Stingray crackling noise

atlboriqua · #1 08-29-2008, 12:00 PM

I have noticed that my music man stingray makes a crackling sound when I am moving while playing it. If I play it away from my body and shake it, there is not noise. But it seems like once I start moving with it strapped to me it crackles. I've heard of Strats being bad with static electricity but not basses. They are active pickups and I know its not the battery or the cables since I've changed them numerous times.

Is this the static electricity in me causing this or what?? What can I use to fix this. I am recording next week and want to get this taken care of.

TeleTubby · #2 08-29-2008, 12:40 PM

Try wiping the pickguard down with an anti-static sheet, the kind you throw in the dryer with the clothes. If that doesn't offer a temporary fix, you might look futher into the wiring- possibly a tarnished or loose connection, bad solder joint, etc. Hope this helps!

XylemBassGuitar · #3 08-29-2008, 05:08 PM

Yep, just like TeleTubby says, look again at all of the wiring connections in the bass. Look for anything in the wiring that might be a "cold" solder joint (the edges of the solder will look like they are not "fused" to the wire/pot), a loose mechanical connection, burns/tarnish, exposed wire that is touching another metal part becuase of your movement, etc. You might also want to get some pot cleaner from Radio Shack and clean out the electronics (don't get that stuff on the finish though!).

Check the abovementioned on your output jack too. If the output jack is loose in the bass body it can crackle sometimes.

Try switching 1/4" cables too.

Let us know how it turns out...

chaunceytoben · #4 08-30-2008, 11:45 AM

I had the same problem a little while ago with my J bass. I did the dryer-sheet thing and it worked great. In fact, its been like 5 months with no static.

Marley's Ghost · #5 08-30-2008, 11:49 AM

I had to have the solder joints redone on the battery compartment of my SR due to a similar issue.

EagleMoon · #6 08-30-2008, 03:51 PM

Hope you don't have the same kind of problem that I had with my Spector. I sent it back to the company to fix it but they couldn't track it down. I'm getting a new bass because of it.