Please help my hiss...

gottawalk · #1 07-26-2005, 08:30 PM

I've been looking, but can't find the specific thread to read for this, so if anyone knows where it is, let me know and I'll check it out. In the meantime...

I've got a lot of noise out of my amp when I turn the bass up and I don't think it's all from fader lights over the stage. (God knows where their power's coming from in the club, though...)

I've got a Fender Jazz 5 string w/ actives, and also a fretless Warwick Fortress 1, passive. I'm playing them through a Behringer BX3000, (No Comments!, please!, other than something helpful. I've already seen most of the crap going on.)

I've also had this problem with a Rick 4001, a Gibson G-3, going through Laney and Peavey, respectively. I usually run the basses wide open. Thoughts?

Jazzin' · #2 07-26-2005, 08:37 PM

I guess the only thing to do is shield it really well. Like an uber shielding so those crazy lights have no powers!

GetLow · #3 07-26-2005, 08:38 PM

behringer huh?

j/k i can't help you, but i'm sure someone else can.

**embellisher** · #4 07-26-2005, 09:29 PM

This one could work in at least three forums. Let's try Miscellaneous.

gottawalk · #5 07-27-2005, 12:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by embellisher

This one could work in at least three forums. Let's try Miscellaneous.

Using "what" for search criterea? I've tried "amp noise", "hiss", "background noise", "shielding", etc.
Show me what 'cha got!

gottawalk · #6 07-27-2005, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GetLow

behringer huh?

j/k i can't help you, but i'm sure someone else can.

Obviously one of the "I can't help you, but I'm gonna make a statement here" POC answer. P.O.C. = Piece of crap, in case you don't know. Look: It's time you get past this s**t and work on helping fellow bass players like this site was formed for. Get your head out and join the bass player world!

gottawalk · #7 07-27-2005, 12:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzin'

I guess the only thing to do is shield it really well. Like an uber shielding so those crazy lights have no powers!

I've been definately thinking that it's a shielding issue in ALL the basses, but want to find out if there's anything else that could be a factor that anyone else could have had a problem with. I'm probably looking for some real shielding soon. Thanks!

GetLow · #8 07-27-2005, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottawalk

Obviously one of the "I can't help you, but I'm gonna make a statement here" POC answer. P.O.C. = Piece of crap, in case you don't know. Look: It's time you get past this s**t and work on helping fellow bass players like this site was formed for. Get your head out and join the bass player world!

yes sir. no joking around sir!

nashvillebill · #9 07-27-2005, 04:19 PM

If you've got a lot of hiss, it's the amp and/or speaker (some speakers have tweeters that emphasize hiss).

Bass shielding--well the lack of shielding, actually--is manifested as a hum usually. This will be a 60 cycle hum from the bass picking up the AC signal being radiated by the wiring and electrical appliances in the area.

So if you hear a hiss, it's not the basses. And therefore shielding won't help.

gottawalk · #10 07-29-2005, 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GetLow

yes sir. no joking around sir!

This has been bugging me for days and I want to apologize for jumping all over your comment. I guess I didn't interpret it correctly, and I had a bad night that night. (Sorry, not a good excuse, but it's all I have.) I've gotten tired of the narrow-mindedness of some of the stuff I've been reading in the site, lately, and I guess I went overboard this time, without giving you the benefit of the doubt. Like you have in your quote at the bottom of your replys;

"Take what you do very seriously, and work hard at it."

I do that, but I suppose it's easy to take things TOO seriously, sometimes and all it does is mess things up, and for that, again, I'm sorry. I hope you have good luck in all your bass adventures in the future. Take care and I hope you see this posting.

---Gottawalk---

steveksux · #11 07-29-2005, 06:51 PM

Try unplugging your guitar cable from the amp. Still have the noise? Just to make sure its the guitar/cable picking it up and not the amp itself. Amp may not be well shielded either.

If its the guitar, try turning around, see if the direction you are facing makes a difference. That would indicate the guitar's picking up the signal. If you have 2 volumes, crank both all the way, I thought I heard they act a bit like humbuckers when the volumes are equal? I always have 1 volume and a balance, not sure about that one.

