My bass keeps cutting out.

[Paul Rankin]

I stood on my lead and ripped the input out of my Epi T bird. Had a fella look at it and he replaced the input socket on it. When I'm playing from time to time it cuts out. I had this problem before I had it fixed and put it down to the amp/lead I was using at the time. When it does cut out if I turn the volume on amp up I can still hear it faintly. What do you think the problem could be? It's doing my head in. 

[la bam]

Not sure on that exact problem, but as an emergency stick some blu tak to the bass. That way when you lead starts playing up at least you can secure it to start with.

[jebroad]

I call dodgy contacts on the output jack. If you want, I can have a look at it. I’m inbetween derby and stoke. 

[tauzero]

Have you tried different leads?

[Paul Rankin]

1 hour ago, jebroad said:

I call dodgy contacts on the output jack. If you want, I can have a look at it. I’m inbetween derby and stoke. 

I'll take it to bits tomorrow and have a wee look. That's a bit out the way for me. I'm up o. The west coast of Scotland. Thank you anyway mate 😊

[Paul Rankin]

1 minute ago, tauzero said:

Have you tried different leads?

Yeah tried that. Which makes me think it's still a problem in the bass itself. Or it could be two dodgy leads. They are both new leads though. 

[jacko]

Had a similar problem years ago and it turned out to be a dry solder joint in my trace elliot.  As the amp warmed up the joint would expand (or something). Ended up taking it into a tech to get fixed. 

[tauzero]

Assuming you've also eliminated the amp, could be the contacts inside the jack socket, the solder joints to the socket, or the solder joints at the other end of the wires running to the socket. Or, come to think of it, internal breaks in those wires, if they weren't replaced when the socket was replaced. Consider replacing the socket and the short run of coax cable from the master tone control to the socket. And always loop your lead through your strap.

[Paul Rankin]

2 hours ago, jacko said:

Had a similar problem years ago and it turned out to be a dry solder joint in my trace elliot.  As the amp warmed up the joint would expand (or something). Ended up taking it into a tech to get fixed. 

I'm pretty sure it's the bass. I bought it second hand. It was a wee while before I could afford an amp as well. Somebody had given me a loan of a 10 watt guitar amp and I was cutting out then but I put it down to the amp.

[Paul Rankin]

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

Assuming you've also eliminated the amp, could be the contacts inside the jack socket, the solder joints to the socket, or the solder joints at the other end of the wires running to the socket. Or, come to think of it, internal breaks in those wires, if they weren't replaced when the socket was replaced. Consider replacing the socket and the short run of coax cable from the master tone control to the socket. And always loop your lead through your strap.

1 hour ago, tauzero said:

Assuming you've also eliminated the amp, could be the contacts inside the jack socket, the solder joints to the socket, or the solder joints at the other end of the wires running to the socket. Or, come to think of it, internal breaks in those wires, if they weren't replaced when the socket was replaced. Consider replacing the socket and the short run of coax cable from the master tone control to the socket. And always loop your lead through your strap.

I will definitely be putting lead through strap from now on. I guess it could anyone of your suggestions. I'll take things to bits and have a look for anything obvious. Other than that I guess it'll have to keep going back to get fixed 😭

[bazzbass]

If fixing the jack didn't eliminate it then it must be further inside, ie pot or pickup wiring perhaps.

Oh, and it helps when explaining to others to use the correct terminology.

Your bass has an OUTPUT jack, you amp has an INPUT jack

[MrDaveTheBass]

The first thing I'd try is to take the jack socket out of the bass and plug a cable into it. The solution may be as simple as bending the jack socket slightly so that it grips the end of the plug properly.

(I once let a player with an Epi T-bird play through my amp at an open mic. When he used my (Planet Waves) lead, there was no output, even though the lead was fine with my bass. He was only able to get a signal using his lead. The only reason that we could think of was that the input jack on the Thunderbird wasn't a standard length, and I've heard that Planet Waves jack plugs can be slightly longer than standard too.)

 

[Grangur]

When you're checking the wiring, look for any of these:

1. any pot terminals that are bent too close together.
2. Whiskers of wires floating about that might cause a short-circuit.
3. Shielded wires with cores - look for damage causing cables to cut out.
The pic here is one I was working on last night. The previous owner couldn't find the fault. It was caused by the centre core being cut and was lying down, so he couldn't see that it wasn't connected. Yours might be similar, but with the cable just about touching, so it works sometime, but not others.

4. Also look for terminals that are shorting when they touch screening in the body, if you have it fitted.

Edited April 13, 2018 by Grangur

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

My epiphone pro-v went totaly dead a couple of weeks ago after I tightened up one of the pots. I initialy wondered whether there was a problem with the active circuit but it turned out that the pot had rotated so one of the terminals was touching the shielding paint. Once it was straightened out it was fine, so check that nothing is shorting out.

Also when the socket was replaced was it replaced with a switchcraft one? I've found that the cheapo (eg from maplins) can lose their springiness after a while & often start to crackle & lose contact before too long.

[Paul Rankin]

14 hours ago, bazzbass said:

If fixing the jack didn't eliminate it then it must be further inside, ie pot or pickup wiring perhaps.

Oh, and it helps when explaining to others to use the correct terminology.

Your bass has an OUTPUT jack, you amp has an INPUT jack

[Paul Rankin]

Yes. I have just discovered that. Thank you though for your input. 😝😂😄

[BreadBin]

Bahdum-tish

[Paul Rankin]

10 hours ago, Grangur said:

When you're checking the wiring, look for any of these:

1. any pot terminals that are bent too close together.
2. Whiskers of wires floating about that might cause a short-circuit.
3. Shielded wires with cores - look for damage causing cables to cut out.
The pic here is one I was working on last night. The previous owner couldn't find the fault. It was caused by the centre core being cut and was lying down, so he couldn't see that it wasn't connected. Yours might be similar, but with the cable just about touching, so it works sometime, but not others.

4. Also look for terminals that are shorting when they touch screening in the body, if you have it fitted.

It's started working again. I'm going to have a good look at again tomorrow. I appreciate your help. 

[Paul Rankin]

2 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

My epiphone pro-v went totaly dead a couple of weeks ago after I tightened up one of the pots. I initialy wondered whether there was a problem with the active circuit but it turned out that the pot had rotated so one of the terminals was touching the shielding paint. Once it was straightened out it was fine, so check that nothing is shorting out.

Also when the socket was replaced was it replaced with a switchcraft one? I've found that the cheapo (eg from maplins) can lose their springiness after a while & often start to crackle & lose contact before too long.

Started working again. It's frustrating. Going to have a good look tomorrow and see if I can see anything that's making it short out. Thank for your help.

[bazzbass]

bummer, it's harder to isolate the fault when it only occurs now and then. Just had a thought, check the bridge ground wire is in good contact with the bridge, this is often overlooked. Even if you take it to a tech they may not find it, in which case a rewire would be in order. Or buy a new loaded control plate/ pickguard?

[Grangur]

Sorry, @bazzbass, but no earth to the bridge won't cause it to cut out.

We don't know how tidy this circuit wiring is, but a good, quick solution would be to buy a new harness from @KiOgon. That would almost certainly sort it.

Edited April 14, 2018 by Grangur

[bazzbass]

thanks Grangur , my knowledge is scratchy, thought it may be a cause

[Grangur]

A poor earth connection can result in a hum in the sound output.

What's wrong here will be poor wiring, a weak jack socket, or a dodgy pot. Otherwise it could be something else that's causing some connection in the circuit to short the signal to earth.