Loss of tone with EHX Hum Debugger - passive Fender

[mikkelbas]

Dear forum users!

I've now been studying the various posts on noise gates and have found out some things, but I am not sure to have seen an answer to my problem. If I've overlooked it, I apologize.
My problem is the following:
With my Fender US made Jazz Bass with passive single coil p/u's, I have quite some hum. Therefore I bought a second hand EHX Hum Debugger. It debugs (removes hum) very well, but it also makes me loose tonal quality (and volume) in the deep G - 3rd fret on the E-string

I've written the company, and they have replied - very rapidly and with courteousy - that that's normal because of the frecuency of that note and that other people get by without it or work their way around the problem ...

Does anybody have the same experience or a good idea as to fix the problem? I'm looking now at the Boss noise gate or the MXR smart gate, but am thinking that the same might be a problem.

our guitarist looked at me with a (I hate to say I told you so-look on his face) he always says that noise gates of any kind remove tone... I beleived the adveritising from EHX, but maybe it's because it isn't made for bass guitar?

Any input is greaty appreciated.
Sorry for any mis-spelling in English

[mattfong]

when I used a Hum Debugger, the only thing I noticed tonally was a slight digital sounding high end sparkle.

if that makes any sense?

[Red Planet]

I tried the hum debugger when it first came out both on guitar and bass. It's a tone sucker/total waste of money.

I would advise you take your bass to a luthier and have him shield the bass internally with copper tape and check for other issues.

You would be amazed what can be done with a little elbow grease.

[Chronicle]

I don't notice any tonal loss on mine... maybe my elves are special.

[Red Planet]

Originally Posted by Chronicle

I don't notice any tonal loss on mine... maybe my elves are special.

Too much ear wax.

[bigchiefbc]

I am not absolutely certain about this, but I believe that the Hum Debugger is simply two very narrow notch filters at 50 and 60 Hz to cancel out mains hum in Europe and USA, respectively. The G on the low-E string of a bass is at 49 Hz, so the note is probably being partially affected by the notch filter. Not sure there's any way to combat that, honestly, other than just playing that note an octave higher. Maybe play the whole line an octave higher, and put an octave-down pedal after the Hum Debugger?

[mikkelbas]

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR INPUT! Greatly appreciated! :-) I'll let our guitarist try out the pedal and see if the same problem occurs for him. If not, I'll resell the pedal cheap for a guitarist and find another solution with the bass.
Thanks again, Mikkel