loafer Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 I have a problem that I have not seen discussed in bass forums, but I did eventually find some info. in a cellist's site - this is a fairly common problem for them, I read. At about the seventh fret on my A string I get a very loud, colourless note, with great sustain. It is as if the neck, body, string, pickup, cabinet and driver are on on exactly the same wavelentgh; I cannot hear any harmonics or colour to the note. It repeats to a lesser degree in the higher octaves of this note. By varying my amp EQ settings I can move the wolf howl up a fret or two, with a reduced effect, also different strings can improve this - but - I don't want my strings or EQ settings forced on me by my bass (I assume it is my bass). Cellists use a weight attched to the string between the bridge and 'the end bit', or fix a weight inside their instrument or 'sqeeze between the knees at this note', none of which apply to my solid bass! My bass is a 'Yamaha Attitude Special' (Yamaha p'ups), and a 'Rock' 100w 12" combo amp. I am a hobby player, at home only, so I notice my sound a lot (no competeing drummers/drinkers). I have had this bass for a few years and noticed this for a year or so - I suspect my 'ear' has improved to reveal this effect. Has anyone any advice or understanding of this probelm please? Thanks, Loafer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 You could try fitting a [url="http://www.groovetubes.com/FF-BC_P1201.cfm"]Fat Finger[/url]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Wolf notes are just as common as dead spots. Does the bass do it unamplified - if it does it is the bass. If it does not it could be the result of coupling with the walls/floor of the room. Try the amp in different rooms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yeah if you mean what i think you mean, though it is hard to describe, i think i used to get that on my musicman running through the 1X15 ashdown at my old college on the 5th fret of the A string i think it was. I'd play the note and after a few seconds the note would be gone and this noise would just get louder just making the room rumble and it would keep sustaining until i let go. Never had it before and it was only on that amp in that room. Strange, is that what you meant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yes. A dead spot is a note that is not as loud or does not sustain as long as other notes. Wolf notes are notes that are louder or sustain longer than other notes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mottlefeeder Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 [quote name='loafer' post='171137' date='Apr 7 2008, 08:23 AM']I have a problem that I have not seen discussed in bass forums, but I did eventually find some info. in a cellist's site - this is a fairly common problem for them, I read. At about the seventh fret on my A string I get a very loud, colourless note, with great sustain. It is as if the neck, body, string, pickup, cabinet and driver are on on exactly the same wavelentgh; I cannot hear any harmonics or colour to the note. It repeats to a lesser degree in the higher octaves of this note. By varying my amp EQ settings I can move the wolf howl up a fret or two, with a reduced effect, also different strings can improve this - but - I don't want my strings or EQ settings forced on me by my bass (I assume it is my bass). Cellists use a weight attched to the string between the bridge and 'the end bit', or fix a weight inside their instrument or 'sqeeze between the knees at this note', none of which apply to my solid bass! My bass is a 'Yamaha Attitude Special' (Yamaha p'ups), and a 'Rock' 100w 12" combo amp. I am a hobby player, at home only, so I notice my sound a lot (no competeing drummers/drinkers). I have had this bass for a few years and noticed this for a year or so - I suspect my 'ear' has improved to reveal this effect. Has anyone any advice or understanding of this probelm please? Thanks, Loafer[/quote] I have the same problem on a Yamaha RBX 765, but only with certain types of strings. It happens with Rotosound swingbass 66s, and it happens with Warwick Black label, and it happens with LaBella Deep Talkin, but not with Ernie Ball slinkies, so that's what I now use. If you want to confirm that you have identified the cause, clamp a weight on the headstock, and the resonance should move - that is what a bad-finger is designed to do, but it adds weight to the headstock, which could change the balance of the instrument. Your best option is to find a set of strings that don't do this, and stick with them - the alternative is to sell the bass, because it will annoy you from now on. It is also worth pointing out that my bass tutor could not hear it, and cutting through the mix, it is unlikely that the audience would hear it either, but I know how annoying it is. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted April 7, 2008 Share Posted April 7, 2008 [quote name='bass_ferret' post='171885' date='Apr 7 2008, 10:56 PM']Yes. A dead spot is a note that is not as loud or does not sustain as long as other notes. Wolf notes are notes that are louder or sustain longer than other notes.[/quote] Yeah, i was just pointing out that it only happened with that amp though.... ah well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loafer Posted April 8, 2008 Author Share Posted April 8, 2008 Thanks for all your replies - it is nice to know I am not alone!! Currently I am using Warwick Red label strings, I'll try changing to a similar but different make, plus a weight on the head stock. If that works I'll try the Fat Finger. Thanks again, Loafer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted April 8, 2008 Share Posted April 8, 2008 [quote name='loafer' post='171986' date='Apr 8 2008, 04:36 AM']Thanks for all your replies - it is nice to know I am not alone!! Currently I am using Warwick Red label strings, I'll try changing to a similar but different make, plus a weight on the head stock. If that works I'll try the Fat Finger. Thanks again, Loafer[/quote] Dont just assume it is the bass. Can you hear it un-amplified? There are venues that I play that suffer from this because of resonance with the hollow stage, f*** all to do with my basses. Have you tried the easiest option, playing in a different room if you cant hear the wolf notes un-amplified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 (edited) bump, just as an addition to this discussion, i'd like to say, as i'm moving house tomorrow, my bedroom is pretty much empty. No clothes, nothing, just a bed, an empty chest of drawers and an amp. I was just playing and noticed a wolf note on open A that i've never gotten before. Seems a lot of things can cause wolf notes that aren't usually the bass itself. Also goes to show how you need lots of sh*t on your room so it's not echoey and stuff, not a problem for me, i have tonnes of sh*t Edited May 1, 2008 by budget bassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Try lowering your pickups slightly. The Will Power pickups, neck, have huge magnets in them and having the strings too close can cause the string to vibrate eratically. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loafer Posted May 6, 2008 Author Share Posted May 6, 2008 Sorry to have been off line for so long, this is what happened next:- I decided to try the cheapest options first; accoustically I could not hear detect any wolf note (although that might be my ears) so I decided to try moving the amp combo - still wolfing; but as the amp was in the corner each time (socket locations) I decided to move it to outside the house to remove all 'room' effects - still wolfing. Sat and thought a bit, dug out from the shed my old practice amp -happiness! - no wolf! To confirm I dug further and found my old learner bass (defretted) and tried that on the old amp (no wolf) and "new" amp -wolf!! So (sheepish grin) it seemed to be a (wild) goose note, not a true wolf note. I have tried a heavy weight (me) on top and on the side of the amp, still wolfing. I am mighty relieved that it is not my bass. Thanks to everyone for helping , Loafer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BOD2 Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 It sounds like a "resonant peak" in the amp. This would be a narrow band of frequencies where something resonates in the amp producing excessive sustain. This could be physical resonance (i.e. a component actually vibrating slightly in the amp) or electronic resonance (i.e. the electrical signal is resonating - a bit like feedback but not so out of control). It could be caused by minor component wear or bad design in the amplifier. Unfortunately there's not much (cost effectively) you can do with it other than to try and adjust the EQ to minimise it. If you're confident to do so, you could try opening up the amp and tightening any visible screws to ensure nothing is loose but there's no guarantee this would help - and if you do open the amp make sure you disconnect it from the mains and work safely ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loafer Posted May 26, 2008 Author Share Posted May 26, 2008 Thanks BOD2, I'm mighty relieved that it is not my bass; sorry to be slow replying - again, loafer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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