but only the G string!!!

I think i need to replace the pickps with new ones...

Have you tried adjusting the G-string pole-pieces on each P/U? It only takes small adjustments to dial in each string up and down the neck. Make sense?

[Hector Corrales Campos]

Originally Posted by Tim Bishop

Have you tried adjusting the G-string pole-pieces on each P/U? It only takes small adjustments to dial in each string up and down the neck. Make sense?

Yes Tim, i tried that, and adjust the pole pieces up and down on each pickup but the sound comming form "G" string is the same, very different from the other strings

[Tim Bishop]

Originally Posted by Hector Corrales Campos

Yes Tim, i tried that, and adjust the pole pieces up and down on each pickup but the sound comming form "G" string is the same, very different from the other strings

Very odd. Sounds like whomever had the bass before you maybe messed it up. The magnets in those P/U's are very strong and, for example, if someone used steel wool on the frets and fretboard (i.e. to clean) and didn't cover the P/U's for protection from the steel wool particles, it's possible the P/U's are messed up as a result. Not sure what else it could be otherwise.