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EHX Bass Big Muff Users - Lil' help please.

patrickshofner

patrickshofner

Sep 6, 2005
750
122
Central Kentucky
#1
First of all, pardon my ignorance. I just picked up my first effect pedal of any sort. It's taken me about 6 years to get around to it.

Anyway, I just got the EHX Bass Big Muff Pi and I'm having a terrible time with the hiss that is present when it's engaged. I'm aware that this is a gain driven effect and that some hiss will come with it. However, the hiss is nearly as loud as the bass tone itself! I've minimized the gain on the amp and it doesn't really have an impact on the volume of the hiss.

I'm running a Gretsch 6072 into an Ampeg V4B and have no existing noise/hiss issues (except for when I really crank the gain). Is the fact that I'm using a hollow-body somehow contributing to the noise? New battery and my cables are good (to my knowledge). Any ideas or recommendations?

Oh, and I did attempt a search but to no avail.
 
#5
Hollow bodies and muffs do not mix. Get an ISP Decimator. When I had my hollow body, that was the ONLY thing that would quiet the muff down.

One for sale here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=664840.

The Decimator is worth every penny. No tone loss, no bass loss, no more feedback.

Also, check the outlet you're plugged into (aka - try another outlet on a different breaker).
 
#6
St Drogo said:
Hollowbodies hiss more? are you sure you don't mean feedback? Because that could indeed be a problem with hollowbodies and gain, but I've never heard of hiss due to hollowbodies...
Click to expand...

this was my original thought. yes, it will feedback if i stand near the amp (which i'm not. ha). but there's a distinct difference between feedback and the hiss i'm referring to.

i just didn't know if there's some sort of connection between hollowbodies and gain sensitivity/susceptibility to hiss?
 
#7
rratajski said:
Hollow bodies and muffs do not mix. Get an ISP Decimator. When I had my hollow body, that was the ONLY thing that would quiet the muff down.

One for sale here: http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=664840.

The Decimator is worth every penny. No tone loss, no bass loss, no more feedback.

Also, check the outlet you're plugged into (aka - try another outlet on a different breaker).
Click to expand...

already tried a different outlet, no love. thanks for the tip on the decimator. seems like it would be a good pedal to have regardless.
 
#9
I've heard good things about the decimator, but I would rather concentrate on eliminating the cause of the hiss, instead of patching it up later so to speak. IMO of course.

It could have something to do with the room you're in and your bass. If you have a certain type of light (not sure what they're called in english, those long tubes with the gas inside that lights up, like you find in offices and stuff) that may cause noise issues, which can be aggravated by gain, but you'd be talking more about a hum than a hiss.

So, try it once with all the lights off, see if that solves your problem. Also, depending on your bandmates, make sure you don't bend over when the lights are off. Just sayin' :)

Like rratajski said it could also be a current issue. Maybe all the outlets in your room are offenders, so I would suggest trying it once with a battery instead, see if that helps.

Also: rratajski, are you missing your left hand or am I just not looking at your avatar right?
 

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