King Tut Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'm using a Trace AH200 head (Series 6 GP12) - usually into either a Nemesis 2 x 10 (horn disabled) or an Aguillar DB110. I like quite a twangy sound so boost the high mids to achieve this - usually playing a Jazz bass. Quite often when I turn towards the amp (even when facing away sometimes) I get a painful HF feedback. Am I just being greedy with the volume and top end or is something wrong. I'm using compression from a pedal - but not masses of it - seems worse when using single coil pickups. Thoughts please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted November 6, 2011 Author Share Posted November 6, 2011 Anyone? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 Sounds like a microphonic pickup to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevie Posted November 6, 2011 Share Posted November 6, 2011 I'd agree with that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 Seems to happen with more than one bass though . . . . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipperydick Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Does sound like microphonic pups to me as well. If you gently tap a pickup can you hear it through the speakers ? do the pickups 'float' or are they stuck down tight against the body or scratchplate ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
99mustang Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Can someone explain "microphonic pickup" please. John. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 It happens with very old pickups as the windings loosen off and vibrations of the pickup (rather than metal objects around it) can be amplified. Most modern pups won't do this as they are treated with wax or resin to prevent it the winds from vibrating. Some old pups were designed to operate like this. I remember years ago having a crappy old pup that you could actually shout into and the amp would amplify your muffled voice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slipperydick Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Microphonic means its acting like a microphone, picking up sound rather than just the magnetic field caused by the string moving past the magnet. Usually something loose in the pickup itself. Hence tapping it with a fingernail you would hear, like tapping a Microphone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 OK thanks - will check this out - the pups are floating on sponge - my main bass - the pups are from a Geddy Lee Jazz. One of the others that does it - it's a really old '75 Ibanez pup. Some good info here to work on. Interestingly it doesn't happen with my more up to date Sandberg JM4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 Yep sounds like microphonic p'ups. Although both my JBs do this too. One with brand new Wizards, the other with stock Fender p'ups (about 10 years old) the only bass that doesn't do it is my Sabre which hasn't been touched electronically since 1979 when it was built! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Tut Posted November 7, 2011 Author Share Posted November 7, 2011 Interesting Ben - so is this a fault or something I just need to live with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted November 7, 2011 Share Posted November 7, 2011 I reckon it will help if you can bolt the pickups more tightly to the body. One of my pickups foam had got too compressed and a bit loose and would squeal at volume. A lot better now with more foam jammed in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted November 8, 2011 Share Posted November 8, 2011 No I don't think you should live with it KT. Neither should I. But I'm at a bit of a loss myself with this problem. put in extra foam pads - good place to start though MoonBass. Grounded the whole of the cavities with copper tape. The pickups have all been wax-potted and still I have this. The only time I don't get it is when I don't boost the treble on the bass pre-amp. I have to say though when I turn the gain down on the amp and the master volume up I get the same volume without the squeal - but I don't get the growly sound I like either Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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