Feeling Dumb

[Egg250]

So, I was practicing the other day, and I could have sworn I heard a slight "crackle" and lost a bit of volume. I quickly determined my bridge pickup was not making signal. I kept playing as I normally use the neck pickup alone.

Today I get to investigating what might be broke on my bass. I'm sure some of ya'll are wondering what maker/model bass I have. It is an ESP LTD B4E. It has passive soap bar pickups and a 3-band equalizer. My assumption is the two large pot knobs are volume control for the bridge and neck pickups. I take the battery cover off, remove the battery. Take the back plate off looking for loose wires, bad solder connections, anything that might be obvious. Nothing pops out at me. I do a search for an ESP guitar owner manual.

After reviewing the manual, it turns out the front knob (what I thought was the neck pickup volume) is the master volume control and the rear knob (bridge pickup) is the blend control. So, there is nothing wrong with the instrument, the problem is with the tool holding the instrument.

Sigh.

 

[Spidey2112]

So, there is nothing wrong with the instrument, the problem is with the tool holding the instrument.

And something was learned, on this day. Good for you, mi amigo!

 

[5StringBlues]

Don't beat yourself up about it.

Someone will be along shortly to provide that service.

 

[definenredefine]

Sounds like something I would do...

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Great outcome and now enjoy the ride!!!

 

[BaileyMan]

That's not quite as bad as when the motorcycle doesn't start and you go taking things apart to check spark plug wires, grounds, etc. only to find that you forgot to switch the kill switch to the run position. Doh!

 

[definenredefine]

That's not quite as bad as when the motorcycle doesn't start and you go taking things apart to check spark plug wires, grounds, etc. only to find that you forgot to switch the kill switch to the run position. Doh!

Okay I very definitely do things like this regularly. I often hit the MB 500's power button instead of the mute. Then I'm like "oh noes my amp just died!!!" followed by "oh noes I'm a giant dummy!!!"

 

[Luftkopf]

This morning, when I set my bass up at church, I couldn't figure out why I was getting no signal at all. Took me five minutes to figure out I'd plugged my bass into the Parallel Output jack, which is helpfully next to the Input jack...

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

I had an idea to bring back the "One Brain-Celled Bassists'" Club as a tongue-In-Cheek, self-deprecation tool for just such "emergencies".

In fairness, I will share: showing up at the rehearsal space where I plug directly from my effects unit into the board. I'd done it many times before.

No sound. Checked the guitar. Checked the board. Turned the power off and back on on the board. Checked the speakers. Cussed profusely and then, figured out I'd used the wrong input on the board.

 

[5StringBlues]

Trying to tune my bass one night, tuner not working

One end of cord plugged into tuner, one end plugged in amp input.

 

[basseux]

Inverted in and out on a pedal and thought pedal was dead.

 

[jamro217]

Okay. You were feeling dumb in the privacy of your own home. You figured out the problem and solved it. Not content with that, you shared this information with a worldwide community of bassists. How dumb do you feel now that we all know about this?

 

[Luftkopf]

Okay. You were feeling dumb in the privacy of your own home. You figured out the problem and solved it. Not content with that, you shared this information with a worldwide community of bassists. How dumb do you feel now that we all know about this?

Misery shared is misery halved?

 

[Oddly]

We're clearly all idiots on this bus...

 

[Celen]

Trying to tune my bass one night, tuner not working

One end of cord plugged into tuner, one end plugged in amp input.

Reminds me of one time I was trying to tune my bass, the A string was flat, I turned and turned, nothing happened. Then the D string snapped.

 

[GroovyBaby]

At least you didn’t bring it to the shop for repair! I brought my chainsaw in because it wasn’t running. When I picked it up and paid the repair bill I ask what was wrong. “Bad gas. We poured it out and put new gas in.” Doh!

 

[Plain Old Barry]

We've all had days like that.

 

[Ewo]

Here's my du-uh moment:

Set up my rig at a rehearsal session. Bass to pedalboard to amp, check. One Spot supply to the board, check. AC cord to the amp, check. Turned the amp on, everything's lit, check. No sound--eeeeeek!

I'd forgotten to run the Speakon from the amp to the cab.

 

[Cavemanfrmc]

That's not quite as bad as when the motorcycle doesn't start and you go taking things apart to check spark plug wires, grounds, etc. only to find that you forgot to switch the kill switch to the run position. Doh!

I know that feeling. Sold a Bonneville to a friend and a few weeks in, it wouldn't start. We tested everything over a week or two. We couldn't figure it out. I was talking to another friend and he suggested checking the kill switch. So I called my friend with the bike and told him about the kill switch. He tears it apart and its corroded bad. A few minutes with a wire brush and the bike fired up first kick. That bike went on to become famous in the Great Memorial Day Police Chase of '87, but that's another story.

 

[Spidey2112]

Never had traveled with luggage, prior to receiving a brand new Ric in a hard shell case with... wait for it...

... luggage locks.

I didn't know how to open it... needless to say, the sales rep I had called for assistance was still laughing when I hung up the phone.

Double D'oh!