Double Bass Unintentional Overdrive Sound?

[Kam]

I'm getting a slightly overdriven sound from my amp that I just noticed with my new Wizzy 10. At first I was afraid that it was the cab, but checking it with my old CXL112, it is present but not as loud. It is only when I play a note (or make any sound with the instrument), so its almost like a bad gate or compressor type thing? I've tried different basses, instrument cables, and wall outlets and it is still present. The amp is a GK700RB, about 7 years old..

I thought it might have been the impedance of my realists not matching the input on the amp, but it is present with electric basses as well...any ideas other than buying a better amp??

 

[reedo35]

I used to have a GK that did that. Turned out one of the pots was bad.

 

[fdeck]

A bad input gain pot could do this. The other possibility is signals that are too hot for the input section of the amp. For a piezo pickup, you could pad its output by wiring a capacitor in parallel with the pickup. Unfortunately, it's a matter of trial and error to figure out the capacitor value needed.

 

[Kam]

I'm going to guess it's the former...at least I hope it is since it sounds like an easier fix..maybe.

Thanks for the info!

 

[bass349]

hey man, i had a similar issue with a GK 400rb. probably won't work, but try putting a little patch cable between the effects send and return.. that worked for me once when i had a problem with it.

my problem was intermittent.. i've had it "fixed" three times now and it would work for a few months then the overdrive and signal drop would come back. i gave up on it. it's sitting on a shelf not far from me, and hasn't been plugged in for a couple of years. Keep us updated, i for one would like to hear what the problem was!