Very weak A string

[Ed Fowler]

Hi all,
Just picked up my custom cigar box mandola from the builder. It was a four pole wound pickup. I find when I plug in, the A string is noticeably weaker than the other three. It's tuned C G D A. The A string is plain while the other three are wound. I've adjusted the overall height of the pickup but that doesn't seem to help the A.

Appreciate any help.

Ed

[Soundfarmer Pete]

Does the pickup have individual magnets or a bar?
If there are individual magnets, it`s possible that the A magnet is weaker or even upside down.....
Easy enough to check with a rod magnet - stick the magnet to one of the other poles then work your way along the pickup.
If it sticks to all of them holding it the same way, then you`ve eliminated the polarity possibility.......but if you get to the A and you feel the magnet push rather than pull.........

[buchrob]

Temporarily interchange the D & A strings so that you are tuned C G A D. If the weakness follows the strings, it's not the pickup and you might benefit by going up a gauge on the A or fitting a wound string if that is at all feasible... not sure as to what gauge you are currently using, but a thicker string usually has a little more output.

If the problem persists and a gauge change is not in the cards, you could swap the wound strings for acoustic brass-wounds if they are currently nickle or steel wound in order to dampen their electrical output a bit.