Volume difference between high and low strings

[zzevv]

On my Megatar, there is quite a difference in note volume if I tap the highest and lowest strings with the same speed/pressure. I have titled the pickups (Bartolinis) as far as possible to reduce the distance on the highest and increase the distance on the lowest strings, but the differnce is still very noticable.

The obvious solution would be to just tap harder on the high strings of course, so this is not really a big problem. Just wondering, are there any other technical adjustments that can be made to reduce the difference ?

[TheEclectic]

This is something that drives me crazy about tap instruments. I have played a few Megatars and I have built a tapper that all had this problem. I want the higher strings to be louder than the lower strings as they are typically carrying the melody.

On one of my Megatars I installed a GraphTech Hexaphonic midi system & piezo saddle pickups and I play it thru a Roland VG-88 and V-Bass (these are 13-pin guitar modelers, not midi converters). Via the Roland gear, I am able to adjust the volume of the Ghost piezo pickups individually so that I am able to balance the fat and skinny strings. That solution is around a $1,200 if you are a DIY'er and if you patiently shop the parts on E-bay - not very appealing, but it is the only work around I have found.

It seems that someone that is good at making pickups would be able to engineer something that balanced the strings, but I have not seen anything like this. That would be the ideal solution - a pickup (with a preamp?) where one could adjust the output of the pole pieces.

[warrplayer]

This is what I did. Had Kent Armstrong make me a custom pickup. Each string passes over two pole pieces. Each pole piece is individually adjustable. Works like a charm. This was for my Warr Raptor which originally had two Barts side by side. Now, just the one big pickup. It is stereo, so each side still goes to a separate output, but I also changed out one of the volume knobs with a push/pull switch so I can collapse the whole pickup down to mono when I want. Individual pole pieces are really the only way to go if you want a completely even sound.

[zzevv]

This is what I did. Had Kent Armstrong make me a custom pickup. Each string passes over two pole pieces. Each pole piece is individually adjustable. Works like a charm. This was for my Warr Raptor which originally had two Barts side by side. Now, just the one big pickup. It is stereo, so each side still goes to a separate output, but I also changed out one of the volume knobs with a push/pull switch so I can collapse the whole pickup down to mono when I want. Individual pole pieces are really the only way to go if you want a completely even sound.

Sounds like a solid solution, but not cheap I guess ?

[rjgoos]

Just a random thought....there are two possible adjustments. One you have mentioned, angling the pickup towards the finer strings and away from the thicker strings. Also, you should try taking the entire pickup unit closer to and farther away from the string set in general. I have no idea if it would solve your problem, but it would be simple to experiment with this.

[warrplayer]

Sounds like a solid solution, but not cheap I guess ?

surprisingly affordable. If you can provide him with a mock pickup (mine was made out of wood) of the exact dimensions and where the pole pieces go (i used dowels in the wood) it should come in under $300. Just make sure you have the nut and string spacing you really want first. I had my nut re-cut so that the center of each string was equidistant from the others (vice the same distance between each string) first. Angling you stock pickups will improve things but it's a half measure.

[zzevv]

This is something that drives me crazy about tap
instruments. I have played a few Megatars and I have built a tapper that all
had this problem. I want the higher strings to be louder than the lower strings
as they are typically carrying the melody.


Indeed. I am *very* pleased with the sound of the stock Bertolinis that came with my megatar,
but the soft high registers are more then a bit annoying. I understood Traktor had these
pickups custom made by Bartolini, so it makes me wonder why this was not taken into account
when designing the pickups for a tapper.

(by the way, what's up with Traktor? I haven't seen any posts from him in weeks, maybe months?)

It seems warrplayer had custom pickups built for about $300, too bad something like that
does not come as a standard or option on pre-built tappers.


On one of my Megatars I installed a GraphTech Hexaphonic midi system & piezo
saddle pickups and I play it thru a Roland VG-88 and V-Bass (these are 13-pin
guitar modelers, not midi converters). Via the Roland gear, I am able to adjust
the volume of the Ghost piezo pickups individually so that I am able to balance
the fat and skinny strings. That solution is around a $1,200

$1,200. auch!