Fender acoustic guitar pickup volumn not balanced.

[expertune]

I recently bought a used Fender CG-24SCE acoustic/electric guitar (classical nylon string).

 

like this:

http://www.fender.com.au/acoustics/classical/cg24sce.shtml

 

The preamp comes with 3band eq. The pickup is under saddle pickup. I took the saddle out when I changed strings, and found the pickup looks like flexible shielded wire (copper color). Sorry, I am not familiar with these types of acoustic pickups.

 

However, I found although the volume of each string is balanced unplugged, the sixth (low E) string always has much lower volume than other strings when plugged in. Sixth string volume lower than other strings on any fret, so I guess it has nothing to do with eq.

 

So what's the possible problem? I tried two sets strings, same result. Thanks

[Terry Allan Hall]

Try this....it really works!:

 

(1)Go to a craft store like Michaels and buy some red self-curing Mexican modeling clay. You don't need to fire this clay to use it after you've made something. It is said that it actually had acoustic properties. It comes in a 5 lb box which will allow you to do this mod to about 13,000 guitars.

 

Actually, I've a lot of this, so if you'll pay the postage, I'll send ya some!

 

(2) remove strings, remove saddle, use the pointy edge of a hobby knife to pull the pickup up so you can grab it w/your fingers or GENTLY w/some needle nose pliers, and pull it out of the saddle slot. Clean the saddle slot by first blowing any loose debris out then use a cotton swab w/rubbing alcohol to clean the slot out.

 

(3) Get about a golf ball sized hunk of clay, roll it out as thin as you can w/a rolling pin on some wax paper and keep it wet w/some water. Using your saddle as a template, press the saddle into the clay in several areas to leave an impression of the bottom of the saddle. Use a hobby knife to cut out the saddle impression and I'd cut it a tad shorter because the clay tends to stretch when you try and pull it up.

 

Place the tiny strip of clay in the bottom of the saddle slot, put the pickup over it, put the saddle on the pickup. Now string up your guitar in this order:

 

6

1

3

4

2

5

 

then tune. The clay fills any tiny voids so the pickup and saddle have good contact. In some cases, the saddle heighth will need to be lowered (by sanding it down) and if that does need to happen, do the whole mod over again after you've reshaped the saddle bottom.

 

Again, this works AMAZINGLY well!

[expertune]

Thanks. That's an interesting tip, I will try to find clay locally. If I can't, I will need your help.

 

BTW, is the clay still wet when you put it in the bridge?

[Terry Allan Hall]

Originally posted by expertune Thanks. That's an interesting tip, I will try to find clay locally. If I can't, I will need your help. OK, just shoot me a PM if you can't find any locally...try art supply businesses. BTW, is the clay still wet when you put it in the bridge? Very slightly, and it dries pretty fast when it's that thin. Not enough moisture to hurt a guitar, though. I've done this on all of my performing guitars (4 Guilds, 2 Taylors and 2 Gibsons) and it's perfectly safe!