Quick Question About An Old Build - Pastyface (Soulbender Spec)

[frankie5fingers]

Hi All.  A couple of years ago I built a Pastyface to the Soulbender spec W/OC76s.  I added a couple of outboard contrls like Bias and a Pregain pot - it's always been a great unit.  It's first in line after the Weener and gets all the juice it needs... loves the placement and gets along with every guitar except the new one.  I just built a new Strat with a set of '64 SCs.  It too sounds great and works well with every effect... except the Pastyface.  The problem is odd, at least to me.  It sounds great at pretty much every setting but when playing in the upper registers, the B and E strings don't have the strength of the other strings.  Only the B and E and only above the 7th fret.  The tone is there but it's as if it isn't boosting/overdriving those notes - and only those.  All the other pedals don't have any issues with it.  If I put a Rangemaster in front - no troubles, alone though, weak up top.  I'm wondering what to do to increase the range up top to give me a little more oomph with the high notes.  Whaddaya think?.

[gordo]

I've had similar problems with a few guitars over the years and it seems to be related to a resonance (for lack of a better term) sucking the life out of a select band of frequencies.  I have a beater strat thats been modded to death and I put a really nice neck on it and destroyed the tone.  A similar effect to what you're talking about but more extreme.  The original neck is beat to crap, finish worn off, and has been refretted one too many times.  It also has a large headstock (early 70's).  If I put that neck back on the guitar it's fine.  One thing you might try is clamping some weight (I use a brass block called a Fat Finger) or even a capo to the headstock to see if it helps.  Sometimes that's enough to alleviate the problem.  If it helps it points you in the right direction.  I hate the way they look but am now a big fan of the older big headstocks on strats.