Borrow another bass, see if its ok. Try another cord, high quality guitar cable. Make sure you're not using a speaker cable by mistake.

Active or passive basses, or both?

Randy

gottawalk · #12 07-29-2005, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by steveksux

Try unplugging your guitar cable from the amp. Still have the noise? Just to make sure its the guitar/cable picking it up and not the amp itself. Amp may not be well shielded either.

If its the guitar, try turning around, see if the direction you are facing makes a difference. That would indicate the guitar's picking up the signal. If you have 2 volumes, crank both all the way, I thought I heard they act a bit like humbuckers when the volumes are equal? I always have 1 volume and a balance, not sure about that one.

Borrow another bass, see if its ok. Try another cord, high quality guitar cable. Make sure you're not using a speaker cable by mistake.

Active or passive basses, or both?

Randy

Wow! Lots to consider; thanks! I'll start trying things.

It's both my active and passive basses, when it happens, and I did notice that if I turn my direction I'm sitting or standing it goes away. I haven't pulled the cord from the guitar, but it goes away when I have the volume off on the guitar.
I'm definately not using speaker cable, (it actually says "instrument cable" on it), but maybe I should look into a higher grade cable. I'll try your suggestions and see what happens and go from there. Thanks!

GetLow · #13 08-01-2005, 10:56 PM

I didn't want to come off like an a$$, sorry if i did.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottawalk

I hope you have good luck in all your bass adventures in the future.

---Gottawalk---

And I hope for the same for you. Now it is my turn to hope you see this post.

Passinwind · #14 08-01-2005, 11:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gottawalk

It's both my active and passive basses, when it happens, and I did notice that if I turn my direction I'm sitting or standing it goes away. I haven't pulled the cord from the guitar, but it goes away when I have the volume off on the guitar.
I'm definately not using speaker cable, (it actually says "instrument cable" on it), but maybe I should look into a higher grade cable. I'll try your suggestions and see what happens and go from there. Thanks!

Your amp or something else in the room is throwing off electromagnetic interference. If the noise goes away at certain orientations of bass to amp, either get humbucker pickups or figure out how to maintain that orientation. Extensive shielding of your instruments may help, or not. Borrow the best shielded instrument you can locate and see what you get. Some pickups are just gonna pick up EMI no matter how much shielding you throw at 'em. And extensive shielding sometimes does kill high frequency response, FWIW. Best to get rid of the source if you can. Besides your amp and those lights, are there any TVs, computer monitors, neon or fluorescent lights, or anything else in the area that would be suspect for throwing interference? I know you don't want to hear this, but try another amp and see if the problem persists too. Also, try a really long guitar cord or a wireless and see what happens. If you're 30 feet from your amp (and everyone else's) and things still are noisy, the lights become a prime suspect. Turn them completely off and see what's up. Don't just turn the faders down, turn the power to the lights themselves off when you do this test.

luck,

----------Charlie E

gottawalk · #15 08-03-2005, 08:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GetLow

And I hope for the same for you. Now it is my turn to hope you see this post.

I see ya', buddy. Thanks a lot for understanding. See ya' 'round the "threads"!

gottawalk · #16 08-03-2005, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Passinwind

I know you don't want to hear this, but try another amp and see if the problem persists too. Also, try a really long guitar cord or a wireless and see what happens. If you're 30 feet from your amp (and everyone else's) and things still are noisy, the lights become a prime suspect. Turn them completely off and see what's up. Don't just turn the faders down, turn the power to the lights themselves off when you do this test.

luck,

----------Charlie E

Thanks. I've been through a Peavey "Bass" amp, (you know, the "original" big baby), and a Laney 75 watt bass amp, and I seem to get the same stuff periodically. More so now with the Fender Jazz I'm using and the Warwick through the Behringer. Always seems to be at it's worst when I'm around stage lights with faders, though.

I think I'll try one of the other amps in the same location I'm getting the noise and see what the diff is. Worth a shot. I'm sitting pretty close to the speaker cab, so I'll have to do a sound check before the gig and see if I can stand farther away to find out if proximity is a problem. Thanks again for the ideas!