Overdrive fuzz sound on Cort A4 with mids up - should it?

[MisterT]

Most of the time I play with the thing flat but noticed a real overdriven fuzz sort of sound when I pumped the mid control to the top. I did have the bass up about 3/4 of the way around at the time so I backed it off and it came back to sounding good but now I find I'm unable to crank the mids. I'm sure it's not too much gain on the amp as I can plug straight into the soundcard bypassing the amp entirely and it still does it and I can tell that the inputs aren't overloaded. It definitely happens more the more I dig in, but if I crank the mids and have the bass anything above half, it's pretty noticeable without plucking too hard. btw, I swapped the battery just in case it was that - no, that's not it.

It went in for repair for excessive battery drain (lasting 2 to 3 weeks of about an hour a day play) which seems to have been fixed and I didn't notice the fuzz before then - to be fair to the shop (Promenade and they were *very* helpful with the repair - ringing with updates too) I don't know if that's the case or not, I'm happy to hold my hands up there.

So my question is - should I be able to have the tones up a long way without fuzz? It's still under warranty, I just don't want to send it back if 'they all do that sir'.

I know, I know... "don't ruddy dig in"

[Twincam]

Is this the one with the bartolini pickups and eq?
No it's not supposed to inject any noise. However you can overload the gain, but as you said you think it's not that. Try it with the gain lower.
You swapped the battery and its the same.
You have tried it with your soundcard still the same.

So from all that I would think that if it never did that before it went into the shop then the shop has possibly done something that's made it act up.
Maybe take the rear cover off, take a pic and post it.

[MisterT]

Yes, it's the Bartonlinis on this one - A4 Artisan.

Not sure if you can see anything amiss from this, typical I sold a great macro lens to help buy the guitar! Large version of this shot linked below.

[url="https://flic.kr/p/LzEpkX"][/url][url="https://flic.kr/p/LzEpkX"]Cort-A4-Rear-01[/url] by [url="https://www.flickr.com/photos/129254546@N08/"]Paul Townend[/url], on Flickr

[b]Large[/b] version > [url="http://www.zen16511.zen.co.uk/Cort-A4-Rear-01-Large.jpg"]http://www.zen16511....ar-01-Large.jpg[/url]

Edited August 27, 2016 by MisterT

[MoonBassAlpha]

I'm just wondering if anything on the other side of the preamp could be touching any of the potentiometer? Might be upsetting some part of the eq gain.

[HowieBass]

I've got a fretless Cort B4 with the same pickups and electronics in it and mine doesn't sound overdriven even with everything full on.

EDIT: I'm not saying this is the cause of your problem but the soldering on the input jack socket looks really messy and I can imagine that having been the cause of the battery drain (if there was a bridge shorting out the battery even with the jack plug not in there).

Edited August 27, 2016 by HowieBass

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1472165390' post='3119132']
...I can tell that the inputs aren't overloaded...
[/quote]

IME If it sounds distorted or overdriven, when using lots of Boost or gain - It generally is. No monitoring or metering can replace listening to a recorded track carefully for issues like transient clipping.
Could be that running two bands at half boost or one band at full you're using up all the headroom. . . any more boost just puts you in the red!

Could be that there's an issue with the board or the wiring/pots too. I'd definately try wrapping that preamp with some plastic to keep it insulated.

[MisterT]

Thanks for the replies, just to say that since writing I've noticed it's not doing it (like when, y'know, you have a Drs appointment) but that might be I've dialled in a preferred tone rather than trying to make it go bad. Perhaps I've (un)disturbed something when taking the picture.

I noticed it the most when I had it through a few pedals so I'll couple it back into those and see how it goes & report back.

I'm still under manufacturer's warranty and Promenade even said that if I had any further problems they'd not hesitate to have the distributor Pro El take a look. I'm therefore reluctant to tinker in there.

Btw - Plunger - is there a specific sort of plastic that preamps can be wrapped in?

Side note: Is it me or do no manufacturers care about the neatness of their wiring? I've not looked in many guitars but those I have tend to be 'shove it in, it'll be right'. Boutiques any better? I'd not purchase because of wiring or anything, and I get that they make it so components can be re-soldered and such but they just seem like hack jobs!

