What's wrong with my new bass? :(

[Sarah5string]

Took my new bass to practice today. It's a Dean metalman explorer. Something's not right with it. The low end notes were very distorted and badly buzzing when playd, especially at high volume. It's got a brand new battery in it (It's active) and it wasn't the amp as it's done the same on my amp and the one at practice studio, plus I played my 5 string through both amps with no distortion or buzzing.
Any ideas?

[MacDaddy]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='233785' date='Jul 6 2008, 09:46 PM']Took my new bass to practice today. It's a Dean metalman explorer. Something's not right with it. The low end notes were very distorted and badly buzzing when playd, especially at high volume. It's got a brand new battery in it (It's active) and it wasn't the amp as it's done the same on my amp and the one at practice studio, plus I played my 5 string through both amps with no distortion or buzzing.
Any ideas?[/quote]

What's the set up like? Could be fret buzz coming through?

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='MacDaddy' post='233789' date='Jul 6 2008, 09:53 PM']What's the set up like? Could be fret buzz coming through?[/quote]
It does have a touch of fret buzz if you really pummel it... but the buzzing comes through even without the fretbuzz.

[bass_ferret]

Sorry Sarah - but what has high volume got to do with it? Surely that comes from the amp? Could it be that the bass is just hotter than the others and is overdriving the amp?

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='233795' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:09 PM']Sorry Sarah - but what has high volume got to do with it? Surely that comes from the amp? Could it be that the bass is just hotter than the others and is overdriving the amp?[/quote]
It's probably me being thick but if I turned it up more than bedroom practice type levels it was buzzing all over the place.

[mcgraham]

Just to clarify, is it a buzzing you're hearing regardless of whether you're playing/not playing, or is it a distortion on the notes themselves?

Either way, try it through another means of amplification, preferably headphones, as you'll be able to identify this problem more clearly, i.e. is it the amp, is it on all notes at all volumes, or just high volumes etc.

Mark

Edited July 6, 2008 by mcgraham

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='mcgraham' post='233800' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:15 PM']Just to clarify, is it a buzzing you're hearing regardless of whether you're playing/not playing, or is it a distortion on the notes themselves?

Either way, try it through another means of amplification, preferably headphones, as you'll be able to identify this problem more clearly, i.e. is it the amp, is it on all notes at all volumes, or just high volumes etc.

Mark[/quote]
Only on played notes and mainly the bottom string.

[bass_ferret]

Does it do it when you play without the amp?

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='bass_ferret' post='233806' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:22 PM']Does it do it when you play without the amp?[/quote]
You mean just playing it as it? No amp or headphones? No, it doesn't.

[Mr. Foxen]

Might be clipping the input stage, tried turning down the pre gain (or bass voume) and upping the master?

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='Mr. Foxen' post='233809' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:27 PM']Might be clipping the input stage, tried turning down the pre gain (or bass voume) and upping the master?[/quote]
I tried that and it did reduce it a bit, especially on my amp at home which has 2 gain controls... but to be heard over the drums at practice I had to turn the input volume up a bit as well as the output and of course then it was buzzing again.

[Sarah5string]

Let me go and try it through my pedal and headphones.. brb.

[ARGH]

Have you cranked the eq?

[Sarah5string]

Back... still does it through pedal and headphones unless I turn one of the dials (Tone I'm presuming) riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight down.

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='ARGH' post='233816' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:32 PM']Have you cranked the eq?[/quote]
Have I done who in the what now? lol Explain what you mean by cranked the eq..

[Bernmeister]

Sounds like it could be the pickup height that might need adjusting.

[Shockwave]

Some Pre amps have an adjustable gain on the circuit board itself, Maybe yours is set too high, otherwise lower the bass end of the pickups.

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='Bernmeister' post='233830' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:44 PM']Sounds like it could be the pickup height that might need adjusting.[/quote]
I did wonder this actually, as it seems to be worse on the upstrokes than the down or when playing with my fingers in which I tend to pluck down towards the body... so might have a go at lowering them a bit and seeing if that helps..

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='Shockwave' post='233831' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:48 PM']Some Pre amps have an adjustable gain on the circuit board itself, Maybe yours is set too high, otherwise lower the bass end of the pickups.[/quote]
Haven't had any problem with my other basses though?

[ARGH]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='233825' date='Jul 6 2008, 10:39 PM']Back... still does it through pedal and headphones unless I turn one of the dials (Tone I'm presuming) riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight down.[/quote]
Cheap pre-amp i suspect???

I thought you,given the music would like distortion..

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='ARGH' post='233839' date='Jul 6 2008, 11:03 PM']Cheap pre-amp i suspect???

I thought you,given the music would like distortion..[/quote]
Not a fan of effects me... like it clean and meaty

[YouMa]

Its your preamp gain set to high, if you have a look in the control cavity there should be a thing that looks like a little box on top of the circuit board (sorry this is the best way i can describe the gain resistor to you)On top of the little box thingy look for a round screw type thing,if you can turn this with a screwdriver anti clockwise (carefully) it will turn down the gain on most pre amps. Hope this is some help and if you dont feel confident doing it take it to a guitar shop,or someone who knows a bit about electronics.Unfortunately i have never seen in the back of your bass but most pre amps are fairly similar.

Edited July 7, 2008 by YouMa

[Dr.Dave]

Back to the battery.

Are you sure it's good? You say it's a new battery but does that mean new from the shop shelf? Even then it's more than posible it could be duff. Get anything with Alkaline written on it.

Look at the battery clip too. Are the clip on terminals clean , are they tight? A nip with pointy pliers will sort that.

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='YouMa' post='233864' date='Jul 6 2008, 11:39 PM']Its your preamp gain set to high, if you have a look in the control cavity there should be a thing that looks like a little box on top of the circuit board (sorry this is the best way i can describe the gain resistor to you)On top of the little box thingy look for a round screw type thing,if you can turn this with a screwdriver anti clockwise (carefully) it will turn down the gain on most pre amps. Hope this is some help and if you dont feel confident doing it take it to a guitar shop,or someone who knows a bit about electronics.Unfortunately i have never seen in the back of your bass but most pre amps are fairly similar.[/quote]
Right going to have a look now..

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='Dr.Dave' post='233896' date='Jul 7 2008, 06:57 AM']Back to the battery.

Are you sure it's good? You say it's a new battery but does that mean new from the shop shelf? Even then it's more than posible it could be duff. Get anything with Alkaline written on it.

Look at the battery clip too. Are the clip on terminals clean , are they tight? A nip with pointy pliers will sort that.[/quote]
I replaced the battery thinking it had gone when I first heard the buzzing and it's done it with old and (brand) new batteries.