how can i minimize bass pickup noise

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crosstudio

crosstudio

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i like the tone of this conklin groove tools 5-string, but it seems to have more pickup noise than the ibanez 300dx i had before.

how can i reduce the noise? is there some insulation of the wiring that i need to do?
 
What exactly to you mean by 'more pick up noise'. Your getting humming, buzzing ..?
 
more humming

but it wasn't coming from the bass after all. it was coming from the brand new super cool 15' shielded cables that i bought from my local music shop.

i went back to using the 10' i was using before, and the noise went down several db.

i can be such a putz sometimes. the cables my pops made for me a couple of years back still work better than anything else i've got.
 
Crosstudio,

I read an article I believe was in Bass Player Magazine about making a semi balanced 1/4" instrument cable for guitar and bass direct recording. I will try to find it and post the plans if you are intersted.

It uses a stereo plug on one end to route the third channel that a balanced line uses but doesnt send the third channel into the mix. The basic result is a cord that subtracts 60 cycle hum from the signal BUT It can only be used Unidirectionally. If you want me look for the plans let me know.

Scooter B
 
If it's still there:

If the hum in your bass is still there here are a few suggestions:

Check that all metal parts of your bass are grounded properly, a trick for young players is buying a bass where the bridge has not been grounded properly. It's a simple repair and if you'd like some more info then answer this post.

From the fact that you owned an Ibanez DX series your hum was probably mixed with hiss. The active pre-amps in some Ibanez basses are extremely noisy, this too can be remedied by buying a better quality op-amp IC which takes about 5 seconds to replace.
Just make sure you get an IC which performs the same function as the standard chip.

Insulating the inside of your control cavity is also a damn good idea. There's two viable options; one is to use foil and the other is to use a special graphite based paint which I think Stew Mac sells.

Bad leads are a big problem as you know! If you want a good lead I'd suggest Peavey solderless FMJ cable. Not only do they last longer than your jack will, but they don't wear out your jack as fast as other brands. That's because there are actually 2 types of 1/4" jack, one is actually bigger than the other. An example of this is a brand called Proel - AVOID IF YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR JACKS!
 
To Kermit:

Which diagrams in particular or was that post not intended for me? If you want any Ibanez wiring diagrams you can get them off the Ibanez 1999 website, I'm sure there's still a link to this from their current site.
 
scooter b, send me the diagram

Hey Scooter B, send me the diagram if you can find it.

my pops and i are going to re-wire my steinberger guitar (the pots and such are starting to crackle and the emg select pickups near the bridge is hissing), so we might as well make some cables to.

ps... anyone use california cables? you know the cables that are coiled so that they stretch.
 
scooter b, send me the diagram

Hey Scooter B, send me the diagram if you can find it.

my pops and i are going to re-wire my steinberger guitar (the pots and such are starting to crackle and the emg select pickups near the bridge is hissing), so we might as well make some cables to.

ps... anyone use california cables? you know the cables that are coiled so that they stretch.
 
Hey Crossstudio, Kermit etc,

I went through my entire collection of Bassplayers and my home recording reference books and I can't find the exact article I was refering to. I did find several related ones I will scan and condense into one easy download in a format that hopefully will not ruffle any Copyright feathers. It may take a day or two with the constant interuptions of two kids and a wife but I will post it.

Scott
 
O.K Guys,

RE: The cable schematics. I scanned three seperate items but I can not figure out how to merge them into one document. I have not any any formal PC training and it is lots of trial, error and the ocasional success. So here is the deal.

There are two cable schematic attatchments; the first one has three schematics one of wich covers converting an unbalanced instrument cable (1/4") to an XLR balanced jack. This can also be converted to a TRS with the Tip = Hot, Ring = neutral, and Sleeve = ground. On the XLR as seen in the diagram MOST equipment should be wired as Pin 1 = ground, Pin 2 = Hot and Pin 3 = ground HOWEVER some equipment has been manufactured with Pin 3 = Hot and Pin 2 = Neutral.

