dec3650 Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 Hi, I've got an Ibanez Premium bass that is a lovely instrument but has a problem when playing in active mode, after maybe 45 minutes of playing the sound goes really thin and distorts as though the battery is dead, I've tried a new battery and I've tried it through a different amp but no différence. I have spoken to Ibanez and they said it could be a preamp problem, has anyone else had the problem or got and ideas? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bass Awkward Posted January 29, 2014 Share Posted January 29, 2014 (edited) Are you leaving the bass plugged in (even to a loose lead) when not in use? That would run down the battery - sometimes whether the preamp is switched on or not. The next thing to do is pull the battery. Then the jack on the inside, with the continuity tester, or the ohmmeter on a multimeter looking for a short between positive and negative without a jack connected. Then check the little flex that sits on top of the 9v battery. Try flexing it a bit to see if the terminals short. Now try shoogling the preamp about to see if it is touching the conductive coating on the inside of the bass. And then despairingly go around the connections to the preamp, and see if any of them (non-earth/negative connections) short to the earth ring of contact surrounding the pcb. I suspect if it's not that, it's a diode. But someone with an electrical background may have a better answer. Edited January 29, 2014 by Bass Awkward Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 5, 2014 Share Posted February 5, 2014 As the problem is something that only appears after 45 mins of playing, my guess is there's a capacitor in the pre-amp circuit board that is charging and not discharging. So when it's charged its changing the electrical bias on other components in the circuit. It could be a faulty capacitor or it could be other components causing this to happen. Check in the pre-amp circuit board and wires to so if any wires have become unattached or any other visible poor connection. It could be a poor connection to earth somewhere. Knowing the cheap quality of the components used in these things though, its possible this could be a great opportunity to install a descent pre-amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dec3650 Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 Thanks for the assistance, any ideas on a suitable replacement/plug in? Cheers Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 26, 2014 Share Posted February 26, 2014 Hey Dave. if I were you I'd get some replacment soapbar pups and make it go passive. I have a bass with a Kent Armstrong MM pup that's really poswerful. Loads of growl and punch. They do soapbar pups too for 59.99 each. You can get them from [url="http://www.wdmusic.co.uk/soapbar-bass-pu-4-or-5-string-bridge-1226-p.asp"]WD Music[/url]. Then with passive it's all so much more understandable, and no batteries!! Yeah!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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