acoustic bass pickup issues

I just received a new Acoustic bass guitar, a Fender Kingman



Not a spectacularly loud bass acoustically, but I was really looking forward to playing with it plugged in, especially performing live.

But alas! the pickup volume for each string is quite imbalanced.

The A string is quite muted - low volume + low sustain, while the D and G strings are overpowering and sensitive.

I'm guessing this is probably a problem with the saddle's bottom not distributing the vibrations evenly between the strings.
Or perhaps it's the strings themselves.. some strings having more energy than others when vibrating?
I did change strings to D'addario Tapewounds. The acoustic bronze strings that came with it were terrible.

Not too sure, on my other basses, which have magnetic pickups, balance is not an issue at all. This is my first acoustic bass..



Sigh.. looks like I'll have to take her into the store for a fix.

kissing said:

I'm guessing this is probably a problem with the saddle's bottom not distributing the vibrations evenly between the strings.

Click to expand...

Hi kissing

I agree with your assessment but I won't limit to the bottom of the saddle. My prime suspect is that the saddle is too tight and it's not sitting on the pick-up evenly. On a pure acoustic instrument, you want the saddle to be snug. If you have an under-the-saddle pick-up, the saddle should be a little loose so that when you flip a guitar upside down (no strings), the saddle should slip out.

Also, when you put strings on, you tune up very slowly and evenly - tune up one string a little and do the other. Do not tune one string to a pitch and then to another. And as you raise the tensions across, you want to wiggle the saddle and make sure the saddle is not caught askew.

It could be the result of uneven saddle bottom but that's not common. You might want to ensure that the bottom is flat just to be sure.

Cheers
Chief