[Twincam]

The soldering does look rubbish.
You can just get some electrical tape and lightly and gentle wrap it in it not like a blanket tho. One layer just in case in needs unwrapping lol.

Interesting its not doing it since you opened it up. No doubt a bad connection or something shorting a little somewhere.

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1472475630' post='3121380']

...Btw - Plunger - is there a specific sort of plastic that preamps can be wrapped in?...
[/quote]

Not that I'm aware. I'd go with something, like Twincam suggests - made to be an electrical insulator like heat shrinking, electrical tape etc. Probably not cling film as that stuff generates a lot of static electricity when I use it!
If you don't want to get the preamp sticky with tape or can't find large heat shrink - some kitchen roll will probably provide insulation with minimal static shocks to the components. Keep in mind any handling or application of force (e.g. flipping the bass over and having the preamp move in the cavity) can break stuff - in my experience it usually doesn't unless you do something violent like connecting a battery backwards or dropping the bass (no not like that, I mean actually letting the bass fall onto the ground!).

[MisterT]

[quote name='Twincam' timestamp='1472491841' post='3121549']
Interesting its not doing it since you opened it up.
[/quote]
I'm at that stage now where I'm getting somewhere. Being a logical sort I'm trying to nail it before I speak to the shop. It's still doing it but I want to be able to replicate it each time and then test with a 2nd active bass - knowing full well that a different bass only gives me a floating reference point rather than anything conclusive. I have plugged / unplugged so many things I need to write this all down now, including where the soundcard gains are and what inputs I'm using.

[quote name='PlungerModerno' timestamp='1472497419' post='3121613']
...unless you do something violent like connecting a battery backwards or dropping the bass (no not like that, I mean actually letting the bass fall onto the ground!).
[/quote]
This genuinely made me chuckle as I did at first think you meant physically dropping the bass but no, I'm more likely to cut the midrange

[PlungerModerno]

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1472558267' post='3122065']
I'm at that stage now where I'm getting somewhere. Being a logical sort I'm trying to nail it before I speak to the shop. It's still doing it but I want to be able to replicate it each time and then test with a 2nd active bass - knowing full well that a different bass only gives me a floating reference point rather than anything conclusive. I have plugged / unplugged so many things I need to write this all down now, including where the soundcard gains are and what inputs I'm using.
[/quote]

Hell yes - document your results. I'd say start with the pickups hotwired to output, then in circuit the pots (passive ones), then with the preamp without boost/cut (just on as a buffer), then with each boost/cut controller in use, keeping an eye on recording levels. And yes you're better to record them with a consistant naming scheme. P.S. Looking at that output jack . . . Try that first before sending any signal through it!

[quote name='MisterT' timestamp='1472558267' post='3122065']
This genuinely made me chuckle as I did at first think you meant physically dropping the bass but no, I'm more likely to cut the midrange
[/quote]

Ha! Happy to be of entertainment value. Good luck with the debug.

[MisterT]

Debug complete. Consisted of bass straight into soundcard, mids and bass anything past 3/4, volume right down at about 1 (on a scale of 1 to 10 I mean not 1 o'clock) and treble anywhere - fuzz. Winding the volume up just gets worse (same amount of fuzz just nasty), and the pickup pot is making noise too as you go between bridge / neck. Btw, at the same time as wanting this fixing, I realise I have a built-in fuzz-o-matic, I mean who wouldn't want that? Me, obviously but it's almost cool.

It's going back to Promenade, I'll update the thread when something happens but thanks for the replies.

[MisterT]

I've had the Cort back long enough now to report back on this. Apparently they all do that, well, this latest batch does. It's much more noticeable when I'm going via the pedals rather than direct, so that's a subject in itself. The worst pedal of all is the BeatBuddy and it's a shame because that pedal does sound beefy when it's inline rather than on the amp's aux input or on send / return.

Promenade Music sent it back to the disty, Proel who tested it alongside others and it does the same. Fair do's, I just have to back it off if I'm going via a few pedals. Maybe the BeatBuddy hots the signal up (or saps it?) - it certainly is a big enough difference.

Fair's fair, Gary from Promenade was very helpful and even offered to ship it back with fresh strings & a setup for my hassle.