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11-17-2008, 01:37 PM
| | | | Noob question I'm almost embarrassed to ask - Bad popping sound from strings thru PUP
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Noob question, I suppose.
Playing through a Hartke 3500. I've noticed that my amp is picking up the sound of my finger tapping the strings.
At first I thought it could be me playing to hard, but it happens with other bass players, doesn't happen to me when I play other bass guitars through other amps, nor does it happen when I play my Fender J through another amp.
The Fender J I have is a little loose on string action, and a Yamaha I have has high string action. Both of them do this.
I can be more specific if needed, but I think this description may do the trick. It's just gotten to the point where the pop is sometimes louder than the sound from the string itself. |
11-17-2008, 01:41 PM
|  | It's a happy song about not getting what you want | | Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: NY, Just Like I Pictured It. | | | You'll probably get a better response if you as this in the Amps or Pickups section.
But of the top of my head: are the strings too close to the pickup and hitting the pole pieces when you play? Try lowering the pickups a bit and see if that helps. |
11-17-2008, 01:44 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by DeanT  You'll probably get a better response if you as this in the Amps or Pickups section.
But of the top of my head: are the strings too close to the pickup and hitting the pole pieces when you play? Try lowering the pickups a bit and see if that helps. | Whoops. Sorry.
I've considered that, but since it happens across two different basses on my Hartke, but these same basses don't seem to have the same problem on another amp, I'm tempted to rule that out. |
11-17-2008, 01:47 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Texas, USSA | | | Is it a thumping noise, or more of a cracking noise? If thumpy, it could be that your pups are going microphonic on you. If it is a bright, cracking sound, it could be a ground issue. Does the bass buzz when your hands are off the strings and stop when you touch them? Just a couple more ideas. Also, how is your amp EQ'd? |
11-17-2008, 01:51 PM
|  | Moderator
Endorsing Artist: Levy's Leathers Moderator | | Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Toronto/Niagara Falls, Ontario | | | I'm gonna move this over to pickups. |
11-17-2008, 02:01 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassic83 Is it a thumping noise, or more of a cracking noise? If thumpy, it could be that your pups are going microphonic on you. If it is a bright, cracking sound, it could be a ground issue. Does the bass buzz when your hands are off the strings and stop when you touch them? Just a couple more ideas. Also, how is your amp EQ'd? | Thump, no buzz.
EQ something like this: 
Not completely accurate. Ignore the white blocks. Red is what I'm set to.
EDIT Quote: |
I'm gonna move this over to pickups.
| Possible to move this to amps instead?
I really don't suspect it to be a PUP problem, as it happens with my Yamaha as well. |
11-17-2008, 02:05 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Illinois | | | popples
Hmmm, I think I might know what you're talking about. It's never really annoyed me, though. Maybe your amp is a special case or mine is a nutjob. Or we set our levels completely different.
I get rid of that noise by moving my right hand closer to or on top of the neck. The amp notices your fingers' contact more than the vibration -- moving the contact point farther from the pickups makes it less noticeable. See if that helps! If not, then idk.
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11-17-2008, 02:07 PM
|  | Evil Alien | | Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Sacramento, CA | | | Why would a pickup issue appear on different basses and only on the same amp for whoever plays through it, and then disappear when played through other amps? I think it's an amp issue; maybe the frequency zone of the finger noise is being enhanced by the way the amp is voiced or configured...
Just curious: Have you tried the same amp but with different speakers?
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11-17-2008, 02:09 PM
| | Registered User
Lead Designer, Zeibek Boutique Pedals | | Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hüstın, TX | | | Is it possible that the sound you hear is the string making a crackling noise when it first touches the frets, aka fret noise?
In any case, try cutting some trebles (of which you have already boosted) over 3khz line and see what happens. Also try rolling off your tone control about half way. Boosted high end usually causes this. |
11-17-2008, 02:13 PM
|  | Working on successful. Got the first syllable... | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Huddinge, Sweden | | | I think it's simply a case of having all the components (bass, amp and speaker) be rather agressive in the treble range. With a tweeter-less cab, for example, you might not notice the "popping".
Try backing off the EQ in the treble, and see what that does.
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11-17-2008, 02:21 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Texas, USSA | | | Looks like you have a pretty good low/low-mid hump going on. What kind of cab is it? |
11-17-2008, 02:27 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Bassic83 Looks like you have a pretty good low/low-mid hump going on. What kind of cab is it? | Ampeg 410. |
11-17-2008, 02:38 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Washington State | | | You shouldn't be too embarrassed to ask anything on here. Chances are people have had the same problem and this is the best place to get quick answers (sometimes even right answers).
Anyway, don't know if you tried this or not. But when I was new to bass I had something like that. Turned out that I had my gain (bass and amp) level way too high. I used to have a passive bass, then I got an active bass and didn't know why it was so noisy. Turned down the gain and the highs a bit and problem was gone.
Last edited by LaughingGroove : 11-17-2008 at 02:43 PM.
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11-17-2008, 03:01 PM
| | | Quote:
Originally Posted by LaughingGroove You shouldn't be too embarrassed to ask anything on here. Chances are people have had the same problem and this is the best place to get quick answers (sometimes even right answers).
Anyway, don't know if you tried this or not. But when I was new to bass I had something like that. Turned out that I had my gain (bass and amp) level way too high. I used to have a passive bass, then I got an active bass and didn't know why it was so noisy. Turned down the gain and the highs a bit and problem was gone. | Thanks.
When I get home tonight I'm gonna kill everything and try to fine tune it again. Starting with the EQ on both the amp and the bass. |
11-17-2008, 03:08 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Texas, USSA | | | Start with the EQ flat. If your bass is active, flat there too. Try cutting mids a little on the bass instead of boosting lows and low mids on the amp. Also, pay special attention to your right hand technique- move your fingers closer to the bridge, then closer to the end of the fretboard, notice the difference in tone you can get from just that one change. If you are still trying to EQ too much on the amp, try minimal adjustments on the amp (I usually use less than one or two "notches" on a graphic EQ like a Hartke, and around one or two numbers max on a rotary dial). If it needs something more than that, something's wrong with my rig. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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