Question for B Band users

[woodenuff]

What have you done for string balance issues? I have B Band systems in four guitars and all use a UST with either a mic or sounboard transducer. Three of the four work great but one is driving me nuts. The b string and high e are much louder. The D is almost not there at all.

So far I have:
Checked saddle bottom and slot for flatness
Shimmed the quiet strings
Shimmed the loud strings
Fitted a new saddle with a tighter fit (B Band suggests a tight fit unlike other manufacturers who like a slip fit)

I am considering modifying the saddle with slits between the strings terminating in a keyhole ala the old Fishman Cleartone.

BTW my saddles are bone. I suppose I could get Tusq and try it but I have bone in the other three and they're fine.

The bridge pins are in a bit of a smley face configuration (These are Goodalls) not as pronouned as the older Taylors.

Thanks for your suggestions and happy holidays


Harmon

[66strummer]

Woodenuff.....

What system do you have in the problem guitar? Remember that the preamp (A2.2) has 2 separate internal gain controls (one for the AST and one for the UST) Have you tried dialing up the gain on either of them or both? Maybe the UST is fine and you just need to play around with your preamp gain controls (need a tiny screwdriver to do this). I was under the impression that one pickup handles bass strings and the other treble strings..... You could also try contacting B-Band. They are generally EXCELLENT with customer service, so don't hesitate (if you havent already). Good luck!

Ryan

[woodenuff]

Hey

Thanks. I have tried all the gain combinations. The pre is the A 2.2. The UST produces a signal from all strings as does the AST. The blend combines the two transducers. The UST is primarily for the lower frequencies and the AST for the higher ones. Im my case, The UST is missing the D string while the b and high e are way too loud. While B Band customer service is usually very helpful, their suggestion to round off the saddle edges, which I have done, didn't improve things any.

thanks

harmon

[66strummer]

How about your string break angle? Check the post with the picture (scroll down a ways to get to it).
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=140537


I suspect that quite often this is a problem on USTs that have uneven string response, even if it's not caused by wear to the bridge.

ALSO, I dont know much about it but there is some new "clay" insert thing you can put under your saddle to help eliminate uneven string response too. Havent tried it myself but it's supposed to work good.

Another suggestion (which might be a pain) is to swap UST transducers from another guitar and see what you get. If the other guitar ends up having the same problem then it's likely a prob with the UST transducer in this guitar. Lots of variables unfortunately.....

ALSO, try giving Bob Colosi a call. He deals with B-Band products and that's where I got most of my newer B-Band pickup systems and components.....

Ryan

[woodenuff]

I have some extra USTs and will give that a try. Bob is a sponsor here. Perhaps he'll reply here and help all of us B Band users.

I don't think I have a break angle issue since the other three all have similar geometry.

Thanks for sticking with me.
Harmon

[66strummer]

Hey....

We B-Band guys gotta stick together, Right? Besides, the more input and feedback I get the better I can diagnose any issues I may also have later. Like you, I have 3 or more B-Band systems in several different guitars, so it's good if I can fix any future problems myself. Hope it's something simple that has just been overlooked so far. Best of luck....

Ryan

[jaskofall]

Hi Guys,
I love the B Band, But yes they can be pains in the !!!.
1) Try a Tusq saddle, But NOT the one made for B Band as I dont think they are as good as the other ones they have, check on the Graphtec website and find one that fits the slot perfectly
2) check the Brake angle as 66strummer said. I have found that the pressure one the strings makes a massive difference. More brake angle = More pressure
3) Sounds silly, But, Cut the Graphtec saddle into 6 individual pieces (only do this if it fits really snug, Because if it doesnt fit snug they might lean strangely.
4) Im sure you have tried paper under the louder/ quiter strings. Try using tiny pieces of aluminum foil folded 2-3 times under the transducer (not in between the saddle and transducer but under the transducer)
5) Im sure the saddle and slot are flat, so I dont need to tell you that
6) Was the transducer damaged during installation or transit as 66strummer said, the smallest kink can do a lot of damage
7) try either sanding the top or bottom of the saddle a little bit, but only on the louder strings so the dont make so much mechanical contact or by sanding the top slightly you can reduce the brake angle and therefore reduce the pressure.

These are all things you can try and I wish you the best of luck.
It might take a combination of a few of them
B Bands sound great and just remember it is worth all the effort!!!
Can you give us some photos of what the saddle/bridge look like with string pressure on them?

Regards

[jaskofall]

also, what strings are you using?

[66strummer]

It still amazes me that B-Band makes a UST transducer that is SOOOO thin that it really doesn't affect your saddle height. Definitely a BIG plus...... Maybe it is a bit more prone to problems because of that though. The first guitar I owned that had a (factory installed) B-Band UST in it was an Ibanez. That guitar had perfect string balance til the day I sold it, and got more compliments about how good it sounded plugged in than I care to remember. A friend offered me more $$$ for it than I could turn down........

Ryan

[Kabookie]

Originally Posted by 66strummer

Hey....We B-Band guys gotta stick together, Right? Besides, the more input and feedback I get the better I can diagnose any issues I may also have later. Like you, I have 3 or more B-Band systems in several different guitars, so it's good if I can fix any future problems myself. Hope it's something simple that has just been overlooked so far. Best of luck....

Ryan

I'll give a shout out to 66strummer. Ridin' in his posse has been a cool experience. Late.....Kabookster

[Mel]

Its pretty much all been said above, but can I correct one assumption you have made with regard to the blend control and which pup does what.

if the blend control is fully turned towards the neck, then both AST and UST are blended 50/50, depending of course on the settings of the 2 trim pots on the pre-amp. rolling the blend control back reduces the AST level, so the UST becomes more dominant. Over this range of the control, the AST is picking up the higher frequencies, not the higher strings, and the UST picks up the lower frequencies.
If the control is rolled back further, there is a point at about 20% from fully towards the bridge when the AST/UST blend is disconnected and only the FULL frequency response of the UST is used.
When I installed my A2.2 , I found I had very little output from the D and G strings , when just the UST was selected. Dialling the blend in reached a point when the AST came into the blend and these 2 strings came to life with an even balance across all six. Careful saddle work solved the imbalance.
Now, let me say that in my experience, the saddle has to be absolutely flat across the bottom. even a fraction of a thou of an inch out of true is enough to upset the balance.
Also, round off the leading and trailing edges of the bottom after sanding. If these edges are left sharp, and they will be after sanding, they can dig into the side wall of the saddle slot and stop the saddle from vibrating properly. Dont forget, the tension and the angle of the strings will try and force the top of the saddle towards the neck which puts pressure on the trailing edge of the saddle against the side wall of the slot.
I have had this problem on a single UST B-Band installation. What a difference that made when I worked out what was happening and rounded the edges off.
They can be a pain in the bum to set up, but its worth it. As 66strummer says above , the A2.2 is a good pup system and gives a full and detailed reproduction without any of the plasticy quacky effects you get with ordinary peizo pups.
Long live B-Band

[66strummer]

EXCELLENT points made by Mel, as always.... Another thing I forgot about is that the little entry hole at edge of the saddle slot (where the transducer comes in) should be checked for burrs, etc.... As mentioned, anything that pinches in there will affect it's performance. I've had some string balance problems with the solo UST A1.2's and I'm betting they have had to do with what he mentioned about sharp edges on the saddle. I think I'm going to do some saddle filing myself when I get around to it........


______________________________________

Originally posted by Kabookie:
I'll give a shout out to 66strummer. Ridin' in his posse has been a cool experience. Late.....Kabookster

Thanks, Kabookster. I'm just a Messenger who thinks he knows something.....

Ryan

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