• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Why would a bass suddenly start buzzing?

Doodaddy

Doodaddy

Supporting Member
Jan 11, 2005
1,542
80
West Monroe, LA
#1
I've never had a buzzing issue out of this bass before and I'm very perplexed.

I've been without an amp for a couple of weeks so none of my basses have been played through an amp during this time. I get my amp back today, plug in my LeCompte and bbbbbzzzzzz. I switch basses (same cord, amp, cab) and it's dead quiet.

I change instrument cables with the LeCompte, still buzz. Change amps, still buzz. It buzzes everywhere while no other instrument does in the same setting.

If I place my hand on at least two of the bridge saddles, the buzz is virtually nonexistent. I've checked ground leads in the electronic cavity, cleaned contact points for the instrument cable. Made sure they were making good contact to the pole of the cable.

I'm so confused. The bass has literally been played once acoustically in the mean time of me not having an amp and it's suddenly starting to buzz? The buzz does intensify drastically when I turn up the treble knob if that's worth anything.
 
#4
SGD Lutherie said:
Playing a bass through an amp or not doesn't matter.
Click to expand...

I know that. I was just trying to say that it's literally sat on the stand with the exception of noodling for 5 minutes.

I simply can not find any loose ground anywhere. Even when I have "removed" the buzz by placing my finger somewhere on the copper shielding in the cavity, the buzz returns when the treble knob is turned.

I really don't see anything ground wrong. I'm going to try and resolder the grounding points but it's nothing I haven't done already. :hmm:
 
#5
Doodaddy said:
I simply can not find any loose ground anywhere. Even when I have "removed" the buzz by placing my finger somewhere on the copper shielding in the cavity, the buzz returns when the treble knob is turned.
Click to expand...

Is that copper foil grounded? Have you checked it with a meter? The fact that it stops when you touch it makes it sound like it's not grounded.
 
#9
SGD Lutherie said:
Is that copper foil grounded? Have you checked it with a meter? The fact that it stops when you touch it makes it sound like it's not grounded.
Click to expand...

The foil is grounded.

I checked every point with a meter. String to string, bridge to string, bridge to foil, bridge to community ground, anywhere I could possibly think of. All read zero on the continuity.

I completely thought ground the entire time until I couldn't find where there was a grounding issue.

Batteries have been changed. No loose connections anywhere, in fact, I resoldered all ground points just to ensure against a cold solder joint.

So, hrm. :hmm:
 
#10
DSC_37192-1.jpg


Nice and tidy.
 
#16
grendle said:
Hmmmm..... At that point I would plug it in , and wiggle each wire and see what happens. Something funky going on there. I personaly am not a fan of long ground wires and would ground them short at the pots but that's just me. I have found they tend to act like antennas.
Click to expand...

I've done that some. The only noticeable thing is when my finger bumps something that is conductive to the ground.

This is such an odd problem.
 
#18
Doodaddy said:
I've done that some. The only noticeable thing is when my finger bumps something that is conductive to the ground.

This is such an odd problem.
Click to expand...

Just wiggle wires first. There's something with an open ground somewhere. Either that or a pickup or the pre is bad. Honestly someone else had an issue like this here before. They cut out the birds nest of ground wired and grounded things normally and it fixed it. Personally that's how I would go, but its your bass. Almost 99% of the time noise is from a bad ground somewhere. I hate to ask the obvious but is that 10 ft of ground wire and shielding all connected to the bridge at some point? If not , there's your issue.
 
#19
grendle said:
Just wiggle wires first. There's something with an open ground somewhere. Either that or a pickup or the pre is bad. Honestly someone else had an issue like this here before. They cut out the birds nest of ground wired and grounded things normally and it fixed it. Personally that's how I would go, but its your bass. Almost 99% of the time noise is from a bad ground somewhere. I hate to ask the obvious but is that 10 ft of ground wire and shielding all connected to the bridge at some point? If not , there's your issue.
Click to expand...

Where would you move the grounding point?

I would assume. I haven't taken off the saddles to find out, but I suppose I can do that. I'll be starting that now. :hmm:
 
#20
The grounding point is usually just a bare wire under the center of the bridge baseplate (usually some paint scraped away if its painted). I searched and found someone with a similar issue ( lol). They fixed theirs by moving the ground from the pre to the common ground. Sounds like the pre had a bad internal ground to me , but seems common and an easy fix.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back