Whats wrong with my Bass Knobs ?

mnrj94 · #1 10-23-2011, 02:03 PM

Ok so ive bought a bass around 7 months ago. Now a keen bassist doing my grade 7.
Thing is when i first purchased it off ebay, i had 2 knobs, i presumed 1 for volume and 1 for tone. It did work for a bit but then i accidently hit the bass, donno how, cant remmeber much.
So now, when i want to change the tone, the volume goes. Its like i have 2 knobs for volume, WTH ?

Bass

Cheap Westfield Bass, which looks like a p bass. dont know much about the pickups.

If it's a soldering problem im sure i could do it if someones tells me the cause or any info

Thanks

Jazz Ad · #2 10-23-2011, 02:05 PM

cap on tone pot is dead/unsoldered/shortcut.

mnrj94 · #3 10-23-2011, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazz Ad

cap on tone pot is dead/unsoldered/shortcut.

Sorry what does that mean ?

I mean shall i open it up and see if there a wire been pulled off or something ?

mnrj94 · #4 10-23-2011, 02:27 PM

Jazz Ad · #5 10-23-2011, 02:28 PM

In your bass there is a tonepot with sports a cap which isn't functioning properly, which means you should check it out or have it checked if you don't understand what I wrote previously.

mnrj94 · #6 10-23-2011, 02:57 PM

So do you think its worth it for me replacing it or just wait untill i get another one ... ?

Jazz Ad · #7 10-23-2011, 04:49 PM

$0.50 cap replacement or $500 new bass?
Not too tough of a choice is it?

**line6man** · #8 10-23-2011, 05:00 PM

The capacitor is leaky or shorted, causing the tone pot to vary the output impedance over all frequencies instead of just high frequencies.

First off, check for any shorts. If that fails, replace the cap. As Jazz Ad said, it's a part costing a few cents to a couple of dollars at most. Don't buy into that $50 PIO cap nonsense.

walterw · #9 10-23-2011, 09:05 PM

a guitar cap is not going to leak or die, that almost never happens.

open the back up and look in there; i bet you a quarter you'll find that the tone pot got shifted over to where one of its tabs is touching the side of the cavity, and that the black shielding paint that's probably in there is shorting it out, making it act like another volume knob.

turn it to where the tabs don't touch anything and it'll likely work fine. (then pop the knobs off and tighten the nuts to where the pots don't move like that anymore).

**line6man** · #10 10-23-2011, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

a guitar cap is not going to leak or die, that almost never happens.

open the back up and look in there; i bet you a quarter you'll find that the tone pot got shifted over to where one of its tabs is touching the side of the cavity, and that the black shielding paint that's probably in there is shorting it out, making it act like another volume knob.

turn it to where the tabs don't touch anything and it'll likely work fine. (then pop the knobs off and tighten the nuts to where the pots don't move like that anymore).

I'll bet you a dollar that you're right.