High E string is thin and metallic

Dave Merrill

Dave Merrill

Axe-Master
The high E on my EJ strat is brighter than other strings, in a way I don't like, thin and metallic. All pickups. Any suggestions?

I use 10s. Trying a set of Elixers for the first time, but this thing predates them.

Gut level, I'd say a softer metal for that one saddle. Is that a thing people do?
 
Dave Merrill said:
The high E on my EJ strat is brighter than other strings, in a way I don't like, thin and metallic. All pickups. Any suggestions?

I use 10s. Trying a set of Elixers for the first time, but this thing predates them.

Gut level, I'd say a softer metal for that one saddle. Is that a thing people do?
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Brass or Graphtec ought to tame the ice-picky E.

Graphtec worked great on my 6 saddle Modern American Tele to reduce the ice-picky sound the bent steel Strat saddle had. I had a spare set around when I upgraded my Strat to a SuperVee bridge.

Eventually going Rutters on it, with their compensated 3-saddle setup, probably steel/brass/brass for the saddles.
 
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Typically graphite adds brightness and reduces lows, also on the bright side your strings are less likely to break at the saddle! Brass will reduce the top end harmonics and make notes rounder sounding. Is it possible that the metallic sound is related to the frets? Is the neck too straight (w/low action) or back bowed?

Is it all the notes on the E string?
 
Weird that one person says graphtec solved excessive highs, another says "Typically graphite adds brightness and reduces lows".

Guess that says that life often isn't black and white, or maybe that stuff on the internet is just stuff on the internet.
 
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Hah, so I'm not full of it, for once!

I wonder what it is about the EJ that causes the problem. Or does it happen on all strats, but only EJ folks complain?

Does anyone sell singles of those?

Also enforces the idea that those saddles are less bright, contrary to that one poster...
 
Dave Merrill said:
Weird that one person says graphtec solved excessive highs, another says "Typically graphite adds brightness and reduces lows".

Guess that says that life often isn't block and white, or maybe that stuff on the internet is just stuff on the internet.
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It's about the eq shape imparted by the material. Steel has an eq spike that graphite does not in the high end.
 
skunc said:
Try everything and record everything.
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Sometimes that is the only way to really know. Descriptions of audio properties are notoriously difficult, as one person's 'more trebles' is another person's 'too bright' or 'ice-picky', or any number of different examples.

Different materials have different resonances. The saddle (and, indeed, the entire bridge), being a nexus of all fundamental and harmonic frequencies, is in a position to greatly affect the absorption of and/or reflection of those fundamentals and harmonics into the vibrating pattern of the string....

Same goes for neck and body woods, too. Some think it is the weight or density of the wood that makes sustain. It is really the stiffness and amount of vibration absorption at particular frequencies that gives wood its tonal properties and sustain characteristics.
 
Try a Raw Vintage brand saddle . I don't find brass or graph tech to reduce treble unless the steel saddle was very hard (Gotoh bent steel.)
 
Joe Bfstplk said:
Sometimes that is the only way to really know. Descriptions of audio properties are notoriously difficult, as one person's 'more trebles' is another person's 'too bright' or 'ice-picky', or any number of different examples.

Different materials have different resonances. The saddle (and, indeed, the entire bridge), being a nexus of all fundamental and harmonic frequencies, is in a position to greatly affect the absorption of and/or reflection of those fundamentals and harmonics into the vibrating pattern of the string....

Same goes for neck and body woods, too. Some think it is the weight or density of the wood that makes sustain. It is really the stiffness and amount of vibration absorption at particular frequencies that gives wood its tonal properties and sustain characteristics.
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This is true but the density of one piece of say swamp ash to a heavier one and the grain structure and even the shape does affect the absorption as well.
 
Admin M@ said:
Life is too short. Try a different guitar.
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I hear you, I've considered it. If I had one in hand that I really liked and could afford, I'd do it. But letting go of "pretty darn good" because I have some beefs with it, I dunno. Nothing is perfect, and smoothing out the rough edges of pretty darn good is one way to get to actually really cool without breaking the bank any further than it already is.
 
Andy Eagle said:
Try a Raw Vintage brand saddle . I don't find brass or graph tech to reduce treble unless the steel saddle was very hard (Gotoh bent steel.)
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What are those made of?

I used to use the nylon saddles in my L5, about a zillion years ago. Not an option for strats, far as I know.
 
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