New to active basses... why am I clipping?

[mdogs]

I run a very similar setup, I would start with pickup height, a little too much height could very easily cause this.

 

[PDGood]

I love passive and prefer it for the studio, but this is not the reason to move away from active. This is just an adjustment.

 

[Nickweissmusic]

I think someone else was alluding to this, but, in case you were unaware, the tone controls on your active bass do not work like a passive, they're not intended to be cranked all the way up. There's usually a detent in the 50% position of each tone knob at "flat" eq.

If your amp does not have an input pad or separate input, and you are still getting clipping even if you are at flat eq, there is no other solution than to lower your bass volume until it doesn't. Your bddi does have some pad settings which could help, the +10 switch will boost or cut the 1/4" output level so you could try that, and another peson suggested using the effect return input, which is usually intended to receive a line level input, that could work with or without the BDDI for that matter.

The "internal volume trim" possibility is intriguing, you might look into that, or contact the manufacturer to see if that is part of their active electronics, that would definitely help if so.

I have never experienced this problem with a bass, even with 18v, but the 9v preamp on my Godin guitar is so hot, I usually have my volume from 50-70%. Since it is a very good preamp, there is no loss in tone, theoretically an active bass should "sound the same" at any volume.

 

[mmbongo]

Quickest method to find out where the problem lies is to turn down the volume on the bass to about 75%, and as mentioned make sure every other control is in the center position and not 'dimed'.

If the distortion goes away after doing this, the problem is with the amp. If the distortion stays, the problem is with the bass.

 

[Ballin'bass]

First off, you should double check that all of your EQ bands are set at 0. If you have them dimed all the way clockwise, they are adding full gain on top of your normal gain signal. The knobs probably have a center detent. Make sure they click into place and adjust your tone from there.

 

[ofajen]

No, seriously, turn the bass volume down. This is not a problem.

Otto

 

[DavC]

try things 1 by 1 ... bass - amp ...??? clipping.? then ad either pedal and try again ....

the input on your amp can only take so much signal level coming in ... if it clips right at the input , it will distort thru the rest of the signal chain ...

usually , i would adjust the amps input gain to a point where you can make the clip light come on when you play a bit louder/harder than normal ...

i don't use SansAMps ... but with my other tone/eq/preamp pedals ... we need to find " unity gain " ..!!

which means ; adjust things so the volume stays the Same when the pedal is on or off ..! then you'll have a better chance getting the amps gain at the proper spot ...

it's all about " signal to noise ratio's " ... if your input is toooooo loud , things distort/clip ... if your input is to low/ soft , then you need to turn the amp up way to much and your making all the noise louder ..!
that's why we try to get all our ' gains ' working at their optimum point ...

 

[obimark]

Are you playing too hard?

 

[Watchootognbout]

I had a bass that was really hot after a preamp upgrade.
Even with the trim pots turned down it was still clipping!
I lowered the pickup height.
Solved!

 

[joebar]

some preamp controls are boost only which means your starting point is zero (off) some are cut only which means your starting point is (fully open).
most are boost and cut.

the thing about active basses is that you don't need to max the instruments volume to get your tone-on a passive bass, yes.

any pedals/preamp boxes in the chain could be the culprit as was mentioned.

 

[Ric5]

Hey guys,

Just got my first active bass and am beyond ecstatic about my purchase, picked up this gorgeous PB5 from a fellow TB'er. She plays amazingly, but I'm having an issue with clipping and distortion when plugged in.

I'm currently running it through a Sansamp BDDI into a Markbass F1, then into my Genz 212. With or without using the sansamp the clipping indicator on my F1 is lit for just about any note I play. I'm also getting some distortion and can't seem to find a way to pull it out. Any help would be appreciated!

with an active bass the tone controls also add volume ... so get the tone you want and back off the volume

 

[two fingers]

So, how's it going there @reddenedxsky ???? We're all on the edge of our collective seats here!!!!! End this pain and anguish of uncertainty!


Seriously, whudjuh figure out?

