Mike Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Hi all. My number one bass - a Sadowsky 4 - is incredibly sensitive to my iPhone. It seems to be the bass rather than the amp as other basses I use don't react the same way. Whenever an iphone is near, I get a huge buzzing, beeping, those general annoying sounds. It's got to the point where I need to have my phone off or on flight mode whenever I'm playing. I also have to get the band to turn off their phones too. Last night i was playing with a big band (!) which required me being a real pain asking everyone to turn off their phones. This bass is perfect for me and I don't want to change. It's taken me a long time to get to this bass. Does anyone else have this problem? What can I do? Help appreciated!! Regards, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 [quote name='Mike' post='901782' date='Jul 22 2010, 12:01 PM']Hi all. My number one bass - a Sadowsky 4 - is incredibly sensitive to my iPhone. It seems to be the bass rather than the amp as other basses I use don't react the same way. Whenever an iphone is near, I get a huge buzzing, beeping, those general annoying sounds. It's got to the point where I need to have my phone off or on flight mode whenever I'm playing. I also have to get the band to turn off their phones too. Last night i was playing with a big band (!) which required me being a real pain asking everyone to turn off their phones. This bass is perfect for me and I don't want to change. It's taken me a long time to get to this bass. Does anyone else have this problem? What can I do? Help appreciated!! Regards, Mike[/quote] Hmm! I'd expect a sadowsky to be pretty well shielded. It might just be that the pickups are super powerful and as far as I'm aware there isnt much you can do about that Open it up and see if there are any obvious breaks in the screening to the control cavity? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Legion Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I don't know of many companies more helpful than Sadowsky so I'd recommend contacting them. Whenever I've rung I it's usually Roger that answers but you could always email them or post on the Sadowsky forum. I'm sure they would have some advice on the issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grumble Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Get an iphone 4 and keep it more than a couple of inches away [url="http://www.judasphone.com"]Well I think its funny[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Is there an app for that? Must be a shielding problem in the bass somewhere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomEndian Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 [quote name='grumble' post='901798' date='Jul 22 2010, 12:26 PM'][url="http://www.judasphone.com"]Well I think its funny[/url][/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomKent Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 If it's an iPhone, they're prone to this. Mine does it horrifically, to the extent it is now off in any live or studio performance. Some people put their iPhone inside a 'makeshift' tin-can holder, seems to do them ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mart Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 [quote name='Mike' post='901782' date='Jul 22 2010, 12:01 PM']....Last night i was playing with a big band (!) which required me being a real pain asking everyone to turn off their phones. ...[/quote] I can just imagine this: "*coughs* Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, would you mind turning your phones off; I'm about to play a solo" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Usually, in my experience, when an instrument starts to pick up extraneous signals, there's usually some sort of earthing issue. The fact that the effect is confined to one single bass might suggest this. I used to get something like Radio Tokyo (def. Japanese) when I plugged into a Zoom Multi-FX pedal, but didn't when it was removed from the chain. I never discovered why, just moved it on. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 [quote name='TomKent' post='901814' date='Jul 22 2010, 12:44 PM']If it's an iPhone, they're prone to this. Mine does it horrifically, to the extent it is now off in any live or studio performance. Some people put their iPhone inside a 'makeshift' tin-can holder, seems to do them ok.[/quote] Or stand with your bass in a large metal dustbin on stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basshead56 Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I had a sort of releated problem that worked out nicely A few years ago, I was in my room in the flat and playing my Precision Lyte through my ashdown mini stack. Got a text off a mate asking to borrow something. So, put the bass down on the bed and left the phone beside it. Went to look for whatever (book or cd i think) came back in, sat down on the bed and must´ve pressed the music player button on the phone. I dont know why (must be the active pups and preamp, but Misfits songs started coming out of the amp! Delighted and confused, I put the phone right up to the J pup (tone and trebs up max on the bass and up halfway on the amp) to test it out, and sure enough, loud and clear as a bell-music coming out of the amp! Messed about with it a bit and bought a dictaphone, recorded some samples (talkey intro stuff from films and documentaries) and now keep it on hand for the electronica stuff- just hit play and push it right up to the rear pup-saved a fortune on a rack sampler/synth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaggy Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 I used to pick up Police radio messages on my first bass / amp set up I hope for their sake they weren't picking up my bass......... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 OK, I admit the metal dustbin idea was a bit rubbish. If it's the more retro looking Sadowsky, how about fitting a Fender style ashtray over the pickup? The early Fender one's were earthed via a small wire into the pickup cavity, would of thought that'd stop any interference coming in from the front. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted July 22, 2010 Author Share Posted July 22, 2010 Thanks for all the help - and the laughs! Good point re. Contacting Sadowsky. That will be my first port of call. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBod Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 My Sadowsky doesn't pick up phones any worse than my others - but the Alembic Epic is probably the most vulnerable. Its got very low output pickups and I guess a pretty powerful gain boost....but also very good (silver paint and ferrite bead?) shielding. I'd be interested to hear what Sadowsky's response is. I know Alembic are fairly open about it, and offer (expensive?) upgrades for their old electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 im forever picking up foreign radio stations through my bass and amp at home..... which is annoying cos i struggle to pick up uk radio stations in the house!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesemt Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 (edited) Similar thing with car stereos and phones. I did a bit of research about this and it turns out it's to do with the phone company frequency being used - I'm on Voda - can't remember but one of the other carriers is notorious for doing it too... Edited July 23, 2010 by Jamesemt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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