Loud popping sound when slapping.

[Jrussblues]

You might be slamming the amp with too hot of a signal. The a and e strings produce a hotter signal than g and d, so if you have the bass turned way up on your amp and on the bass it may be too much for it to handle.
If you’re having trouble articulating notes with the preamp on your bass set flat and your amp set flat get some new roundwound strings and it should liven things up considerably.
Hope this is helpful.

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

Are you able to record with your phone and post an audio file here? Even a crappy video would help us help you.

What are your amp settings when the pop is heard?

Post a video.

Try Turning the bass tone knob on the amp and your bass all the way down.

Making a throwaway twitter account for it.

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

What are your amp settings when the pop is heard?

Post a video.

Try Turning the bass tone knob on the amp and your bass all the way down.

There is a vid, absolutely abysmal audio/video quality and the playback seems to be a bit weird but it seems to have exaggerated the popping sound.

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

What are your amp settings when the pop is heard?

Post a video.

Try Turning the bass tone knob on the amp and your bass all the way down.

Tried turning the bass knob down and everything to flat but it is still present.

 

[mobdirt]

sounds like the input stage of the amp is clipping, lower the gain, also is theres some limiter switch please switch it off

 

[mobdirt]

basically start at a low volume and gradually increase

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

sounds like the input stage of the amp is clipping, lower the gain, also is theres some limiter switch please switch it off

I think that limiter you're hearing is my awful phone mic, I can clearly hear the notes.

 

[mobdirt]

I think that limiter you're hearing is my awful phone mic, I can clearly hear the notes.

ok this made me laugh, (im sorry)
ya the slap through the phone just sounds really percussive cannot distinguish much

 

[Bodeanly]

Man, I’m no slapping genius, but all I hear is the string smacking against the fretboard. You won’t hear that as much if you turn up the volume on the amp. Listening on my phone though, so...

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

ok this made me laugh, (im sorry)
ya the slap through the phone just sounds really percussive cannot distinguish much

Okay I think it may be too much signal for my amp to handle, I guess ill head out to the store and pick up a preamp or something so I have some direct control of my gain. Thanks for you help guys.

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

Man, I’m no slapping genius, but all I hear is the string smacking against the fretboard. You won’t hear that as much if you turn up the volume on the amp. Listening on my phone though, so...

I actually felt my floor rumbling beneath my feet when doing that, the phone's mic is 5 feet to the amp's right side so it doesn't sound like somebody's blowing into the mic lol. Plus I'm in an apartment so I can't turn it up too loud.

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

...damnit I knew I should have gotten the Rumble 40.

 

[mobdirt]

Okay I think it may be too much signal for my amp to handle, I guess ill head out to the store and pick up a preamp or something so I have some direct control of my gain. Thanks for you help guys.

Anytime, i still think that if this doesnt happen at lower gain you dont need a preamp, just saying, hope this gets sorted

 

[Stewie]

Wipe the pick guard with a dryer sheet, if this fixes it, you have a static discharge problem and will need to line the back of the pickguard and the cavities in the bass with copper foil. Sounds stupid, but it really works

 

[the explode man]

I still feel like you're somehow hitting the string into the pickup. Otherwise, are you clipping your amp?

 

[AztecViking]

In my own case it started happening on an older G&L L2000 after I had played Stingrays exclusively for a few years and got so used to slapping with quite a lot of force. It did turn out to be the pickup I was hitting but even after pickup adjustments I still have to slap the L2000 more gently than my Rays. I also think the Rotosounds on the L2000 are a factor since they have more "flex" to them than the EB Slinkys on the Rays.

 

[ThatOneGuy45]

In my own case it started happening on an older G&L L2000 after I had played Stingrays exclusively for a few years and got so used to slapping with quite a lot of force. It did turn out to be the pickup I was hitting but even after pickup adjustments I still have to slap the L2000 more gently than my Rays. I also think the Rotosounds on the L2000 are a factor since they have more "flex" to them than the EB Slinkys on the Rays.

The pop still occurred with taped up pickups

 

[Grapevine921]

You said you'r new to bass, right? I would think it's a technique issue. Your gear is probably fine. Maybe work on wrangling that thumb!

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I recently got into the bass about a month ago, I picked up an Ibanez GSR200b, a Fender Rumble 25, and some new strings and everything sounds good except for when I slap on the e string or the a string. When the string is open it sounds perfectly fine but otherwise there is a sound pop that comes from my amp. I've lowered the pickups, raised the bridge, and made 100% sure that my strings are not impacting my pickups but nothing is working.

Time to check under the hood. Did you open the cover where the electronics are?. I had a buddy with an Ibanez and it had an intermittent short on the wire for tone control. If it’s an active bass, make sure the 9 volt battery is secure.

 

[Machiavelli]

I think its the string slapping the fretboard bottom if you're sure its not the pickup.

I dont know how to fix it. Maybe you'll have to try different things with your technique.