Dead note - I don't think it's my bass....

Stereo Joe · #1 02-22-2009, 12:23 PM

I've been noticing lately that whenever I hit a 'C' on my G string (5th fret) when I'm playing through my rig, the note does not sustain as long as the others and generally sounds a little lifeless.

I'm playing a Tobias Killer B, so my first though was that I had one of the dreaded 'dead spots' associated with bolt on necks. My dead note is right in the usual problem area too.

However, when I play my bass unplugged, I don't notice this problem at all. The 'C' in question resonates the same as the notes around it. This led me to wonder if this problem is the result of some weird frequency in my bass cab.

A further indicator is that the 'C' on the D string (10th fret) also exhibits the same dead sound when played through my rig, but not when played acoustically.

Also, when I plug my bass into my computer speakers, this problem seems to disappear as well (although EVERYTHING sounds crappier through the computer speakers).

Do you think my cab just has a dip in the frequency response right in this area? Any way I can test this for sure?

Btw, my P-bass doesn't have this problem plugged into the same rig or acoustically....

JustDavid · #2 02-22-2009, 02:42 PM

I'm thinking it's the bass; same note in different positions. Doing it on G5 & D10 kinda rules out pickups working weirdly together, at least to me.

Fine acoustically yet bad amp'ed is weird.

mellowgerman · #3 02-22-2009, 02:46 PM

i would take it to a music store and try it through a bunch of different amps

ehque · #4 02-23-2009, 09:23 AM

Could be room resonances. Could try with different placement of your amp.

Milothicus · #5 02-25-2009, 09:39 AM

i'm not sure that you can trust the decay of the unplugged sound. it's so quiet to begin with that you probably can't detect the change as it decays.

i'd say different amps is the only way to be sure...

rollcall · #6 02-26-2009, 02:18 PM

the basses balance could be causing the cancelation. suggestion change the string? detune a half or whole step just said string and play the same note and you can kind of figure it out from there.

tranceFusion · #7 02-26-2009, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Milothicus

i'm not sure that you can trust the decay of the unplugged sound. it's so quiet to begin with that you probably can't detect the change as it decays.

i'd say different amps is the only way to be sure...

I agree.. the harmonic frequencies still ring out, making it difficult to detect the loss of the fundamental acoustically.