DI Question

[Tommy Gun]

The distance between the low E (depressed at 24th fret) and the bridge pickup is 2/16ths of an inch

That's only an 1/8 inch... Way too close. You'll have output issues, possible string buzz, maybe even magnetic issues that sound like bad tuning or intonation. Anywhere between 3/8 and 5/16 is fine depending on the pickup and the output you're looking for. I keep my JB's at 3/8, and they SHRED. You never want to have them too far away either, because of the same problems. Here are a couple of good, helpful articles.

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/aph.htm

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/Tone Tips_ Pickup Heights/

 

[izzyrock]

Just in CASE!!
Are'nt you using a BALANCED cable to your input??? Balanced adds 6db
IT sounds stupid. but check that

 

[mikko/boogie]

http://www.projectguitar.com/tut/aph.htm

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/Tone Tips_ Pickup Heights/

Good stuff BTW. Thanks!

 

[Tommy Gun]

Good stuff BTW. Thanks!

NP

 

[Melodeath]

Even in the link you provided, they say "Measuring between the top of the pickups and the bottom of the strings, with the strings depressed at the last fret, the best advice is to start with a gap of 1/16 inch between bridge pickup and strings and 3/32 inch between neck pickup and strings, and this makes a good general base from which to launch your own experiments."

I'm further than what they suggest as a starting point. Where are you getting your 5/16ths number? I checked Duncan's webpage and saw no advice.

Btw, the signal clips whether I used balanced or unbalanced.

 

[colonel kurtz]

I disagree. Passive pickups give me around -15db at peaks (not so hot pickup), maybe less paf-like pickup. But with active electronics I get around -11-12db. But levels were measured direct to audio card.

maybe it's just me, but i wouldn't consider a difference of 3db to be massive...it's enough to be noticeably hotter, but not to the point where it should be clipping the living crap out of everything

Btw, the signal clips whether I used balanced or unbalanced.

unless you have 1 of the very few pickups that provide a balanced output, there's no point in using a balanced cable for a DI...the balancing is in the signal itself, not the cable, so even when using a balanced cable, you'll still be passing unbalanced signals.

 

[Melodeath]

I understand. My longest cable happens to be balanced, and I sometimes use it for convenience.

No harm in using a balanced cable when only unbalanced is required, no?

 

[Tommy Gun]

Even in the link you provided, they say "Measuring between the top of the pickups and the bottom of the strings, with the strings depressed at the last fret, the best advice is to start with a gap of 1/16 inch between bridge pickup and strings and 3/32 inch between neck pickup and strings, and this makes a good general base from which to launch your own experiments."

I'm further than what they suggest as a starting point. Where are you getting your 5/16ths number? I checked Duncan's webpage and saw no advice.

Dude, I feel like a real shit right now. I checked my Duncan book and my measurements, as it has been quite a while since I've had to address this. I was off on my 8ths and 16ths. I apologize.

Duncan actually recommends between 3/32 and 5/32 for the bridge pickup height. My JB's are actually sitting right at 1/8, which is exactly where yours is I believe. Sorry for the confusion man. Won't happen again.

Unfortunately, this means your pickup height is not the issue, and the problem is yet to be discovered.

 

[Melodeath]

No problem at all. Was just curious where you were getting those numbers! heh

The problem is probably the way the Alesis is designed. I can always make/buy a pad, or buy a dedicated DI.

Did your Duncan book come with the pickups? My JB and '59 were stock, so I didn't get a book.

 

[Tommy Gun]

No problem at all. Was just curious where you were getting those numbers! heh

The problem is probably the way the Alesis is designed. I can always make/buy a pad, or buy a dedicated DI.

Did your Duncan book come with the pickups? My JB and '59 were stock, so I didn't get a book.

No, actually, I'm thinking that I may have picked it up at Guitar Center. I've had it for a while now. It was free, though, and I'm sure you could still find one somewhere. It's basically just a big brochure, with some extra info in the back on wiring, EQ and Output charts, etc. Most of it, however, just covers each individual SD model in-depth.

 

[Melodeath]

speaking of pickups, I love Duncan's website, how you can hear the different pickups.

 

[Tommy Gun]

Yeah. Didn't have that luxury when I started buying JB's

 

[Melodeath]

I think i had decided on getting the Duncan Distortion or something for my Fender guitar, and then I bought a new guitar instead, which had a JB stock heh

 

[guitartyson123]

hey man, i also have an alesis io|26 and have the same problem but only on heavy palm mute parts. although when i put a pedal in between i have to turn the input gain to around 4 to get it to clip. it must just be the hi-z input on the alesis.