Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

9

95strat

New member
I know this has to be annoying. I've posted my issues several times with wiring my Phat Cat. I do have it working thankfully. However I'm not getting much volume output from it. I have the height of the bridge and neck (PC) at the same distance from the strings and hardly get anything from the PC. When I go to just the PC the volume is about half of that when I have the bridge engaged.

Any clue to what I've done wrong? I get a 8.02 reading from the PC and a 9.51 from the bridge. Why are the output volumes so different?
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

Because one is a humbucker and one is a single coil?

Raise the neck and lower the bridge PU.
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

what is the other pup involved? in general what don said is correct
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

The PC does have two magnets, but it's not really a humbucker. Are HB's not as loud as single coils? When I had my Dream 90 in the same postion I didn't have this problem. Hmm.

I'll play with the height adjustment some more, but I really don't think that's it. I'll let ya know.
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

sounds like the magnets arent in correctly. you want both south poles to touch the screws, the two magnets will push against each other till you make contact with the screws then they will stay put.

sounds like you have one north and one south pole against the pole pieces.

the bridge pup is going to be much brighter than the neck which will probably be quite round. what magnets did you put in the pc?
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

jeremy said:
sounds like the magnets arent in correctly. you want both south poles to touch the screws, the two magnets will push against each other till you make contact with the screws then they will stay put.

sounds like you have one north and one south pole against the pole pieces.

the bridge pup is going to be much brighter than the neck which will probably be quite round. what magnets did you put in the pc?
Click to expand...

I left one stock A2 and replaced the other with an A5. I'll open it up again and check the magnet orientation. That's probably it.

At least I know the bridge is brighter than the neck...I do know that much;)
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

Well, considering you're using a "hot" bridge pickup....

8.02 sounds kinda weak to begin with, and 9.51 doesn't sound much better for a bridge IMO, but then again, they're still 1.49k apart. That's a long drive.

Try moving bridge to neck and see what happens.
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

DrNewcenstein said:
Well, considering you're using a "hot" bridge pickup....

8.02 sounds kinda weak to begin with, and 9.51 doesn't sound much better for a bridge IMO, but then again, they're still 1.49k apart. That's a long drive.

Try moving bridge to neck and see what happens.
Click to expand...
I'd try your suggestion, but it's a tele and the bridge won't fit in the neck position.

I didn't know 1.5k was that big of a difference in terms of output. I am going to replace the bridge with a Quarter Pound. That thing is super hot. Hope I can get a good balance.

What's the general rule on balancing neck and bridge pickups in terms of output?

Thanks for the help by the way.
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

messing around with pickup height should get you partway there after you check the magnets....
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

DrNewcenstein said:
Well, considering you're using a "hot" bridge pickup....

8.02 sounds kinda weak to begin with, and 9.51 doesn't sound much better for a bridge IMO, but then again, they're still 1.49k apart. That's a long drive.
Click to expand...

umm... what? 8k is fine for a neck pup. p90/phat cat/humbucker/tele or strat neck etc... any of them shouldnt sound "weak" at 8k.

you dont play country do you? :)


95strat said:
I'd try your suggestion, but it's a tele and the bridge won't fit in the neck position.

I didn't know 1.5k was that big of a difference in terms of output. I am going to replace the bridge with a Quarter Pound. That thing is super hot. Hope I can get a good balance.

What's the general rule on balancing neck and bridge pickups in terms of output?

Thanks for the help by the way.
Click to expand...

i wouldnt try swapping them even if you could. 1.5k is fine for a difference if you are talking about similar type of pups but you arent so the numbers dont mean as much. the phat cat is wound with #42 wire, your bridge pup is made with #43.

as i already said, im guessing that you have one of the magnets flipped around. its a fairly easy and common mistake to make.
 
Re: Bridge louder that neck. How to adjust.

jeremy said:
as i already said, im guessing that you have one of the magnets flipped around. its a fairly easy and common mistake to make.
Click to expand...

Oh yeah, thanks for the help Jeremy. I'll let you know what I figure out. I'll open up the PC tonight and mess with it. I want to get it fixed ASAP because I've got to play this weekend and I'd prefer my tele over my strat.
 
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