I have a Fender MIM jazz bass with noisless active electronics. The bass is awseome and plays like a dream. I bought it new from GC like 6 months ago. Anyway, when I play the bass through my amp it sounds great and is quiet, but when I record with it, it hums loud when I pull my hands off the strings or any metal part of the bass. I understand this because of the grounding of the electronics. It is bad enough I hear it in my recordings, especially when I hit an open note. It is not the cable as i tried several differant kinds last night. My set up is bass to mixer to audio interface to computer. One thing I can tell you guys is that my house is old and is only a two wire electrical service. Im wondering if this is part of the problem. I have heard that sitting right in front of the computer when recording can make a bass or guitar pick up noisy signals fronm the monitor. It is frustating though because it is really picking up on my tracks.
Noisless pickups in jazz bass humming during recording
- Thread starter patvh1
- Start date
Farview
Well-known member
This is where a DI bix is your friend. It lets you lift the ground, which will get rid of the ground hum. The monitor problem is something that just has to be worked around. The pickups are designed to pick up electro-magnetic waves, monitors, especially older crt's, throw off a bunch of electro-magnetic stuff. The only way around it is to get a newer flat screen or just move yourself farther away.
kip4
Well-known member
Are the mixer and interface running from the same outlet. Otherwise you may be experiencing an earth loop.
Bass to mixer to interface?
Why not bass to interface/ with a pad (-10db)
Seeing as it's an active bass the signal will be hot. Maybe too hot for the mixer or interface.
A DI would likely help. And a good one should also have a ground lift.
I hope this is helpful.
Rich
Bass to mixer to interface?
Why not bass to interface/ with a pad (-10db)
Seeing as it's an active bass the signal will be hot. Maybe too hot for the mixer or interface.
A DI would likely help. And a good one should also have a ground lift.
I hope this is helpful.
Rich
That was funny! Anyway, I'm an journeyman electrician so I can tell you I've done as much as I can by code which is to put GFCI at the outlet on the circuit and than 3 wire outlets after that, which is now protecting the circuit, but it still doesn't solve the ngrounding issue. I also have a furman power conditionerin my rack.
muttley600
Banned
There is a tell tell clue when you say "especially when I hit an open note". Normally domestic circuit problems would be there on all notes to some degree. I would suggest first off checking the grounding and shielding if any on the bass itself. Switch off everything that isn't essential and work through to try and identify EXACTLY when and where you get the problem. Sounds to me that you may have a grounding problem on the bass, possibly a loose or missing ground wire to the bridge. Just a guess, but I get a few of these issues cropping up every week.
Once you have checked out the bass itself it is time to move on to the domestic wiring and then the chain. Break the problem down and eliminate things one at a time. Checking the bass is the first step and the most common source of these problems in my experience.. YMMV.
Once you have checked out the bass itself it is time to move on to the domestic wiring and then the chain. Break the problem down and eliminate things one at a time. Checking the bass is the first step and the most common source of these problems in my experience.. YMMV.
This X 10000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000.
What Muttley said.
I bet it's the bass itself. You lost a ground in the bass. It's probably the one under the bridge. This same issue has happened to every P-Bass I've ever owned. It's always that damn bridge ground.
muttley600
Banned
You wouldn't believe the number of Fenders I see that have the drill hole for the ground to bridge but no wire installed. Totly sloppy on their part. A two minute job and a 10 second QA check. Inexcusable..
In the days before Circuit breakers on mains supply as standard potentially lethal too..
muttley600
Banned
Doesn't matter. I've seen grounding issues that are only detectable when they are highlighted because of monitors, lights, cycle hum etc... Poor grounding can often not really be detected by the ear until induction starts to bring it to the front. I'd start with the grounding and shielding. Rule it out then move on to the environment, then the chain. Elimination is the key with these problems.
