too much noise..need help

[kmac6571]

I play a fender jazz bass with duncan quarterpound pickups through a hartke lh500 and 410 cab. Currently when i have the volume turned up even the smallest bit of noise comes through the amp..even the sounds of the strap locks creaking. it is very annoying and i have considered getting a noise gate to compensate for this. Anyone have any other ideas?

[murphy]

Perhaps the gain is set too high on the amp?

[will33]

Process of elimination. Hum/noise in a bass usually means a bad ground. Plug the bass into a different amp and see if it's the bass or the amp causing the problem. Parse it out from there.