Low, distorted signal on p-bass

[slumpvis]

Hi bass players!
It happened to me for a 2nd time in last two years that my bass (copy of p-bass, made by a trusted luthier) is getting very low and at the same time distorted signal, with almost no low end. Every time I go home back from practice it is working well again. Last time I brought it to a luthier who checked the circuit and said everything is well built and soldered properly. Today it happened again, this time I recorded how it sounded, again back at home the signal was perfect. I eliminated any potential issue with the cable, amp, cab (another bass did not have this issue). Can it be connected to eg power supply or power socket? I am running out of ideas for what can trigger it and I am worried it can happen to me in a live gig situation.

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[Code Brown]

That's what happens when the battery dies in my guitar. And it also happens about once a year. Is it an active or passive guitar? If active, have you replaced the battery? Maybe the luthier changed the battery for you last time.

 

[slumpvis]

That's what happens when the battery dies in my guitar. And it also happens about once a year. Is it an active or passive guitar? If active, have you replaced the battery? Maybe the luthier changed the battery for you last time.

Thanks, forgot to mention - it is a passive bass but indeed it sounds like a dying battery

 

[mcnach]

Hi bass players!
It happened to me for a 2nd time in last two years that my bass (copy of p-bass, made by a trusted luthier) is getting very low and at the same time distorted signal, with almost no low end. Every time I go home back from practice it is working well again. Last time I brought it to a luthier who checked the circuit and said everything is well built and soldered properly. Today it happened again, this time I recorded how it sounded, again back at home the signal was perfect. I eliminated any potential issue with the cable, amp, cab (another bass did not have this issue). Can it be connected to eg power supply or power socket? I am running out of ideas for what can trigger it and I am worried it can happen to me in a live gig situation.

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Do you use the same amplifier/cable at your practice place and at home?

Did I understand correctly and this issue has not happened yet while at home?

 

[slumpvis]

I use a different amp at my practice place (actually it happened with two different places with two different amps so I would not blame amp here). It has never happened to me at home. It is so strange because the p-bass went almost completely dead in the practice, I did not touch anything and at home it is working fine again! In practice place I plugged in another bass with the same amp and cable and it was fine, therefore I think issue sits in my p-bass.

Do you use the same amplifier/cable at your practice place and at home?

Did I understand correctly and this issue has not happened yet while at home?

 

[KevInDaBassment]

I use a different amp at my practice place (actually it happened with two different places with two different amps so I would not blame amp here). It has never happened to me at home. It is so strange because the p-bass went almost completely dead in the practice, I did not touch anything and at home it is working fine again! In practice place I plugged in another bass with the same amp and cable and it was fine, therefore I think issue sits in my p-bass.

Was the other bass active or passive? What type of pickups did it have? Could be an iffy input jack on the amp as well?

Since passive basses are typically "works or it doesn't" situations, all I can think of is perhaps an iffy output jack? Maybe some loose wiring on the pickup leads or cold/weak solder joints somewhere? Could also be faulty or dying pots...

I've also had passive pickups literally die (P-bass style pickup too, ironically) with no explanation before. Since it costs far less money, I'd go spring for replacement pots and output jack, to be safe.

This sounds like different diameter jacks being used and the output jack on the bass pitching a fit about it. If you're using something like Monster cables at home, they are typically thicker jacks than many other brands. They were stretching out the output jacks on several of my basses, and it wasn't until I found that out that I resolved the problem for good. That's the best explanation I can think of for why it works at home, but gives you problems elsewhere. This did in fact happen to me on multiple basses...

 

[eniac]

Next time it happens, turn the instrument cable plug at the BG end slightly clockwise while it's still plugged in. If the problem doesn't go away, do the same thing with the plug at the amp end and see if the problem goes away.

Has contact cleaner or similar ever been used on the BG's output jack or the amp's input jack?