sansamp rbi not working right?

PoundinThunder · #1 06-02-2009, 02:30 PM

i currently have my setup like this

bass>odb-3>sanamp rbi>berhinger ultrabass(i know, i know)>hartke vx810.

whenever i try to turn the knobs up i get this very highpitched squeeking. it doesnt sound like feedback in the sense that it doesnt change if i move around. i dont know what im doing wrong. but i would think i could turn things up past 12 o clock without a problem but i cant. any suggestions?

RickenBoogie · #2 06-02-2009, 03:51 PM

Turn the gain down on your Behringer. Or use the preamp in, or effects return input instead of the main input.

PoundinThunder · #3 06-03-2009, 12:07 AM

the gain is at 0 on the behringer. and it seems to be worse when i go through the effects loop. my friend said it could be something to do with headroom?

bongomania · #4 06-03-2009, 12:38 AM

What he meant was not "go through the effects loop" but instead "take the output of the Behr and run it directly into the fx loop return jack, with your bass plugged into the effects, not the amp".

If you've got distortion, then yes it has something to do with headroom.

PoundinThunder · #5 06-03-2009, 02:44 AM

lol sorry but i am 100% confused. the output of my behr goes to the cab. am i doing it wrong?
should i run my rbi to the cab instead of my behr? like switch the two and run the behr before the rbi?

and i plan on either getting a mesa head or a carvin dcm1000, not sure yet so maybe that will help lol

Mark Olson · #6 06-03-2009, 05:40 AM

You don't want to run any effects between your head and your cabinet. That's liable to blow something up.

But to me it sounds like you're having problems with microphonic pickups. Microphonic pickups are easily made ten times worse if you're using something that can be such an icepick as the RBI can be (I know, I've owned the Sansamp RBI). Do you only have this problem when using the RBI? If so, then obviously the RBI is the problem and you may have to eliminate it. First and foremost I'd recommend getting an amplifier with a sound you're happy with enough not to need to run a separate amp emulator into it. Besides, I've played Ampeg amps for years, and though the RBI was designed to emulate the Ampeg sound, to me it sounds nothing like my Ampegs. At all. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but you get my point.

But if this squeeking occurs even without the RBI, then there's a good chance you need to take care of some microphonic pickups by dipping the pickups themselves in wax. This helps ensure that there are no loose wires rattling around causing the microphonics. If that doesn't work you may want to consider upgrading the pickups in your guitar.

Also, as a side note, the Boss ODB-3, while I've owned several of them, does also contribute to the problem of microphonic pickups. Do you find your squeeking problem to be more prominent when using the ODB-3?

bongomania · #7 06-03-2009, 09:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoundinThunder

lol sorry but i am 100% confused. the output of my behr goes to the cab. am i doing it wrong?

Whoops! I made a mistake--I thought "Ultrabass" was a signal processor of some kind, I didn't realize it was your amp. I was half asleep when I posted.

Do not run the output of the Behr into anything but the speaker cab.

What I should have said was to take the output of the RBI and run it directly into the fx loop return of the Behr amp.

RickenBoogie · #8 06-03-2009, 09:13 AM

Yes. Plug the bass into the RBI. Use the output of the RBI into the "effects return" input on the back of the Behr, and connect the speakers as usual. If that doesn't work, then either your RBI, your Behringer amp, or, like above, your bass has a problem. Try another bass in that last case.

PoundinThunder · #9 06-03-2009, 09:38 AM

happened with 2 basses. i think it might be the behr. i dont think it has enough headroom for the sound i am looking to get.

im going to a local shop soon to try out some mesa amps and maybe some ampegs, but if i cant find anything i like, i might go with a power amp. ugh i like the rbi and not to mention my lady would kill me if i didnt use it haha. it was my b-day gift in april

stflbn · #10 06-03-2009, 09:41 AM

No one has mentioned this, but the Presence knobs on RBI's, PSA's, etc can be wicked feedback producers if you have them beyond 2:00 - 3:00 or more. Not sure if you're pushing the Presence or not, but if you are I bet it would help to back off of it and boost your mids more rather than the Presence.

bongomania · #11 06-03-2009, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoundinThunder

i might go with a power amp. ugh i like the rbi and not to mention my lady would kill me if i didnt use it haha. it was my b-day gift in april

The RBI plus a good power amp is nothing to sneeze at! Many hard rockers here swear by that setup.

PoundinThunder · #12 06-03-2009, 09:48 AM

i would imagine it to be a good sounding setup but something about it just makes it seem like "mehh" haha i dont know why.

and the presence knob is past 12 i know that, and my mids are boosted a bit as well. maybe i will try that. thank you

bongomania · #13 06-03-2009, 09:53 AM

If you go over to the "amps" forum and look up the "Rigs Of Doom" and "Hard Rockers Rigs" and "Metal Rigs" threads, you will see a lot of people using that setup with no "mehh".

PoundinThunder · #14 06-03-2009, 09:58 AM

haha i will do that. when i get home from taking the lady to get her hair done and lunch.

but its something to do with knowing i dont have a head i guess, i know i have the components of one but i know i dont have one.

PoundinThunder · #15 06-04-2009, 01:36 AM

its still not working. i have to keep everything under 12 oclock. it is a feedback thing cuz when i turn towards my amp it happens but only when i have the knobs higher than 12. and it does it with 2 basses.

im thinking maybe a sound gate would potentially fix this haha but im not sure

Foamy · #16 06-04-2009, 01:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoundinThunder

its still not working. i have to keep everything under 12 oclock. it is a feedback thing cuz when i turn towards my amp it happens but only when i have the knobs higher than 12. and it does it with 2 basses.

im thinking maybe a sound gate would potentially fix this haha but im not sure

No, a noise gate will not fix it. I am guessing microphonic pickups as a previous responder stated.
If you remove the RBI, no problem, correct?
Did you ever plug the RBI into the effects return? Maybe I missed that part.

PoundinThunder · #17 06-04-2009, 02:13 AM

i did. im not sure what microphonic pickups are haha. but if thats the case, both my basses have them. what can i do?

Foamy · #18 06-04-2009, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PoundinThunder

i did. im not sure what microphonic pickups are haha. but if thats the case, both my basses have them. what can i do?

First, I'm not sure of the best way to tell how or if they are microphonic, but I have heard when mine were, and I "potted" them to fix them.
To do this, I suspended them in melted wax for a long time- solved the problem that I think you may have.
But first, get other opinions to figure out if that is really the problem.
Also, first things first....
Without the RBI, is the problem there?
Have you plugged the RBI into the effects return?
Don't look for the odd problem when there are 2 obvious potential problems that need to be eliminated first.

bongomania · #19 06-04-2009, 02:23 AM

Use the process of elimination. Remove one piece of the chain at a time until the problem goes away. Then put that last item back in the chain and see if the problem comes back. If it does, then you isolated the problem.

There is really no reason to cast about for solutions until you have identified the specific problem.

gilbertma · #20 06-12-2009, 07:14 AM

My RBI started acting up recently too. It first it started sounding like one of my bass jacks was messed up, the sound was real crackly and squelchy with some background hum. It just kept getting worse over time no matter what bass or cord was used. I was using it in front of a Little Mark II, I tried the effects loop, I tried the different inputs and outputs on the RBI- no change. It started doing it constantly and I had to take it out of the chain.

I just ordered a VT bass pedal to try something different and I'm thinking about just giving it away to someone that would be interested in getting it fixed. It might not cost that much to fix, a new one is over $300. I bought this one in 2004 (I think?) and the warranty is definitely gone. Any takers?