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Bass volume is too low :(
- Thread starter valkyrievf2x
- Start date
I was thinking "100 watts?" Jeez, I couldn't fathom less than 300... To hard keeping up with the rest of the band.
Part of the answer is in the thread but not the solution.
Turn one down just a little. If some volume comes back it's because you have phase cancellation. This is normal for some 2 pickup instruments.
And as others have said, not TOO high on the pickups.
Since you had just rewired something I would be suspect of that as well.
Turn one down just a little. If some volume comes back it's because you have phase cancellation. This is normal for some 2 pickup instruments.
And as others have said, not TOO high on the pickups.
Since you had just rewired something I would be suspect of that as well.
100 watts is not very much for a bass amp.
Have to agree with this particularly with a passive Bass. Also curious about how other basses sound through the amp that are also passive. If you are playing with a heavy handed drummer 100 watts isn't enough even with active electronics.
We made it through nearly 2 pages without a Spinal Tap joke? Come on TB, get it together
Have you tried turning your amp to 11?
Have you tried turning your amp to 11?
PLUS, if you're cranking said amp, it's likely choking itself back to protect itself from going byebye. All of what's been said about your bass output is relevant, but 100W solidstate just isn't enough for many band situations.
100w does not reproduce a bass guitar at all but the lowest volumes. You are using a bedroom practice amp. The drummer may be too loud too but that amp would be OK with an acoustic guitar at acoustic levels. The transients created by bass guitar eat power and if you amp has only 100 watts, it is absolutely compressing the signal. The harder you dig in, the more your will sound will compress and become harder for you to hear. Time to upgrade your amplification.
I keep up with a loud drummer, guitar, keyboards, and sax with a 200 watt GK MB200 head that weighs 2 lbs and fits in my backpack. And I have the volume around 5, so there is plenty of room to go. It is amazing what they can do with amps these days. Setting the EQ so it sits in the mix right also helps.
There is actually a sweet spot. Generally as the pup is closer to the strings volume goes up, but too close and the magnets in the pups start to interfere with the free vibration of the strings. Try backing it down just a bit, and the bridge too if it is also as close.
The 100 Watt amp doesn't seem to be the issue here, op says it works fine with the other bass. For the passive bass he can use the other input or adjust the gain (unless he already has that maxed out with the active bass)
I use +/- 600 Watt full tube power in one band and 140 Watt solid state in the other band, both work very well. Totally depends on the style and loudness of the band (drummer)
Out of phase pickups indeed is a possibility, I had that issue with my Alembic Series I bass. The previous owner simply switched the + and - wire of the neckpickup and that solved the out of phase issue, being an Alembic it also introduced a lot of other issues... (so I had to replace the pickup)
It might work for your bass if that's the issue, could you post pictures of the electronics?
Part of the troubleshooting on my Alembic included checking the magnetic orientation of the pickups, you might want to check that. See here:
If your pickups are out of phase, they either have the different magnetic orientation as in the vid or are wired out of phase.
A little more explaining of my issues can be found here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
I use +/- 600 Watt full tube power in one band and 140 Watt solid state in the other band, both work very well. Totally depends on the style and loudness of the band (drummer)
Out of phase pickups indeed is a possibility, I had that issue with my Alembic Series I bass. The previous owner simply switched the + and - wire of the neckpickup and that solved the out of phase issue, being an Alembic it also introduced a lot of other issues... (so I had to replace the pickup)
It might work for your bass if that's the issue, could you post pictures of the electronics?
Part of the troubleshooting on my Alembic included checking the magnetic orientation of the pickups, you might want to check that. See here:
If your pickups are out of phase, they either have the different magnetic orientation as in the vid or are wired out of phase.
A little more explaining of my issues can be found here: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
Last edited:
This.
I ran an accoustic ac-200 for a long long time into a hartke 410xl, ( thats about 110w into 8ohms) and never ever needed more volume. I typically ran it at less than noon.
Granted, I didn't have poo inducing low b string response.....but I had enough to gig regularly and get compliments on my tone. So ....yeah.....
That being said, I think the OP has both a wiring AND amp issue.
Pickups are out of phase.
You need more amp/ better cabinet.
( regardless of wattage, you shouldn't ever have to peg an amp to keep up with a drummer. You need more amp.)
devnulljp
Supporting Member
No more talk about the amp, his other bass does the job with the amp.
You can also measure the voltage your pickuP (s) produce with the voltmeter as well, same method as checking resistance, just switch the meter's setting to AC voltage. It will be a very very small amount, but you can compare against your Cort. Measure each pickup solo'd then both full on.
You'll have to strum the instrument, so alligator clips will be easier than probe ends
You can also measure the voltage your pickuP (s) produce with the voltmeter as well, same method as checking resistance, just switch the meter's setting to AC voltage. It will be a very very small amount, but you can compare against your Cort. Measure each pickup solo'd then both full on.
You'll have to strum the instrument, so alligator clips will be easier than probe ends
We should also consider the speaker arrangement - you may be pushing a lot more air via surface area than OP.
Typically I use a 1x15 cab (I'm in a soul band, it fits the style). In smaller rooms I use a 1x12. On very rare occasions (really big room with no PA support) I use both.
If the other basses are OK then it is not the amp.
There is some seriously misleading info in this thread. Pickup impedance is NOT measure of pickup output. Pickup voltage is a measure of pickup output. You could measure it with a DVM or oscilloscope but why. You have an amp and one bass is quieter then it is due to less signal coming from the bass.
Matching pickup impedance with amp impedance (i.e. both at 12k) will seriously degrade your signal. Pickups are very low power signal generators and they give the most signal when driving their output into a high impedance load. Bass amps are high impedance inputs (near 1 M-ohm typically) for this reason.
Pickups are usually wired in parallel so a pair of 10k pickups when run together will add to 5k. That is normal, your J pickup is not bad.
I agree that the phase of the two pickups is a major issue. If the bass is fine with just the neck PU solo'ed then it is likely a phase issue. If they're out of phase it is due to one of them being wired backwards at the volume (or balance) pot and the fix is to reverse the wiring on one of them.
But it sounds like running just the neck pickup is not the total solution so even if you have a phase issue it may not be the total issue. My bet is that you have a combination of naturally weak pickups and wired out of phase.
There is some seriously misleading info in this thread. Pickup impedance is NOT measure of pickup output. Pickup voltage is a measure of pickup output. You could measure it with a DVM or oscilloscope but why. You have an amp and one bass is quieter then it is due to less signal coming from the bass.
Matching pickup impedance with amp impedance (i.e. both at 12k) will seriously degrade your signal. Pickups are very low power signal generators and they give the most signal when driving their output into a high impedance load. Bass amps are high impedance inputs (near 1 M-ohm typically) for this reason.
Pickups are usually wired in parallel so a pair of 10k pickups when run together will add to 5k. That is normal, your J pickup is not bad.
I agree that the phase of the two pickups is a major issue. If the bass is fine with just the neck PU solo'ed then it is likely a phase issue. If they're out of phase it is due to one of them being wired backwards at the volume (or balance) pot and the fix is to reverse the wiring on one of them.
But it sounds like running just the neck pickup is not the total solution so even if you have a phase issue it may not be the total issue. My bet is that you have a combination of naturally weak pickups and wired out of phase.
Yes.......except the OP said......
Which means that he has two seperate issues.
His yammy has pickups out of phase, and he doesn't have enough amp for the job - regardless of which bass he is using.
He asked for help......
