Could the buzz be my amp and not my basses?

SteveC · #1 10-11-2010, 04:05 PM

All my bases have buzzed lately - that "there must be a ground issue" kind of buzz. Thing is, I get buzz with both basses (active or bypassed) and at all venues.

I don't get buzz when I plug into my home computer speakers. Both basses have dual coil/noiseless pickups. Any ideas?

Rocks · #2 10-11-2010, 04:28 PM

I'd first try different cables and take any effects pedals you have out of the situation, plug straight in with a cable that you know is good.

SteveC · #3 10-12-2010, 10:44 AM

I have used a couple different cables. No effects. Tuner is in the tuner out. Very frustrating. Happens at home and gigs.

Rocks · #4 10-12-2010, 10:49 AM

Do you have any friends with amps you can try? Even a guitar amp will work, just don't turn it up loud. See if you get the same sound from another amp, If you don't it may be your amp. Also, try your amp with nothing plugged into the input and see if it buzzes even with no bass and cord plugged in.

BassmanPaul · #5 10-12-2010, 11:29 AM

How close do you stand to your amp. If you are too close even humbuckers will pick up noise from the power transformer in the amp. Computers have a significantly reduced field from their switch mode power supplies.

SteveC · #6 10-12-2010, 12:18 PM

i don't remember getting noise when I try my bass at thestore with their amps, but will go try that again to be sure. Problem is they have "dirty" power and sometimes there's noise just because of that.

I'm usually fairly close to my amp, maybe 3-5 feet.

**BullHorn** · #7 10-12-2010, 01:04 PM

Try plugging the amp in a different room or apartment, I've had grounding problem that made my bass buzz. I also found that using the 'Ground Lift' option of my MarkBass worked really well when my bass started electrocuting me. :P

hasbeen · #8 10-12-2010, 01:22 PM

Hi Steve- does the "noise" change when you walk around or face in different directions?

SteveC · #9 10-12-2010, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hasbeen

Hi Steve- does the "noise" change when you walk around or face in different directions?

Yes.

hasbeen · #10 10-12-2010, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

Yes.

that sounds like a shielding issue in your basses then. I'll admit though, that I always have some reservation about diagosing hum/buzz problems over the internet though.

Why is it more apparent now than it was before? I don't have the answer to that I'm afraid. Are you boosting the highs more than usual?

BassmanPaul · #11 10-12-2010, 01:42 PM

You need more shielding in your bass. If your pickups are single coils they are a magnet for radiated noise.

Rocks · #12 10-12-2010, 01:55 PM

The fact the it sounds like this is a recent issue is why I started asking about cables since it seems the basses and the amp are the same and this is a new problem. So it would seem to me that something in the room has changed, maybe some new lighting or something with a transformer plugged in close.

hasbeen · #13 10-12-2010, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocks

The fact the it sounds like this is a recent issue is why I started asking about cables since it seems the basses and the amp are the same and this is a new problem. So it would seem to me that something in the room has changed, maybe some new lighting or something with a transformer plugged in close.

could very well be.

SteveC · #14 10-12-2010, 04:35 PM

I'm going to have my tech look at my bass. It has a new Bartolini preamp in it and maybe something was missed in the install. Pickups are Bartolini hum canceling jazz type. Maybe we can do some extra shielding while we're in there.

I think it has to be the bass, but it looks liek everything is grounded and shielded. It used to be DEAD quiet. Then the Bartolini preamp went bad so I put in an Aguilar. I didn't like that at all, so I bought a new Bartolini and put that in. It hasn't been silent since the first Bartolini preamp. And it was dead silent. I could have it full volume, hold my hands in the air and spin circles and hear nothing. It was awesome.

SteveC · #15 10-13-2010, 02:28 PM

It's in the shop. Hopefully they will find the ground issue. Drives me crazy. Played the 9.0/410 rig and man did it sound good - even with the hum.

Diogenes · #16 10-13-2010, 03:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

... And it was dead silent. I could have it full volume, hold my hands in the air and spin circles and hear nothing. It was awesome.

Are pirouettes a normal part of your practice routine? Maybe you should stop.

billfitzmaurice · #17 10-13-2010, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

It used to be DEAD quiet... It hasn't been silent since the first Bartolini preamp.

There's your answer. Either the pre-amp is bad or the installation was botched.

SteveC · #18 10-13-2010, 07:38 PM

I think we got it. Part of the problem is dirty power, too. From my basement to the venues in town. I found a "clean circuit" at home and all seems quiet. I guess that's the best I can do.

Any tricks or gadget to get "clean power" at gigs? I thought I saw soemething you could plug into the wall before your amp that would filter stuff like neon lights out of your power.

billfitzmaurice · #19 10-13-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveC

I think we got it. Part of the problem is dirty power, too. From my basement to the venues in town. I found a "clean circuit" at home and all seems quiet. I guess that's the best I can do.

Any tricks or gadget to get "clean power" at gigs? I thought I saw soemething you could plug into the wall before your amp that would filter stuff like neon lights out of your power.

Your gear already has all the filtering it probably needs. To test it fire up your gear but turn the instrument volume off. If there's no noise then and there is when you turn the instrument up then the instrument is the source of the noise, and no amount of power filtering will make any difference.

SteveC · #20 10-13-2010, 09:29 PM

I figured. We'll see how it goes at the next couple gigs. I think we may have fixed it.