Link Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Hey Guys, I’ve been out of the bass scene for a number of years (close to 8 years) and wanted to get back into it, so I bought myself a new toy as a mark of new beginnings But sadly when I plugged the bass into my amp there was an instant problem when playing the B string. The string sounds distorted and as if it is shorting when you play it. I’ve uploaded a very crap quick sound clip to [url="http://soundcloud.com/alessandroa"]http://soundcloud.com/alessandroa[/url] The bass is an active 6 string, I’ve changed the battery, changed the cable and borrowed my mates two 5 strings to test on my amp but all seems fine with them. I would appreciate any help Thanks Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Hi, before you start tearing the bass to bits, did you buy new or used. Because, if you bought this as a [i]working instrument[/i], someone has some explaining to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 i bought it second hand on ebay [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150832336662?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/150832336662?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649[/url] but the guy has been great so far and has been in constand contact Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 If you bought the guitar with a "declared fault" thats one thing, but if he sold you a "faulty guitar" then you really should be attempting to get your money back, regardless of how nice he's being. Ebay are pretty good, how long have you had it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 thats a lot of B rattle. If all the other strings action is ok then can you do the following: 1) Check the B string isn't sitting on its reduced windings in the nut - most B's will have uniform thickness for 35" then taper down in 1 or 2 stages to the windings. 2) Can you raise the saddle for the B to give more clearance? 3) Measure the action at the 15th fret and compare to the E - whats the action? 2 or 3mm? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lettsguitars Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 (edited) That would be a very easy thing to fix. Not something i would want to get into an online conversation to guide you through. Find a mate who can tweak it for you. If you're anywhere near leicester you can drop by and i'll sort it for you. I'm sure someone here who [i]is[/i] local would be happy to have a look at it. Edited June 24, 2012 by lettsguitars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 [quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1340555144' post='1706122'] Ebay are pretty good, how long have you had it? [/quote] The bass arrived on Wednesday [quote name='Al Heeley' timestamp='1340557292' post='1706173'] thats a lot of B rattle. If all the other strings action is ok then can you do the following: 1) Check the B string isn't sitting on its reduced windings in the nut - most B's will have uniform thickness for 35" then taper down in 1 or 2 stages to the windings. 2) Can you raise the saddle for the B to give more clearance? 3) Measure the action at the 15th fret and compare to the E - whats the action? 2 or 3mm? [/quote] 1) Not that I can see, the reduced windings are covered by red thread 2) I wouldn’t even know where to start 3) I’m a noob but to me it looks like B 3mm and the E string is very slightly higher E 3.1mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Count Bassy Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 What's the clearance over the pick up? Is the B string actually hitting the Pickup pole when yo're playing it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 It may be something totally unconnected but I noticed in the sellers 'buying history' that he bought a six string bass bridge just before you bought this. Perhaps the two things are connected Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 What amp are you using? It could be that the speaker can't handle the low notes from the B, i've had the same issue. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 drop the pickup down a bit on the B side, see if that clears it up. If your B string doesnt show reduced diameter windings before or at the nut then that's another potential problem avoided. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote name='Count Bassy' timestamp='1340583965' post='1706703'] What's the clearance over the pick up? Is the B string actually hitting the Pickup pole when yo're playing it? [/quote] Not that i can see when i was playing, but i will measure the clearance tonight [quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1340610265' post='1706797'] It may be something totally unconnected but I noticed in the sellers 'buying history' that he bought a six string bass bridge just before you bought this. Perhaps the two things are connected [/quote] just checked it out and that's not the bridge that is on the bass [quote name='LiamPodmore' timestamp='1340613917' post='1706842'] What amp are you using? It could be that the speaker can't handle the low notes from the B, i've had the same issue. Liam [/quote] i thought that but i tried my 5 and my mates 5's and they all seemed fine. the only difference is that this is an active bass where the others are passive. My amp is Hartke HA3500 + Behringer 4x10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted June 25, 2012 Share Posted June 25, 2012 Sometimes if the pickup is too high you can get distortion. Try lowering it a bit and see if it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 Little update, the guy i bought the bass off said he would fix the issue for free which is good of him ... But he asked me to try something necause he things he might know what the problem is. He asked me to put a paperclip accross the humbucker poles under the B string. Can anyone explain what might be achived by this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted June 26, 2012 Share Posted June 26, 2012 poles are too high, magnets damping the strings natural vibration? Does the b string now vibrate against the paper clip when plucked? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Link Posted June 26, 2012 Author Share Posted June 26, 2012 I did what he asked but it didn't seem to make the slightest difference To me it looks like there is enough clearance and takes me bending the string below the fretboard height to touch the pickups with the string Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted June 27, 2012 Share Posted June 27, 2012 maybe the preamp gain is set too high causing b-string output to fart. Most will have a small adjustment screw inside to turn the gain down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garymilitia Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I can't hear the sample, but try changing the battery? When my battery in my 6er is starting to go, i hear it more on the B string.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Jamin Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 Sounds like it might be a pre-amp problem to me - my Warwick starts to distort on the lower notes when the battery starts to go. Also, active basses can be a lot louder than passive ones, so maybe you could try turning down the input gain on the amp? When I switch from my passive Precision to my active Warwick I have to take the gain on the amp right down otherwise it'll distort. Hope that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Heeley Posted July 2, 2012 Share Posted July 2, 2012 [quote]When I switch from my passive Precision to my active Warwick I have to take the gain on the amp right down otherwise it'll distort.[/quote] This is why a lot of bass amp heads have 2 input sockets, one for passive, another with a -10db pad for active input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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