Hum problem with Warwick Rock Bass

[Mark Joe]

I bought a new Warwick Rock Bass a few weeks ago; I am having a hum problem. The hum stops when the main volume is turned to 9 or 10; but is very loud when the main volume is between 4 and 8. It doesn't seem to matter if Im touching the bass or not, or whether the active boost is all the way down on is on.

Is this a grounding issue, or just the nature of the bass?

I also feel the active curcuit is very noisy and lacks clarity, could this be related to the hum problem?

Thanks

--Mark

 

[stanger503]

yea it does sound a good bit like a grounding issue to me... anyone else???

 

[MyUsernameHere]

I don't know what it is, but a hum caused by a grounding problem will usually go away when you touch the strings or pups.

You might just have a bad/dirty/corroded pot.

 

[Mark Joe]

I checked the connection between the bridge and the outside of the input jack on the bass and it has a good connection. The hum does not change at all when I touch the bass or not. The bass is only 2 weeks old, so it MIGHT be the pot, but I don't hear any crackling noises when I adjust the pot. puzzled... especially then the hum stops when the main volume knob of the bass is at 9 or 10. I tried a couple of different amps, didn't matter.

guess what? I was using a speaker cable from the bass to the amp. Duh!!

thanks for your help ; hope I can return my brand new speaker cables for GUITAR cables!!! thanks again

 

[stanger503]

haha problem solved...i was gonna say after that tho it very well may be the pot, just an over all bad pot...but lo...not the problem, glad is solved

 

[Mark Joe]

 

[bdtesq]

I just noticed the same problem with my new Rockbass, but I am using a guitar cord to a Dunlop MXR-8, then an XLR mic cord out. I am guessing that the common denominator is the balanced connection (which is what distinguishes a speaker cable from a guitar cable, right?), but I'm wondering how to correct the problem so that I can continue to use the XLR from the DI to the PA. Insight?