Guitar Suddenly Muddy?

[HCL]

I recently had my Schecter Loomis set up, got a fret fixed and got a new set of strings that I optimised for tension, so individual strings rather than a pack. Lowest is a .74 in G#.

I started to retrack my demo thinking it would sound better and while there was a minor boost in quality everything was suddenly muddier and less distinct. I had to start picking much further from the bridge than normal to get the clarity I had with the old DI's.

Any clues as to why this is? Is my string just too big to have clarity? Is it because my old strings were old? When I tried tracking the same riffs several months ago on the same guitar when the old strings went on* I had the same problem and had to track with my other guitarists ESP Ecliplse.

*Before you flame, we've all gone long periods without restringing..

 

[RedDog]

Pull the pickup back away from the strings. Works. If nothing else, get a new 500k pot with the right cap.

 

[Wohma]

Did you get higher-gauge strings? Same brand/model?
RedDog's suggestions about the pickup height is a good one, although I doubt that the problem will be in the pot.

 

[RedDog]

I bought this guitar from a pawn shop, the guy who sold to me had no idea why it sounded like it did. I put some new strings on, sounded like mush. I was just about to drop some cash on a new pickup set when I decided to switch the pots just for the hell of it, when lo and behold, that was all that needed to be done.

Although if you haven't had a problem up to this point, it may not be a pot at all. Food for thought.

 

[Mago]

dying batterie, pickup hight, or maybe you're not used to the sound of new strings anymore

 

[HCL]

I lowered the pickup height which has seemed to make a difference although I haven't been playing the same riffs. The new strings inarguably sounded better but they were -too- full for the frantic riffs I was playing, there was less clarity and note distinction.

I doubt it's the battery or pot as I had a similar issue before. This is a thicker string set from the same manufacturer, the thinner set did this when I put them on and didn't work until months later, I probably had the pickups set too high.

I'll try out as much as I can tomorrow and report back, thanks for the help guys!