Hellzero

Ok, let's figure it the way it happened.

You remember that there was no noise, or that you didn't notice it, so here is the first problem.

You asked for help, you got it, but didn't take it into account trying to source an already existing problem that you didn't notice before.

Here is why:

When you were playing your instrument before the incident you didn't pay attention to that noise, because you were touching the strings almost all the time cancelling it and focusing on playing.

But after opening the bass, renewing some solders and changing a wire, you noticed that noise, because you were in an environment where it became more obvious and you started focusing on its origin, but it was already there and you didn't notice it.

Then you became mad, only hearing the noise and refusing to admit it was already there before.

This is what an unreliable memory is, nothing else.

Now shield that bass or buy the cable that you can use with other instruments, so you won't alter your bass and live happily.

PS: I studied electronics, ran my own repair shop and your issue is really quite common and easy to solve. 😉

On 13/10/2023 at 16:25, Dazed said:

The thing is it didn’t have the hum originally or I didn’t notice it.

4 hours ago, Dazed said:

When I wrote “find the cause” I was referring to why the problem

started when it didn’t exist a week ago. 

I give up.

@Dazed :

The cause of the problem is electromagnetic interference.

The reason of the problem is lack of shielding.

The explanation of the problem is unreliable memory.

Don't worry, memory is the least reliable part of our brain and it's a more than well known fact.

Shield your bass or buy that cable and everything will be solved.

37 minutes ago, Dazed said:

Thanks for the reply. I may missing something here but I’m not sure what difference the pickguard being in place would be?

Here, none, but as we all said 8f you want to solve your humming problem, shield all the cavities and star ground them as there is almost none znd it's not a question of pickup.

Another possibility is to buy (and use) an Aero dBuz jack-jack cable as it will ground you for the reasons I explained above: https://d-buz.com/

Read all the explanations to clearly understand that this will solve your problem and keep your bass untouched as it's a (non Fender with the same issues) vintage bass.

Bass Direct is selling these Aero dBuz cables and they are worth every penny: https://www.bassdirect.co.uk/product/aero-dbuz/

14 minutes ago, nekomatic said:

Overrated: Low B strings

 

 Underrated: High C strings

Rated: 6 strings basses.

That said @Dazed, a short video with the noise itself and the way you suppress it by touching (but with what?) the ground might help.

It might also be oxidation of the output jack where the inner metal part is supposed to touch the lead ground...

If I really had money to throw in the bin, I would change my GR Bass AeroTech Full Carbon Combo 800 and GR Bass AeroTech Full Carbon 112+ extension cabinet for the Natural Fibre equivalents just because I find them beautiful... 🤦🏻‍♂️

Congratulations @WishICouldWalk!

3 hours ago, rmorris said:

The fact that the noise disappears when you touch the grounded metal parts - bridge etc - shows that it's properly connected in that sense so that's good.

What's left is screening. Is the screening shown well connected to ground (often this is via pot bodies but these can get loose,

And is the rest of the control cavity screened ? and the pickup cavity  - maybe a screening plate / foil underneath the pickup ?

Also a different pickup might be less susceptible to noise.

This ∆∆∆ is how to solve your issue, which is typical from Fender instruments that are all really poorly shielded.

In fact, when you touch the metal parts you ground yourself and when you're not grounded, you act like a huge emitting, receiving and transmitting antenna (that has to be grounded to stop the hissing and electrostatic noise).

So when fully shielding all the cavities and (star) connecting them to the ground, the interferences emitted and/or transmitted by yourself and all the surrounding electrostatic noises received (and sometimes transmitted) by the pickup(s) will be grounded and make your signal to noise better, almost silent.

Fake: There should be two truss rods!

Didn't all Rickenbacker's start as Ibanez or Greco ? 🤦🏻‍♂️🤪

It's always a pleasure to read and see the excellent results of your different approach @Andyjr1515!

Galactibass!

58 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

Read the comments from a Buyer for this pen, maybe..? 

Yep, it's a comment from 2017 in German from someone complaining he didn't get the box with 20 of these pens, twice, and that he sent them back in one package without even trying this pen...

So where is the point of your comment, Douglas, as I clearly stated to search for cheaper options?

I'd really like to know...

If you often have to deal with cash, it's worth investing in something like that (there are cheaper ones, just search): https://www.amazon.co.uk/Safescan-30-Counterfeit-Detector-Pen/dp/B00E485Z72

Hope you're well!

I bought a Safran Hollow Body Single Cut fretless from Phil, and even if we got the usual glitches with Parcelforce joining the Belgian Post and some slow customs, the bass arrived sound and safe, just as described.

Phil is a true gentleman and another credit to BassChat.

A++++++++ as they say elsewhere.

@Dood, I truly think that your reviews are amongst the best, if not the best, that's certainly why there's not that much enthusiasm.

Just jump everywhere, scream nonsense while doing these, never focus on the subject and say in the title that what you're reviewing is something you don't have to buy because it sucks with a thumb down and it will work...

So sad to confirm that honesty never paid.

Bullfrog cabinets?

500k pots then. 😉

Are the pickups humbuckers or single coils?

I had both, the 110 and the 210 Katana Bass with the Bluetooth receptor and even with the quite useless pedalboard unless you really need to change settings during a tune live.

The app is great plus to me as you can noodle everything, change settings, store them and use it as a fingerboard (see what I did here).

Sound wise, once you've understood the principles behind the two volume controls in cascade, the sampling is excellent, the tone too and the power, especially on the 210 is amazing.

The 1 Watt option is very interesting too to practice without disturbing the neighbourhood and with the full power of these combos, you really can...

As it's a Roland product, the build quality is to the top and the sampling is certainly amongst the best.

Hélas they are very heavy, which is the downside that made me sell them after a while as my back didn't like it.

That said they are the new Cube for sure, especially the 110 and you can gig with it, but the 210 will be better for that purpose.

The external lug (on the right when you look from the top of pot) opposed to the pickup input is certainly not grounded. 😉

And if everything is ok, as @Rexel Matador said, string it up to check all alignments.

In fact, the neck certainly isn't 90° to the pocket, but is tilted a bit more to again be aligned with the bridge, the saddles to be precise.

Simply put a long enough straight ruler on the whole neck directly on the frets and it should be just very very slightly above the saddles, like this, thanks to @Andyjr1515 :

If it's lower, simply shim the neck by putting a ... shim close to the bridge in the neck pocket.

If it's too high, put the shim at the opposite end of the neck pocket, but it's quite rare.