Thudding when playing over pickup

[Greggo]

I've got a weird anomaly on my bass (musicman style bass by vintage) where if I play finger style over the pickup it has a weird boomy overtone which reduces if I play a bit higher up. I've adjusted pickup down but this makes no difference.

I've got a clone stingray preamp in, but this issue was present when it was wired passive, but since a string change it seems more present.

Is this likely to be because of pickup? It is quite a hot pickup (12 ohms) I believe. Or is it something in set up?

[icastle]

Using words to describe sound is always blooming difficult.

However, what I think you're describing is perfectly normal.

You will always get a different sound as you move your playing hand from the bridge end, over the pickups and to the neck end.

I generally set my tone controls to give me the sound I want 'over' the pickups - that way I have the flexibility of being able to move back towards the bridge for a slightly 'crisper' sound or up towards the neck for a more mellow sound.

[mcnach]

clips to illustrate?

by description alone it's hard to know what it sounds like.

[Greggo]

It isn't present when playing with a plectrum over pickups seems to be just fingers and playing lighter doesn't seem to make a difference. Best way of describing is like a boomy overtone. Will try uploading some clips.

[Greggo]

Think mystery partially solved with this one! I played bass acoustically and notice that the notes click when played which the pickup is obviously picking up too and making that strange sound. If play a note open it isn't there but if I play same open note but have another note fretted there is an audible click. Or if I play a fretted note the click is there. So seems that is possibly is something in the set up? String height up and it still does it (if anything worse when strings set higher)

Edited March 23, 2013 by Greggo

[mcnach]

That would be most useful.

I remember a while ago someone with a complaint that sounded a bit like yours. It turned out to be his technique. His way of plucking a string involved a soft slap followed by the pluck, which resulted in a "thud" before every note... Hard to describe, but the clips made it obvious. If you can upload some clips it'll help.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Greggo' timestamp='1364056758' post='2021486']
Think mystery partially solved with this one! I played bass acoustically and can hear the weird boomy overtone! It's mainly on e and a string. Seems that when string is plucked over pickup it makes the string "ricochet" off a fret and choke the note slightly (I think it's the 20th) hence the almost harmonic "boom" that it creates, but isn't fret buzz.

I've increased height of strings but still happens. Not sure where to go from here, wondering if it might need a neck adjustment? When I check relief neck is very straight so thinking needs relief.

Any ideas?
[/quote]

Hmmm, it doesn' sound like what that other guy had.
I personally need to hear it. I'm lost.

[Greggo]

I think I've narrowed the problem a bit more but it's a stranger one as it's perhaps more of a click than I originally thought. When I am fretting a note but playing an open string (eg. Playing open A but fretting a note on E) it produces a strange click from the plucked note. Like wise fretted notes on e and a string click a little. I'm not too sure now whether it is hitting a fret or if it's something else. But when amplified these clicks become noisy and boomy.

Weird.

[Greggo]

http://db.tt/EJEeKQTg

Here is a sound clip. It's a bit quiet but conveys weird problem.

I've realised it affects all strings not just E and A like originally thought).

First part of clip is D string played open which is fine. Second is open D played again but this time I'm fretting another note on a string (but not playing that note if that makes sense) which produces weird clicking sound.

Bit annoying I didn't realise how large a problem until I've tested various things acoustically.

When playing other notes fretted this clicking seems to happen. Not to same extent but still audible. This is most extreme cases I've found.

[mcnach]

Not the clearest clip, but I hear the click you mention. Hard to tell what it it 'though.

Does it happen on the E string alone?

You say it only happens with fingers and not plectrum... is the pickup quite close to the strings?
I'm wondering if what we hear is your finger hitting the next string down after it plucks the target string. If you are plucking the A string and fretting on the E, if the pickup is too high, maybe as your finger plucks the A and rests on the E, that's enough to make the click.
I would not bet my life on it, as I cannot really hear it very cleanly, too much background noise, but I can't think what else you'd make differently, between plectrum and fingerstyle...

If this is the case, you would not get a click if you pluck the E string...

[mcnach]

You said you moved the pickup down but it made no difference...

If happens when you play over the pickup... so you could be just hearing your finger hitting the pickup casing after you pluck, but it would disappear -not merely reduce- as you pluck at another location. It would be present acoustically, 'though, just as you heard...
If the pickup is microphonic to some extent, you could amplify a lot of handling noise. Of course, the solution would be: don't hit the pickup.
But it does not fit with everything you've said either.

Hmmm.

If you pluck by the end of the neck... do you get the click?

If you pluck right by the bridge... do you get the click?

[Greggo]

Ah I think the clicking is a separate issue but related.

I'm thinking that the the booming might be due to the fact that E and A strings don't quite sit in saddle so they aren't ringing properly and it's causing an overtone that is more pronounced over pickup?

Also I can't quite identity what is making the clicking but thinking it might be saddle again.

So confusing!

Edited March 24, 2013 by Greggo

[Greggo]

Think this is definitely some setup issue - strings don't ring out clearly when playing finger style so it causes two issues - clicking on open D and G and a thudding, almost high tension boom on lower notes.

Edited March 24, 2013 by Greggo

[GregBass]

I would be more worried about why my strings don't sit in the bridge saddles. Have the saddles been swapped around? Maybe someone rearranged it for left-handed playing or something?

[Greggo]

No it was brand new, the strings sit on top of grooves and not fully in. All saddle grooves seem to be same size, but then it don't know if that's normal or not for this type of bridge.

[mcnach]

BUt you don't get that with a plectrum?

[Greggo]

Don't get with a plectrum no. I think of may have gotten closer to cause for both issues and it may lie with technique and set up alike. I think when I am plucking a note my finger is hitting the other string (although only lightly) below like what mcnach suggested. However what is happening is that I'm tapping the other string into the frets causing the click on higher strings and weird boom on lower strings! I tried on another bass and this isn't an issue when I lightly touch other strings.

Not too sure what I can do about this one, as string spacing on bass makes it hard not to touch strings when plucking?

It might be worth adding that there may be a bit too much relief in neck would neck bright straighter help?

Edited March 24, 2013 by Greggo

[mcnach]

I would take it to a good tech for set up. Do you know anyone in your area? You;ll be able to demo the issues and ity should not cost you much to get it playing nicely.

[Greggo]

There is a place near me that I believe does set ups, not sure how much they are but starting to think that may be worth doing. Cheers

[mcnach]

If they are any good, it will be well worth it.
The very first time I took my guitar in, I was not entirely sure. It played alright... there were a couple of minor issues, but nothing terrible. When I got it back it was like a new guitar, sooo much nicer.

[Greggo]

Must admit I've never has a real setup done and all my guitars/basses are mostly sub £500 so maybe were not always at the best from factory. Certainly this bass has some sharp frets that could do with being sorted but I'm guessing that comes under a separate job to a regular set up.

How much is a typical set up anyway?

[mcnach]

A standard set up will take care of sharp fret ends, fret levelling if necessary (it's often necessary if it's never done before), looking at the nut that it's cut well, and if not replace it, that sort of thing. Different places charge different amounts, but probably around £50-60 these days (I haven't had any work done by somebody else for a long time now). Well worth it even if it cost twice that (it doesn't).
Just make sure you take it to someone good. In many shops they just have a a guy who "knows guitars" and does a half hearted job. Not every shop is like that, but in my experience, many are. So ask around to find a decent one.