Bass Setup

[Kenny_K75]

Hi All,
Just took up bass two months ago. Starting with an encore bass. Bought a Fender Rumble 100.
I need to know what should the gain and volume be set at on the bass and what is the best neutral
setting for the amp. Compressor or not? general EQ settings etc. At present the E String has a habit
of clicking when played open. Didn't get that with the 10 watt practise amp? Any ideas ?

[M4L666]

Cut your nails? My advice on EQ is to set everything to neutral, then use your bass tone/EQ knobs, then do your amp EQ. It depends on the sound you want really.

[OutToPlayJazz]

Sounds as if your nails/fingertips are brushing the polepieces on the pickups. Common problem with Fenders/Fender clones.

[Kenny_K75]

Thanks for the feedback but it isnt nails as i bit my nails and have none.
Its only on the open e it happens and only with m new amp.
Do have some of the EQ settings up to high or what.

[Starvolt]

I used to get something similar when I first began playing.

I figured out that it was my fingers tapping on the pickup casing. I only got it on the E, as on the other strings my fingers hit the lower strings and not the pickup. When I did my work experience in a music shop they had a knackered old bass (and it was so bad, the tuners were masking taped together) that had a P-J set on it, but the J was a Humbucker, so I got that effect, but much worse, due to hitting the poles on the wider pickup.

I think the best advice is to try to pluck the stings from a bit lower down, as this would make it less likely that your fingers will hit the Pickups.

Hope this helps!


Of course, I may be entirely wrong!

[Adam.M]

I get this a fair bit too on basses, sometimes i just figure it's my pickup height being too close to the strings.

Though thinking now, i think what Starvolt is saying could be very true too, i'm going to take that into account when i next play.

[Guest joshua]

if u wanted, you could take it to the bass gallery, i think they set up basses

[51m0n]

Play lighter and turn your amp up....

[BOD2]

Could it be that you're plucking the open E a little too hard and it's rattling off the frets ?

It wouldn't happen with a fretted note on the E string because your left hand would probably dampen the vibration a little.

Have a close listen to the bass played on it's own, not through an amp. Do you hear any rattle at all ? If it is that then the solution is either to try and play just a little lighter, or raise the action on the E-string very slightly.

[Balcro]

[quote name='Kenny_K75' post='343331' date='Dec 2 2008, 06:23 PM']Hi All,
Just took up bass two months ago. Starting with an encore bass. Bought a Fender Rumble 100.
I need to know what should the gain and volume be set at on the bass and what is the best neutral
setting for the amp. Compressor or not? general EQ settings etc. At present the E String has a habit
of clicking when played open. Didn't get that with the 10 watt practise amp? Any ideas ?[/quote]

Hello fellow Encore player. Just so happens I asked a very similar question about gain & volume 4 or 5 months ago. A different amplifier, but I think the principle is the same.

Bass Volume control set to a maximum of about 70-75% of it's rotation. Beyond that it tends to "boooom" out a little.

Bass tone controls: turn them up or down as you wish.

Amplifier gain control: set to about 2/3 of the maximium rotation.

If you have the offset twin pick-ups, try screwing them down a little away from the strings. Just try half a turn all-round to start with, to see if it makes any difference to the clicking. I think you need about 3 - 4mm between the pick-up and the underside of the "E".
Balcro.