I think I may have killed the pickup on my Ric! I'm not sure, but the E string sounds completely dead...there's no ring to it at all...it just goes dead...anyone have any clue as to why this is happening? I've tried it on different amps and with different cables...and changed the settings on the bass a million times over...ANY HELP IS GREATLY APPRECIATED!


Thanks a lot in advance *crosses fingers and prays*


peace n' love



~Bill

Have you tried changing the strings? I'm sorry if it sounds stupid, but my strings eventually start sounding dead to me after they've been on a while.

Gar...I'm probably an idiot...lol...that's probably it..but they've only been on for maybe a month and a half...I play everyday for two hours or so, but I wipe 'em thouroughly every time...and the last set lasted longer (I think)...but that might be it...and I don't know why I didn't think of that...thakns a lot..if it's not just an old set of strings, would it be a broken pole piece? I'm not sure, and I'm no tech...but that's all I can think of.


thanks a lot

Blackbird89,

Are you not getting any sound at all off your E string or is the E string just sounds like the string is just dead sounding, I guess what I'm trying to say is I've never heard on a Rickenbacker where there is no sound at all on one string but hey I guess there is always a first time, but anyways I can understand if your E string is just dead sounding from sweat and useage and that would cause maybe not as loud volumewise as with the other strings but the way you are describing it, it sounds like the string isn't producing any sound at all as in not being amplified, If i where you you shouild definatley call Rickenbackers customer service line first thing Mon. and maybe you should check with Dale Fortune who regularly post on the restoration section of the forum and ask him for a professional opinion also, that definatley sounds weird, maybe it is something wrong with the E string pole piece, I have to tell you that is definatley the first time I have ever heard of anything like that before.
Good Luck,

FISH

nahh, the more I think about it, the more I feel like a retard...'cause it's most likely just an old string. But the only trouble with that is that I use the G and D strings more than anything...and they still sound fine..but maybe all that Metallica I played for a while killed it...definetely sounds like an old string, but these are almost new...I'll have to try changing tomorrow...I guess I'll try those Elixir Gunk-resistant strings...thanks a lot, guys! I really do appreciate it

Is there any sound at all? At least a thump? If you are at least getting a thump, maybe you've not realized that you raised the mute. Maybe someone else was turning the thumbscrew on the mute. Take a close look, you'll see if the mute os contacting the E string. If so,turn the thumbscrew on the E string side counterclockwise (to the left} a couple of turns and see what happens. Hopefully that's all it is.
If one or both pickups are too close to the strings, it can shorten their sustain.
A new set of strings wouldn't hurt, but I've seen some pretty dull, worn bass strings in my playing years and they have all had at least some sustain.

_________________
Throw that piece of firewood where it belongs and get yourself a Rickenbacker!

Another thing you might check on also is your pickup height on your pickups, you might need to raise the bass side of both your pickups up a little bit or lower the D and G string sides of both your pickups to get equal volume across the whole spectrum.

HI, Which p/u is it, is it the neck or the treble. Have you tried moving the toggle switch to see if both p/us are working.. I like the mute thing also, when it touches the string, you will not have any ring to the string.:)

Ok, yea, it's probably the mute thing...'cause I do put my hand right over the thumb screw when I play harmonics, and I've been playing Portrait of Tracy by Jaco lately...so that's probably it. Thanks a lot for all the help! I'll let y'all know if none of those solutions works.


Thanks again to everyone!



Peace n' Love

ok, well, adjusting the mute didn't help...I'm hoping and praying that new strings will :/ ...I'll let y'all know