V4lve Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 (edited) Hi. Just started using headphones into my Warwick take 12 to practice on my OLP MM3 (with Artec preamp) and noticed the tone each string makes has a weird meow quality to it, particularly if I dig in hard. Starting at the attack and decaying as the sound goes quieter. It particularly noticeable on the A string. The strings are only a couple of months old so still pretty bright. Done a bit of troubleshooting and concluded that 1. I can kind of hear it on my other bass (jazz pickups and very dull strings) but probably only because I am listening for it. 2. It is barely noticeable using a different amp. 3. It is not so noticeable using line out (though a mixer) instead of straight headphone out. 4. I cant hear it through the speaker on my practice amp. 5. It happens when using pickup front, back or both. edit** Seems it's the bass. See lower down the thread** Any suggestions what it might be Ta Edited March 5, 2012 by V4lve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 I'm not familiar with that amp but does it have a built in compressor/limiter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 (edited) No onboard compressor. I use a pedal but the thing meows with or without it. Edited March 2, 2012 by V4lve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 OK, you say you can barely hear it on another amp, but you can hear it on another amp right? If so its not the amp, unless both amps have same prob. You say that your Jazz bass also does it, but more quietly. So its not the bass as another bass is doing it - or both basses have the same problem. Have you tried different leads, or using amp and bass in a different building (earthing issue perhaps?) with the same thing happening? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Have you tried a different set of headphones? Fret buzz? Do you have a very low action and/or very light strings? Does it happen with both open and fretted strings? Is it more noticeable low down or high up the fretboard? Could it be some sort of vibration happening around the nut/tuners or bridge area rather than the playable part of the strings? Try damping the strings between the nut and tuners (stiff a bit of foam or something in there to stop the strings ringing) and see if that makes any difference. Do the same for the bridge to make sure there's nothing going on down there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftyhook Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 strings made from 'cat-gut?' pur-r-r-r-r-r............ it does sound like it could be a vibrational thing as suggested by[b] ikay[/b] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 2, 2012 Author Share Posted March 2, 2012 Thanks for the replies. Lots of things to try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted March 2, 2012 Share Posted March 2, 2012 Little bit of noise from not very compressed bridge springs can do some funny noises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) OK. Tried damping at both ends and it makes no difference. Different headphones are the same. It happens open and fretted but mostly on the lower ends of the E and A. I do like a bit of rattle but it's not fret buzz. It's definitely the bass cos you (I) can hear it here in a recording I made straight into my PC. But not as clearly as my amp (or little mixer). Beginning to wonder if I am obsessing, Apologies for the rubbish playing. Just some notes mainly on the low end of the E, A and D to show the effect. You will need headphones. [media]http://dl.dropbox.com/u/133297/Meeow.mp3[/media] Edited March 5, 2012 by V4lve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted March 5, 2012 Share Posted March 5, 2012 Very strange, it's like it's "settling" into the note. Are you perhaps picking a little too hard? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 5, 2012 Author Share Posted March 5, 2012 (edited) Ta. I did wonder if it was that. It seems to happen when I play lightly too (but not as much). BTW I don't use a pick, only my fingers. Just tried a pick and it's not as noticeable as it gets hidden by the attack. Edited March 5, 2012 by V4lve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Noticed that it depends on where I attack the strings. I tend to attack them between the pickup and the bridge. Over the pickup it's less noticeable. Close to the neck it way less noticeable. Also seems to be an kind of high overtone that fades quickly. Maybe by attacking close to the bridge I am creating more overtones? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 A real mystery this one! Are the strings touching the bridge adjustment screws past the saddles (or close to them so they contact when you play a note?). Or are the springs on the screws loose at all? Have you changed the strings lately...? I think its probably a mechanical rather than electrical noise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ikay Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 [quote name='V4lve' timestamp='1330949010' post='1565074'] Beginning to wonder if I am obsessing, [/quote] I think probably yes It's only detectable when using headphones and even then not really that noticeable unless you're listening for it. No one will hear it when you play live. Having been through all the various checks it doesn't sound as though there's anything on your bass that needs fixing. It's just one of those slightly curious artefacts to do with the natural vibration of the strings you have on it. Possibly more noticeable with new strings than dull ones as you mention. It probably happens to the rest of us as well but we just haven't noticed it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 Thanks for all the help on this. I will probably try and ignore it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethfriend Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I get exactly the same thing, I have a SBMM SB14 with Nordstrand MM4.3. When playing through headphones on an TCE RH450 I noticed it sounding a little like a fretless with that "mwah" sound at the start of the note. Not a trace of it through the cab at practice so I ignore it. Have also heard it playing through an audio interface and out through studio monitors. Weirdly when I recorded the DI from my old amp (orange terror) no trace of it. I've come to the conclusion its something going off in the high mids which are not an important part of my sound. I was going to get round to fiddling with the setup and seeing if it has an effect but havent done so yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 Another thought! Are your pickups too close to the strings? What you might be hearing is the pickup 'grabbing' the string. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 7, 2012 Author Share Posted March 7, 2012 (edited) It's not pickup height either. The only things that seem to make a difference are: 1. Picking position (closer to the bridge is worse) 2. Which pickup is being used (the bridge is worse) 3. Using EQ to cut the top end. 4. Some amps. #garethfriend. What strings are you using? Mine is strung with [font=arial, sans-serif][size=3].40-125 Super Slinkys[/size][/font] Edited March 7, 2012 by V4lve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethfriend Posted March 7, 2012 Share Posted March 7, 2012 I'm running 50 to 105 fender nickel rounds, they are reasonably new too but the old ones (same but lighter gauge) did it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost_Bass Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 My first guess is that you need a string tee or see if your strings are strung in a downwards way so they get good pressure against the nut (i normally alow my strings to wrap 2 or 3 turns arround the tuner thus getting lower and pressing more against the nut and at the same time with more turns i notice i have better tunning stability). Try playing open notes and pressing the string between the nut and the tuner to see if it solves your problem. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 #Ghost Bass. I installed a string tree recently to so no problem with good pressure against the nut. Rather surprisingly I notice today that the noise appears to have gone. Very strange. Maybe it was a bedding in thing?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garethfriend Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 interesting mentioning the pressure at the nut, with some strings I get some buzzing that goes away if I put pressure behind the nut. I'm not getting that now and putting pressure behind the nut does nothing. No idea what that is but could be related. I reckon looking at it the nut is cut a bit wide for the strings on my bass though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V4lve Posted March 9, 2012 Author Share Posted March 9, 2012 (edited) My nut is a bit wide too I suspect (lighter strings now) but not sure if the nut has much to do with it. It happened when fretting strings too. Edited March 9, 2012 by V4lve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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