Aguilar TLC comp distorting.... ideas?

pablomigraine · #1 03-13-2011, 05:42 PM

So I grabbed a TLC last week for a sweetheart price and was really really happy with it... until I used it with my Lakland 44-02...

Up until today I had only been using it with my passive jazz... after I plugged the Lakland in I got a really unpleasant distortion you can't mistake for anything other than overloaded transistors.... I do not boost anything on my Lakland, in fact I usually never touch the onboard preamp except every once in a great while when needing to make on the fly adjustments for weird rooms or stages... if I disengage the preamp and run the bass passive, the problem disappeared... but if the pre is in the aggie distorts regardless of settings. Tried a fresh battery, no change.

Any suggestions?

pablomigraine · #2 03-14-2011, 07:47 AM

BAMP!

dannybuoy · #3 03-14-2011, 08:25 AM

Swap it for a Maxon CP-9 Pro? It runs at 18v internally for higher headroom, although I hear one drawback with this pedal is that it's louder than unity gain no matter how you set it.

I had distortion issues with my Diamond comp until I ran it at 18v. A higher voltage through the TLC could either work wonders, or fry it. Definitely check with Aguilar first!

Floyd Eye · #4 03-14-2011, 08:28 AM

I use my TLC with active and passive basses. I have no distortion issues. Does this occur regardless of where your settings are? Possibly a defective unit. They are nice pedals and worth having repaired, IMO.

fitz420 · #5 03-14-2011, 09:15 AM

yeah, my guess would be a defective unit as well. i tried one with my loud active bass and noticed no distortion.

NortyFiner · #6 03-14-2011, 03:14 PM

I have an Aguilar TLC, and an active Ibanez SR505. I get no distortion when I use the two together.

This probably already occurred to you, but if the distortion is there ONLY when you are using the Lakland on active, it might be your preamp and not the pedal. It's just a thought, anyway, before you go blaming the pedal outright.

GhettoBrassGuy · #7 03-14-2011, 05:12 PM

Yep...I use mine with all my basses, including a 55-01 with Audere Pre and have no distorting.

CJBass · #8 04-25-2011, 05:48 PM

I have this problem with two units, with my active basses.