Author Topic: Buzzing, semi-distored sound (Read 661 times)

yonah · « **on:** March 18, 2006, 10:43:41 AM »

I just plugged in my Skylark for the first time in a few weeks (was on vacation) and I now get a buzzing semi-distored sound when playing with the picups at full volume. I tried to go directly through my mixing board to see if it was my amp, and got the same thing. I checked the picup battery, it was fine, but changed it anyway, and the same thing. Hmm, any suggestions? If I turn down the pickup volume I do not get it as bad, but it is still barely there.... Also, I plugged in another guitar to make sure that the chord or something else was not the problem and did not get the distorted sound.

(Message edited by yonah on March 18, 2006)

jazzyvee · « **Reply #1 on:** March 19, 2006, 07:54:25 AM »

Well, as far as I know most if not all alembics have an internal gain pot inside.

I found my orion guitar was overloading my effects pedal and opened the back and found this trim pot ( blue and white colour) and adjusted that down and that reduced the output without affecting quality.

Now its fine.
I suggest open the back and look for the little blue & white pot and try adjusting that. there are a few threads about this if you do a search..

Jazzyvee

tom_z · « **Reply #2 on:** March 19, 2006, 08:50:11 AM »

Steve - it sounds like this condition occurred out of the blue. In other words before your vacation it sounded normal, after a few weeks it sounds abnormal. So, while Jazzy's suggestion of adjusting the trim pots is excellent and may help in your situation, it sounds like this may not be the origin of your problem.

When I had a similar situation with my Skylark changing the battery was the answer. Since you've already done that - the only suggestion I can make from personal experience is that you may have some interference from something wireless. My cell phone can cause interference from time to time.

Otherwise have you checked that everything in the control cavity is normal.

Here is a link to my Skylark cavity.

Good luck - Tom

richbass939 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 19, 2006, 11:16:46 AM »

Steve, it's interesting that the buzzing just happened to you. Yesterday I was playing my Epic 5 and it had a really distorted sound. It is the first time that has happened. I thought maybe it was the battery, not quite dead but getting there fast. I took out the battery and it still had a bit of juice. I put the same battery back in and everything sounds normal. I don't know what was happening but it's okay now.
By the way, welcome to the club.
Rich

keith_h · « **Reply #4 on:** March 20, 2006, 06:39:06 AM »

When I've run into distortion I have usually found it is one of the 1/4 connectors on my amp that has corroded slightly. It usually occurrs if I have left the chord plugged in for a few days. Plugging and unplugging the chord a few times cleans the contacts and clears up the problem.

Keith

george_wright · « **Reply #5 on:** March 20, 2006, 08:00:41 AM »

quote:It usually occurrs if I have left the chord plugged in for a few days. Yet another reason not to leave your cable plugged in: the battery drains while the plug is in.

olieoliver · « **Reply #6 on:** March 20, 2006, 08:08:25 AM »

I unplug my cable every time I set my bass down. Even between sets I unplug it from the amp and bass. I used to just unplug it from the bass and not the amp until one night our drummer tripped on my guitar cable, it was disconnected from the bass but not the amp. This bent the tab in the amp on the jack and we had to pull jack out straighten the tab and put it back it back in. All while the crowd and club owner are getting unruley.

David Houck · « **Reply #7 on:** March 20, 2006, 08:30:50 PM »

In addition to everything said above, try a different cable too. Although you said you switched guitars to confirm it wasn't the cable, most other guitars probably don't have the same output characteristics that the Alembic has. So, switching guitars might not necessarily clear the cable; unless you switched to another Alembic.

David Houck · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2006, 08:31:55 PM »

Oh; and welcome to the board!

keith_h · « **Reply #9 on:** March 21, 2006, 04:11:36 AM »

George & Ollie,
When I said I left the chord plugged in for a couple of days it was not the bass. As I said in the first sentence it is the amp's connector that oxidizes. My instruments are never left plugged in.

Keith

george_wright · « **Reply #10 on:** March 21, 2006, 05:43:15 AM »

Keith, that you meant leaving the cable plugged into the amp rather than the instrument never occurred to me! Maybe that's because I always leave the cable plugged into the amp. Certainly wouldn't be a big deal for me to unplug both ends....

daveo · « **Reply #11 on:** March 22, 2006, 02:54:50 AM »

I find that depending on the amp I'm using, whether it is a hot boogie or a mellower solid state, when the output is hot, I find that I have to roll the individual pickup eq pots to about 55% or I get a trebly distorted signal on my Tribute. And welcome to the club. I've found everyone here to be very helpful and I think and hope you'll receive the same kind of excellent advice people here have given me.