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Sterling by Music Man Ray34 Low Output

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Daniel Dye

Mar 26, 2011
33
0
Be
#1
Recently my active Ray34's output became VERY low for some reason. I rehearsed with the school band moments before our performance in the University of Portland Jazz Festival, and everything was normal. Once on stage, I had to crank the 600 watt Genz Benz stack provided up to 10 just to be heard ON STAGE. I couldn't be heard in the audience, and was BARELY heard by the judging panel. When I got home, I put in a new 9 volt battery (active EQ), and still had the same problem. My brother (studying for his journeyman's license, so he knows electronics) and my dad (licensed electrician for YEARS) opened it up and checked the connections to all the knobs and couldn't find anything loose or faulty. The connection to the pickup was inaccessible because whoever assembled the bass stripped the screws to hell when putting it together, so we could not access the connections directly to the pickup. I have a performance on Thursday night and no bass! No clue what is wrong with it, and I would love some help. Thanks a ton!
 
#8
Solved! Yes, I tried many different cables, a couple basses, and another 2 amps other than the Genz. Turns out my dad and brother and I were looking harder than needed. Dad found that one of the wires connecting to the little battery hat, as I call it (the black plastic thing that clips on the nubs of the 9 volt battery), had come loose, and came off completely when he removed the battery. Once that was firmly reattached, the bass works perfectly! Thanks for the ideas, though! I was definitely at a loss, I'm glad Dad found that wire issue.
 
#11
Finest bass I've ever owned, my Ray. Can't find another bass I feel so at home on, even much pricier basses. The one exception I've found is the Ernie Ball Music Man Classic Stingray, I believe it's called. $1974, though. Probably never happening... So glad my Ray34 is fixed! Had me very worried, it did.
 

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