noisy bass

[genesisariana]

Not really a recording issue here, but my bass player at church just bought a beautiful new Fender Jazz bass. Our electrical system is a nightmare, no grounds and alot of stage lights on a dimmer mixer. He seems to get alot of horrible static noise standing on stage. He can kind of move around and it gets softer, but never goes entirely away. His old bass didnt do this. I was wondering it anyone any solutions other than changing the pickups in it to eliminate this.

 

[daav]

Could shield the body cavity, google seqrch should give you a few guides to doing this.

Not really a recording issue here, but my bass player at church just bought a beautiful new Fender Jazz bass. Our electrical system is a nightmare, no grounds and alot of stage lights on a dimmer mixer. He seems to get alot of horrible static noise standing on stage. He can kind of move around and it gets softer, but never goes entirely away. His old bass didnt do this. I was wondering it anyone any solutions other than changing the pickups in it to eliminate this.

 

[lpdeluxe]

Here's a link to a talkbass.com tutorial with photos on specifically shielding a Fender Jazz:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=159191

 

[RandyW]

LPDeluxe's suggestion would be mandatory on a MIM Jazz bass.
There was no shielding/conductive paint and poor soldering on the last MIM I tore apart.

 

[genesisariana]

I think he already shielded the cavity with copper tape and that didnt help.

 

[Roguetitan]

a couple of other possibilitys:
you can also shield the back of the PG
could be that the ground wire to the bridge has came loose.
If the bass has active pups try a fresh battery.
Also could be grounding line noise issues with where the equipment is plugged into.

 

[genesisariana]

a couple of other possibilitys:
you can also shield the back of the PG
could be that the ground wire to the bridge has came loose.
If the bass has active pups try a fresh battery.
Also could be grounding line noise issues with where the equipment is plugged into.

Yeah, the electricity is a huge factor. The building is old, and was once used as a cabinet shop. The voltage is 3 phase with a high leg of 277, and there is no nuetral. But everyone else who uses an unbalanced instrument does not have this problem. I will tell him to take it apart and check the ground on the bridge. Can you give me some hints or a link to an article on shielding the back?

 

[Fusioninspace]

I think instead of taking the bass apart and re-wiring it, you might consider taking the church apart and rewiring that instead!

I'm no electrician, but running 3 phase stuff is really a totally different animal than residential wiring. That might be a priority for your church - have a licensed electrician come in and evaluate what you have.

Sometimes fixes can be as easy as just using a different outlet that's on another circuit. It might be easy for an electrician make sure the wiring for the stage area is better suited for what you're trying to do.

There was a Baptist minister electrocuted a couple of years ago because of faulty wiring issues. He WAS standing in a baptismal with a mic at the time - not to joke though, somehow there was a problem with the grounding between the sound system and drain in the baptismal. Obviously, that's some serious stuff

As far the bass itself, the previous posters are probably right on track.

 

[Roguetitan]

Yeah, the electricity is a huge factor. The building is old, and was once used as a cabinet shop. The voltage is 3 phase with a high leg of 277, and there is no nuetral. But everyone else who uses an unbalanced instrument does not have this problem. I will tell him to take it apart and check the ground on the bridge. Can you give me some hints or a link to an article on shielding the back?

Pretty simple procedure. remove the pickguard remove the pots and pickups then get a piece of aluminum foil and cut to it fit the back of the pick guard but make it about 3/16"smaller around the peremiter then apply spray adhesive to the foil then apply the fiol to the back of the Pick guard then reinstall the components and replace on the guitar.

I think instead of taking the bass apart and re-wiring it, you might consider taking the church apart and rewiring that instead!

I'm no electrician, but running 3 phase stuff is really a totally different animal than residential wiring. That might be a priority for your church - have a licensed electrician come in and evaluate what you have.

Sometimes fixes can be as easy as just using a different outlet that's on another circuit. It might be easy for an electrician make sure the wiring for the stage area is better suited for what you're trying to do.

There was a Baptist minister electrocuted a couple of years ago because of faulty wiring issues. He WAS standing in a baptismal with a mic at the time - not to joke though, somehow there was a problem with the grounding between the sound system and drain in the baptismal. Obviously, that's some serious stuff

As far the bass itself, the previous posters are probably right on track.

LOL I think you may be on to something here...
however the 120 VAC is not 3 phase but if the 3 phase power is still live it can definately cause line interfearance. just have a certifyed electrician disconnect the 3 phase power to the building because it is more than likely not being used any way.

I remember when the minister was killed...
the reason the minister was electrocuted is because some Moron decided to clip off the ground lug to the power cord on the PA system because he had an old wall outlet that did not have a ground socket.

Morons+electricity=certain death... that is why I try not to mess with it as little as possible

 

[genesisariana]

Cant really disconnect the 3 phase, it runs the air conditioners. The 3 phase isnt the problem, its the high leg and no nuetral that throws the equation off. To rewire the church would cost around $1900 just in wire and pipe, and take about 3 days. Not an option at all, especially since we are just leasing the building.

 

[ggunn]

Has he tried running both pickups full on? I believe one pickup on a J bass is RWRP so in the middle position (both full on) he'd get a humbucking effect.

 

[Roguetitan]

Has he tried running both pickups full on? I believe one pickup on a J bass is RWRP so in the middle position (both full on) he'd get a humbucking effect.

even with reverse wound reverse polarity P-ups running the pups at full volume will not cancel out hum if it is electrical line interferance issues within the building.

what I would do is try a power source outside of the church to see if the problem still exists that way you will know whether it is electrical problems with the building or ground issues with the guitar. that would be the best process of elemination to start with IMO.