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Jaguar's noisy preamp

EighthNotes

EighthNotes

Feb 12, 2007
387
46
#1
I just brought home my new Jag bass. I love everything about it. Except...when on active mode, it is very noisy. I can't notice it so much while I'm playing, but when I'm not touching the strings, the buzz is almost louder than the volume of the bass. Also, if my hands are on the strings and I move, it makes a crackly buzz sound. The sound of the bass, however, never cuts out, so I don't think my output jack is bad as I've heard is sometimes expected on these basses. Could it just be dirty contacts, or do I need a whole shielding job?
Thanks.

4
 
#2
I also just bought one. Silent as a church mouse.
Tell me your bass settings and I'll do mine the exact same way. I think I've pretty much goofed with everything though as there has been talk about noise. I found none.
 
#3
On the bass itself: All 3 lower switches "up" (toward your head if the bass is strapped on), active on, bass knob about 3/4 of the way up and treble a little above half (i can still see the allen wrench hole on it).
On my amp: Treble at about 3/4, hi mid at about 2/3, low mid at 1/4, bass around half.
I know it seems like alot of highs and such and that would tend to be noisy, but the buzz I'm hearing sounds like a grounding issue.

BTW: I see you have a quote from Adam Savage, I am a HUGE Mythbusters fan!

Thanks, 4.
 
#4
EighthNotes said:
On the bass itself: All 3 lower switches "up" (toward your head if the bass is strapped on), active on, bass knob about 3/4 of the way up and treble a little above half (i can still see the allen wrench hole on it).
On my amp: Treble at about 3/4, hi mid at about 2/3, low mid at 1/4, bass around half.
I know it seems like alot of highs and such and that would tend to be noisy, but the buzz I'm hearing sounds like a grounding issue.

BTW: I see you have a quote from Adam Savage, I am a HUGE Mythbusters fan!

Thanks, 4.
Click to expand...

OK, I'll try this tonight when I get home. Yeah, I love that show. The funniest parts are when they are PO'd and picking on each other. But overall it is a great show. A good mix of science, math, and just a touch of what-the-heck?! And it always ends in blowing something up! What more could a guy want?
:)
 
#5
Upon further playing, I've noticed the buzzing when I take my hands off the strings is worse when the volume knob on the bass is all the way down, this is in passive mode. When I take my hands of in active mode, the metal rings around my speakers glow bright blue, I'm guessing that's not good. I tried taking the battery out but no difference. When I tap the back of the bass against my leg (when I play standing) it crackles when it contacts my leg. I didn't think wood was conductive. I'm hesitant to take it apart myself, but I want to figure this out before I take it to a tech because he's almost an hour away. Thanks.

4
 
#6
OK, tried it. Yeah, I get some noise, and it is clearly louder with the preamp on. However, it goes away if I get a couple feet away from the amp and face the other way.
So survey says............gotta be shielding.
If it bothers me (and it doesn't) I'll check out the shielding, but since it goes away if I'm a couple feet away, no worries.
 
#7
I'm gonna pick up some shielding tape, I found another thread on here with a picture showing what parts to shield. I'll try it and see if it helps, I'll also change the battery. Thanks for your help, man. I really appreciate it.

4
 
#8
EighthNotes said:
I'm gonna pick up some shielding tape, I found another thread on here with a picture showing what parts to shield. I'll try it and see if it helps, I'll also change the battery. Thanks for your help, man. I really appreciate it.

4
Click to expand...

It definitely helps, or at least it did the trick for me. I was having the same problem with my Jag and after connecting the various cavities with some copper tape (just as described in the thread you found) the hum was 95% gone. There is still a very slight hum, but only as much as any other Jazz with vintage pickups makes. It took all of about a 20 minutes and it was a piece of cake. You gotta love talkbass. I most likely would never have found this fix otherwise.
 

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