 

[JGbassman]

I'm one for turning the bass knob down to center or lower on the bass guitar. I play a Spector and with the stock preamp (a Tonepump jr) it is the hottest active preamp out of any bass I've had with all the controls dimed. I have to roll the bass eq knob on the Spector almost off to get a signal to my amp that is not clipping. I end up turning the input signal down on the wireless so the output is the same as my passive basses, or else I would have to do some serious knob turning on my rig to get it to mix well and sound good. Once I get the right input level set it sounds great.

I would suspect your bass is either really hot or the controls for bass or mids are turned up to high and overdriving the signal to your amp.

 

[laslen]

This is why I switched back to passive.

Because you don't know how to reduce input gain?

I don't mean to sound like a dick, but that's the worst reason for using passive I've ever heard.

 

[reddenedxsky]

Hey guys sorry for leaving you all in suspense, working late nights to support the music habit
Okay so I did take the sansamp out of the picture and everything seemed to get better once I cut off some volume and dimmed the bass down about 25%

Problem is, it still sounds like fart no matter what settings I try through the sansamp. Maybe I just don't need it for this bass, just so used to it doing wonders for my passive. I haven't tried it through the effects loop yet though.

Thanks for all the help guys! Didn't expect so much, TB rules!

 

[andruca]

I've put trim pots on several basses' outputs that were too hot (both active and passive). Active basses don't inherently produce a hotter signal, that's a very widespread misconception, but there's hot actives and hot passives too indeed. Thing is, either on active onboard EQ basses and on active pickup (low impedance + buffer + eventual EQ) basses there are more things in the signal path that can clip/distort. I've personally seen an onboard active EQ pushed to clipping by a too hot signal from a certain (series) pickup combination when plucking way too hard. I tried lowering the pickups but it didin't solve the problem 100% and also I wasn't digging the tone. I raised them again and used a trim pot there too, right before the onboard EQ input. Now, that was on a dirty cheap bass, and it was one of many poor design details I had to find a workaround too (also had a badly wired PU/coil selection switch, an output jack that wouldn't cut battery power when disconected, terribly sharp fret ends, etc). A bug like this is absolutely not the norm, I've had countless active basses, so I know, also never seen a case like this from anybody and of course would never expect a $150+ bass (much less a Carvin bass) to misbehave like that, UNLESS there's some kind of factory defect, it happens to the most select of brands, I'm sure the company will be commited to get it solved for you if the instrument's still under warranty. BTW, gorgeous bass ;-)

 

[Honch]

First, what is a PB5 bass?
Is it active EQ only, or is it equipped with some kind of active pickups, like EMG?
Is it an active pickup bass or "just" active bass? I e can it be run in passive mode without batteries?
Single coil pickups or humbuckers?
Is it possible to run it with 2 9v batteries or just one?

I know about different brands that calls their models PB5, Kiesel and the lot. Can't tell without pics. The one posts that suggests pickups are too close to the strings may be a culprit. As well as some internal trim pot. That a led should blink on the Markbass is not indicating that it's overloading. It's just indicating that it takes a signal. To many variables still, this far deep into the thread that hasn't been sorted out yet.

 

[baxter_x]

Don't forget an active basses have an active preamp. Which will double the one on your amp. So you need to make some compromises. Give priority to one of the EQ. What I usually do is lower the preamp on my amp, and mainly use the one on my basses. Also, use your gain know to reduce any clipping. I usually never use the pad or active inputs. To me it cuts too much dynamic. Unless you use a really hot bass like a Lakland or a Spector.

 

[andruca]

First, what is a PB5 bass?
Is it active EQ only, or is it equipped with some kind of active pickups, like EMG?
Is it an active pickup bass or "just" active bass? I e can it be run in passive mode without batteries?
Single coil pickups or humbuckers?

It's a passive pickup active onboard EQ bass. The pickups are a split coil humbucker and either a single coil or a thin humbucker in the J position (looks like the OP's bass is like that). It's got a 18V preamp (stacked bass & treble) and a knowb that acts both as push-pull for active/passive and also as the treble cut when in passive mode.

 

[Honch]

is the input jack plug jacked all the way in? I've encountered some problems where you think you've jacked the plug all the way in, but hasn't. The sound clips and distorts. Check out that the collars, and rings around the jack are as tight as possible and that you don't use a too huge plug so the casing hinders the plug from going all the way in. It might just "activate" the batteries.