Whistle ?

naquadaX · #1 08-14-2006, 05:00 AM

Hi all,

I've recently tried at a local store a Marcus Miller JB IV. The bass was really nice and versatile.
I tested the bass with a Fender Rumble 100 amp.

The bass was nearly perfect except for one thing, pickups were whilstling. The guy at the store said it was caused by the active circuitry and by the fact that I was near the amp.

I tried the bass in passive mode, I also tried to move away from the amp but the whistle didn't disappear.

So I'm a little bit skeptical about what the store guy said.

Any ideas about what caused this whistle ?

Espidog · #2 08-14-2006, 07:21 AM

Do you mean a squealing, feedback-like noise, or just a constant tone that never goes away and never changes?

If it's the latter, it could simply be picking up interference. A high-frequency lighting dimmer in the shop could create this sort of noise, or it could even be caused by the emissions of a nearby mobile phone mast.

I've got a similar problem. When I'm practicing at home, my 4003's single-coils pick up a weird high-pitched sound, like someone playing a bad chord on the highest notes of a Hammond organ with vibrato! I have never yet been able to pin down where it's coming from.

naquadaX · #3 08-14-2006, 12:26 PM

That was a constant tone that never changes, actually. Not a kind of larsen.

Bassic83 · #4 08-14-2006, 12:37 PM

Shields up!

Espidog · #5 08-14-2006, 12:38 PM

Uuh? Wot's a larsen? Thought he was a cartoonist...

Pooly · #6 08-14-2006, 02:04 PM

Could be the neon lighting in the shop. I tried a Roland amp recently, and the tweeter was going crazy with it (from what the guy said, I should have switch all lights off to hear it by myself!)

naquadaX · #7 08-14-2006, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Espidog

Uuh? Wot's a larsen? Thought he was a cartoonist...

I was talking about Soren not Erik

More seriously, I was talking about the Larsen effect. I wanted to use a synonym for "the feedback-like noise"

Bassic83 · #8 08-14-2006, 06:24 PM

What's Neil Larsen doing in a thread like this?

luknfur · #9 08-14-2006, 08:38 PM

FWIW:

wise not to trust someone with a vested interest. The preamp story sounds off the mark too. I'm guessing the owner would have no issue with giving a trial period to check it out fully refundable. It's unlikely the bass would sell otherwise. Get it in writing on the reciept and pay only with a credit card. If you need to bring it back you could probably negotiate the price down. In fact you might try that up front just so you'll know in advance how much slack he'll cut you. He's already acknowledged his perception the bass isn't right. You may be able to knock enough off to where you have nothing to loose buying it if it doesn't work as desinged. If he'll cut you $150, that would cover it if you buy used stuff.

What matters is the bass itself meets your needs. The electronics can be gutted with whatever.

naquadaX · #10 08-15-2006, 12:32 PM

Thanks for these advice. I had in mind to negotiate the price.

Anyway, the MM is definitely on my GAS list