Loss of volume - need help troubleshooting.

K2000 · #1 04-17-2010, 07:39 PM

I don't know which forum to put this question, so lets try here...

I'm having noticeable dips in my volume, it is very erratic and unpredictable. I'll be playing for 10 minutes and everything's fine, then my volume will start to fade, and for a couple of minutes I'll have noticeably less volume. Then it will fade up again, to full volume.

My first guess would be that my amp needs a tuneup, BUT (this is a big but) I split my signal to two amps, and both amps have this volume loss. (Also, each amp is plugged into to it's own AC outlet)

My signal goes into a Korg Pitchblack tuner, then into a Boss CE-3 chorus where it gets split. There are a bunch of pedals downstream after that, but I can't imagine they matter.

My bass does need a setup -- is it possible I have a short somewhere, or a loose wire? Does that make any sense w/regards to fluctuations in volume? In general, things usually work or don't work - (except for maybe in the amp world) so I'm stumped.

What could this possibly be?

**pacojas** · #2 04-17-2010, 08:03 PM

take a peek at the solder joints in your bass. i just spent a couple hours re-soldering the wireing on my volume and tone pots. the constant turning up and down some times loosens the mounting nuts just enough to tug a wire loose. i found one cold solder joint and three frayed wires on three out of four guitars! gl.

bongomania · #3 04-17-2010, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K2000

My signal goes into a Korg Pitchblack tuner, then into a Boss CE-3 chorus where it gets split. There are a bunch of pedals downstream after that, but I can't imagine they matter.

Of course they could matter! In the same way that a failure in wiring, powering, or a faulty component could cause erratic levels from a bass or amp, the same is true for any pedals. The first thing to do in any case like this is the process of elimination. You can't rule out the pedals until you've taken them out of the chain altogether. If the problem still exists with only the bass --> one cable --> amp, then the problem is in one of those three. Now you just swap in a different bass, a different cable, and a different amp (or headphone amp, mixer, computer interface, or any other listening device).

K2000 · #4 04-18-2010, 12:24 AM

I meant the pedals downstream (after the signal is split) probably don't matter -- because the volume loss happens to both (split) signals, going to separate amps. But yeah, I gotta do the process of elimination with my cables, the pre-split pedals... which is kind of a pain, because the volume loss is totally unpredictable. I'll probably need to spend a half hour playing in any one configuration, just to be sure.

I think the first thing I'll do is have my bass looked at - it's never been set up since I've taken possession (four years) and since then I've detuned by a whole step, and I have some intonation problems.

mcapote · #5 04-18-2010, 12:04 PM

I was noticing the same thing on my SX Pbass, so i decided to pull it apart last night to do a copper shielding job anyways because pbass pickups are notorious for a little pickup hum, and when I took apart the bass I noticed a bad solder on the volume to tone pot wire. I rewired everything this morning and not only no power dips, but no pbass hiss either