There is also a text document on how to wire an unbalanced cable to a balanced cable stating pin three on the XLR can usually be left floating but in some equipment, grounding pin 3 will sound better. So I suppose you would have to make a one of each to see wich way works best for you.

The other schematic attatchment is a diagram to make an XLR patch cable a "ground lift" cable for equipment that may not have a ground lift or you can take an existing XLR cable and snip the ground.

None of these are the original article I remember reading about the "unidirectional semi-balanced" I'm afraid; but I will keep looking for it.

Scott
 

Attachments

  • cable txt.webp
    cable txt.webp
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Part 2,

The file appears to be too big for the schematics let me try to compress them. I have screaming babies, kids and the wife demanding my attention so I will work on it tomorrow.

The scanned image files are 1.19 KB in jpeg if you know how to make this work let me know or I will e-mail them direct.
 
Cables Part 3,

I rescanned the diagrams at a smaller file size with lower image quality and they are small enough to post but are not legible.

So here is the explanation of making an unbalanced 1/4" instrument cable to a balanced XLR connection:

XLR three wire key Pin 1 = ground, Pin 2 = Hot, Pin 3 = shield. Strip the end of the XLR you want to add the 1/4" plug.

Solder Tip to Hot wire/Pin 2.

Solder Sleeve to Pins 1 and 3.

This simply lets you plug your unbalanced guitar/bass into a balanced XLR input.

The article I originally remember reading left either the ground (I believe it was) or netrual unconnected at the Tip/Sleeve end of the cable and had a TRS jack at the other.

I believe the TRS end went to the intrument and the TS end went in the normal 1/4" input of a recording deck or preamp. This basically gave you a cable with a built in ground lift that prevented or greatly reduced 60 cycle hum. Someone out there who really knows there stuff (unlike myself at the moment) can probably verify or dispute this with the correct explanation.

Anyone out there want to bail me out on this one since I can not find the article :(
 
hello crosstudio,

check out Note 110 at:

http://www.rane.com/library.html

there's a lot there for reference.

unfortunately the method described above is a psuedo balanced design and will not give good common mode rejection for single ended connections. :)

regards,
-kp-
 
thanks to you both for the help, we're going to do the fixin' and cable makin' next week while my wife is away on business.

one of the great things about being married to a consultant is that i get the house to myself from time to time.
 
Cross Studio,

I am still hoping to redeem myself because I felt like I let you down on the balanced cable thing.

Just found a link at Musicplayer.com with a project from EQ Magazine to biuld a balaced line driver. It's a little more invloved than a single cable mod but you might want to check it out.

www.musicplayer.com/CDA/Player/main/1,2228,lessons-5000663,00.html

Also how do I get my wife into consulting? Man I would LOVE to have the house to myself for a week!

Scott
 
oh that's easy. when she decides that she doesn't want to play college basketball anymore, you pay her way through college. then when she graduates you tell her that the furniture and new car money went towards her tuition and a lavish wedding. since she's very much into having company over for dinner she'll get a consulting job to pay for all the stuff she wants...

but here's the catch. you've got to promise her that once she pops out a little crumb snatcher, she won't have to work anymore, then try not to have sex with her when she's ovulating. at least not for another 1-2 years.
 
That Sounds easy enough Crossstudio,

but I already have the two kids, no sex and she quit working to stay home with the kids because after two child care bills (and the sick days that came with them) her job netted about
$100 at the end of the month.

Is there a plan B?

This is getting way off the subject but as The Good Book says "laughter is good medicine for the soul".

Scott

P. S. the direct link above in my previous post for the balaced line driver did not work for me but took me to the web page. To get to the article on "Building a Balanced Line Driver" go under Recording heading then click Lessons and then enter Search term "balanced". :D
 
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ok, thanks. i'll take a look at it tonight.

that child care thing is the reason why she may as well stay home once we start having puppies.
 
Hey Crosstudio,

I was just wondering if you tried out the "balanced linedriver" project at musicplayer.com or did the "ground lift thing" we were discussing and what the results were?

Let me know
 
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