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Strange Issue with Active Electronics!

D

Doley50

Sep 4, 2005
166
9
#1
Hello,

I purchased a used Ibanez SR405 5 String bass from Guitar Center, of course I had no problems until after the 30 days
( how does that happen? ) Anyway the problems started to happen slowly.
At first every few days the volume would just drop after maybe a 1/2-1 hour of playing and it would only last a few minutes then return to normal.
Then it started to happen more frequently every time I played, but usually after a 1/2 hr or so. Then the bass started to produce cracking sounds, I first through my cab was blown because the sound was so bad.
I read a post about using Detoxit and gave that a try, my pots were less noisy, but again after about a half or so the same thing, loss of volume and cracking sounds.
This would happen and last anywhere from 1 min to 10 min then back to normal, and then after a bit back again.
I did bring it back to Guitar Center and their guitar tech replaced the out put jack, of course he played it for a few mins in the store and it sounded find, I used it at a gig the following day and it appeared to be fixed, then a few days latter it is starting up again!
I am going back to Guitar Center and I am going to try to return the bass, even if I can get a store credit I'll be happy, I need a bass to play, but I just do not understand as to why I am having this problem.
I do not want to bring it to a repair shop because who knows what it wrong with it!

John
 
#7
I can't believe that after 5 replies no one has suggested that you replace the battery!!

The battery is worth a try but this sounds more like a bad solder joint somewhere on the preamp to me. It should be fixable but I can't tell you how hard it would be to find it.

Good luck, I hope the battery fixes it.

Ken
 
#9
Maybe we should think outside the box here. Perhaps try a new battery?


:smug:


Seriously though, the symptoms you describe sounds like a battery dying. Batteries tend to slightly recover their voltage when they "rest" for a bit. That's probably why it works for a short while before dying again. the cracling noise is probably from the preamp clipping since the supply voltage to it is too low.
 
#10
You guys are joking right? There are no batteries on an electric bass!

I have put in a new battery and that was the first thing that the tech tested, The two funny things I did notice, was the lead wire ( Red ) for the battery inside the cavity was cut and put back together, I can not remember if it was just twisted together or if the ends had solder on them, but there was masking tape on the splice.
Also, after spraying Detox-it in the pots, I plugged it in with the cover off and noticed the per-amp made some crackling sounds when moving it, so perhaps as mention there is some lose soldering going on.
The good news is Guitar Center gave me a full store credit for what I paid, and of course the GC salesperson played my bass for a good 15 mins and nothing!!
So I am buying a new bass, but I will alway be curious as why this was happening, but I need a bass to play and I did not want to put money into this bass.
Thank You for your help!

P.S.

I almost hate to admit, the battery that I did put in was a CVS brand battery and not a Duracell or Energizer, I have read that you should not use off-brand batteries. I wondering if this could have been the problem?
 
#11
An off brand battery may be a bad battery but it won't hurt the bass. And if the problem was the same before and after the battery swap it was not the battery. If the problem only occurred after the battery swap then the battery itself may have had a poor internal connection, or the battery connector fit it poorly, or ....

Ken
 

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