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Hum?

Lanzy

Lanzy

Guest
Dec 5, 2014
242
32
#1
Hi, not sure if this should be under basses or amps but heres the deal.

About a month ago, i bought a v3 fender rumble 25, new. Great amp. But i can still return it.

Recently, the past few days, it has been humming ALOT. More than normal, though. As i adjust the tone and volume knobs, and depending on what string/notes i play, the hum gets louder, or the amp crackles.

Is this the bass, or the amp? I do not have another one to try....unfortunately..

Thanks
 
#2
If you can return it, it's easy for you. Just take it back to the store and demonstrate the hum for the tech. If you ordered online, call, tell them what's going on, and get an RMA.

Edit for more info:
It could be one of those that experiences the "less than 90-day failure rate." If it was your bass, you'd have known the issue way before a month in possibly. If you have an active bass, try running it in passive mode or give it a new battery. If the problem goes away, you were due for a new battery. I hope this helps.
 
#5
OK Lanzy, do this: with no instrument plugged in at all turn on your amp. With all controls at noon, is it humming? If yes, how much? A little? Or a lot?

Most every amp will have some small amount of operational noise be it hum, hiss, or both. My V3 Rumble 25 is remarkably quiet. I have to turn it up all the way to detect any noise at all.

If it's not your amp, then it is something in your signal path. Could be your bass; or a cable, or any effects. Stompbox effects are notoriously noisy.
 
#6
At noon?

As in all half?

Even volume?

Okay thanks for the tip

Which means
It is the bass thanks!

I put on new strings recently, different gauge i think.

Should i adjust the action, would that help?
 
#7
If it's the bass causing the hum, it's either a lack of shielding or the ground lost continuity, and since it never hummed before, it can't be the lack of shielding. Changing strings and action will not cause breakage in your wiring. It could also be the cord broke on you. But if the knobs on the amp crackle on you when you move them, it could very well be the amp. Trying the amp without a bass in it and getting no noise is so not an indicator of whether your amp is working right or not. I've seen amps be dead quiet with nothing plugged in them and still be messed up. Your best bet is to try the amp with a different bass and the bass with a different amp. Bring the cord, too. If you only have one of each, take it all back to the store and use what they have. If it is the bass, wiring issues are easily fixed. I don't think it's the bass, though...not if the amp knobs crackle.
 
#8
JimmyM said:
If it's the bass causing the hum, it's either a lack of shielding or the ground lost continuity, and since it never hummed before, it can't be the lack of shielding. Changing strings and action will not cause breakage in your wiring. It could also be the cord broke on you. But if the knobs on the amp crackle on you when you move them, it could very well be the amp. Trying the amp without a bass in it and getting no noise is so not an indicator of whether your amp is working right or not. I've seen amps be dead quiet with nothing plugged in them and still be messed up. Your best bet is to try the amp with a different bass and the bass with a different amp. Bring the cord, too. If you only have one of each, take it all back to the store and use what they have. If it is the bass, wiring issues are easily fixed. I don't think it's the bass, though...not if the amp knobs crackle.
Click to expand...

new cord today, same problem.

Nothing when the bass is not plugged in, on either side

When i adjust the tone it gets worse the higher it goes

Its the bass, i found.
 
#14
Lanzy said:
No idea....

B-string, I tried it, and it surprisingly did help, though it still buzzes more than normal, now i can at least play and only have a little buzz.
Click to expand...

There is a bare ground wire under the bridge that grounds by pressure between the metal bridge and the paint. The change of string tension most likely made the connection go away (the wire digs into the paint). Have a guitar tech move the ground to a fresh spot later.;)
 
#15
B-string said:
There is a bare ground wire under the bridge that grounds by pressure between the metal bridge and the paint. The change of string tension most likely made the connection go away (the wire digs into the paint). Have a guitar tech move the ground to a fresh spot later.;)
Click to expand...

>: Cant justify $40 for a tech to do that on a $95 bass with $40 strings....lol

But my neighbor is a semi-pro guitarist, i think he can do it, if not ill end up paying the tech lol
 
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#17
Well now that you said tightening the bridge screws helped, it does make me think your ground wire is loose under the bridge, so maybe no need for a second opinion.
 
#20
Do you have compact fluorescent lighting in you practice room. My Ric picks CFL's up from 10 feet away.

Grounding is the right path to investigate, but EM noise from external sources will only make a noise issue worse.
 

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