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Unknown source of buzz (not grounding)

Discussion in 'Pickups & Electronics [BG]' started by OutsideUrbia, Jul 30, 2009.

  1. Jul 30, 2009 #1
    OutsideUrbia

    OutsideUrbia

    May 15, 2009
    In my jazz style bass. it appeared after adding the tech 21 bass driver into my setup.

    I can crank both pick up volumes up but as soon as I turn my turn my tone knob to 1 or higher...... I get a good present buzz that only goes away when I touch or mute the strings.

    The buzz stays the same regaurdless of what level the tone knob is at.

    All the grounding and connections appear solid to me. I have a feeling I could have cooked the capacitor by using the bass driver. Does this sound like a very possible explanation for this tone knob developing a noise

    A guitar tech guy will soon be with me to fix it.
     
  2. Jul 30, 2009 #2
    megadan

    megadan

    Jun 10, 2006
    Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Does the noise go away when you take away the Bass driver?

    There's no way a pedal could have 'cooked' the cap in your bass.

    Try it with your bass straight into the amp and see what happens. If it still buzzes, it could be a loose wire inside somewhere.
     
  3. Jul 30, 2009 #3
    OutsideUrbia

    OutsideUrbia

    May 15, 2009
    The noise is there without it, but ofcoarse it gets much worse with the bass driver.

    even turns to a screech sometimes. I am careful not to overload into my amp either.

    It is definately a powerful pedal.

    it is a theory that it did cook the resistor or something. Generally speaking..wouldn't a pedal like this tell the circuitry in the bass to push itself harder?

    either way everything is going to get redone until it is better
     
  4. Jul 30, 2009 #4
    msiner

    msiner

    Sep 2, 2008
    Tucson, AZ
    Are both pickups on full volume?
     
  5. Jul 30, 2009 #5
    OutsideUrbia

    OutsideUrbia

    May 15, 2009
    I could have the pick ups both on no volume and I still get this problem. 1 thing stays the same if my tone knob goes above zero I have that buzz until I touch strings.

    I get extra noise until touch the strings or and I get that little click when I tap the strings.


    If I crank both my pickups. and leave my tone knob fully off I have a normal (well wired) quiet bass sound.

    get the picture better?
     
  6. Jul 30, 2009 #6
    OutsideUrbia

    OutsideUrbia

    May 15, 2009
    the buzz i get from the tone being on is always stays the same volume no matter if i have both pickups turn all the way on or fully off
     
  7. Jul 30, 2009 #7
    SGD Lutherie

    SGD Lutherie Inactive Commercial User

    Aug 21, 2008
    Bloomfield, NJ
    Owner, SGD Music Products
    No. How would it tell your bass anything?

    The bass is feeding the input of the pedal. The pedal then boosts the signal. The bass is passive, it can't push harder even if it wanted to. The pedal is just like plugging into your amp. it can't hurt anything in your bass.

    If the buzz goes away when your touch the strings, then it's a grounding problem. You need shielding. Touching the strings uses your body as a shield.

    If you are getting a screeching, then you have the drive up too high on the pedal, back it down a bit, or the level control. You are getting feedback. You probably have the drive or level control up too far on the pedal.

    You should set the pedal up so when it's bypassed you are about the same volume. It's possible that the noise was always there, but you are boosting the volume up so much at the pedal that it's making the noise louder.

    How do you have the controls set on the pedal?

    And lastly, are you using good quality shielded cables?

    From the manual:

     
  8. Jul 31, 2009 #8
    OutsideUrbia

    OutsideUrbia

    May 15, 2009
    I definately never go over 50%, but I always try to stick to the same volume level as bypass with every effect I ever used for guitar as well.

    You threw me something i didn't think about. I was using a higher end planet waves cable until it took a dump. now I am using a pretty thick gauge fender instrument cable. don't know what kinda shielding it has.