Author Topic: history of radio fequency and noise problems (Read 340 times)

boulderopal · « **on:** November 29, 2004, 01:13:36 PM »

I am wondering what to check first .. I just wasted over a hundred bucks sending my further back for picking up radio frequencies and a sporadic buzz I could only describe as frankenstinian.. when I told a firend in a very prominant dead band he just went oh yeah those old alembics Are notorious for noise problems... to which i replied .. This isn't An old one..
I don't live under transmission lines. bla bla bla. What I'm wondering is why noone at alembic has printed and released W/ their instruments a pamphlet on how to Avoid getting radio frequencies and strange noises That are have been and may always be inherent in active electronics.. my answer To Myself will be that There is no Way to completely eliminate the possibible occurance of said noises hence the Reply I got .. we Don't hear no noises
Is it a cheap uninsulated TRS cable i got from Alembic? dunno .. I'm using george-L's going into a ernie ball vol to amp TRS is going into a fulltone deluxe wah >boss OD-1 > MXR Phase 100> mutron III w/ transformer

> return..
I suspect The TRS Cable or The Tranny for mutron .. these effects are plugged into a furman pedal board which i thought might provide a little power Conditioning.... See If I'd known it's likely something else and not my further or my further 's Actives sending a RF to an Effect or bla bla bla i might have saved the hundred bucks figured out The problem and bought a stratoblaster for my schecter instead... now i'm bummed dissapointed and frustrated! and lookin at spendin yet more bucks on getting thru this problem ... Boogie tells people of The idiosyncracies of their instruments .. I think it'd be a good idea for Alembic to.. In w/ the nonexistant user manual.. troubleshooting.. hey before you go sending it off to the factory or even Calling! check the tubes first.. ya know ..
or in Alembics case check that there are a.) adequate grounds in The facility you are using,B.) shielded high quality cable throughout. C.) some effects We have had the experience of noise problems W/ are .... the last thing I want to do is bother you people.. peas and happy holidays,Chris

(Message edited by boulderopal on November 29, 2004)

smichaels · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2004, 01:28:19 PM »

so...I take it that you get interference when you take your effects rig out of the picture and plug straight into the amp (no loop)?

do you have any ungrounded lighting anywhere close by?

boulderopal · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2004, 02:12:54 PM »

hmm it's been so long pretty sure It went away when loop off .. So I'm going to start W/ replacing the TRS Chord(one i have is rca tape deck qual) And one by one isolation of Effects ..
but yes there is A lamp w/ no ground near not florescent.. Thanks! now if i can just get a friend to help me make a nice TRS w/ neutriks and belden ...

hydrargyrum · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2004, 02:20:28 PM »

Some effects are notoriously bad at picking up radio frequencies. Try the suggestion in the above link, and if it solves the problem, try pulling individual effects from the loop to find the culprit.
I would hardly sell a further becuase it didn't agree with an effect that costs a couple hundred dollars though (especially in favor of a shecter). And as for radio frequencies being inherent with active electronics, that is really a subjective statement based on the electronics being examined. My previous Orion and current Skylark have never displayed any radio noise at all (except with effects that I know cause this problem with every guitar I've played them with). I've never read a post before this one which mentioned anything about other Further users having trouble either. Anyway, Alembic certainly can't be responsible for predicting how their instruments will react with every effect under the sun, and I would wager to say that the vast majority of them work just fine.

boulderopal · « **Reply #4 on:** November 29, 2004, 02:49:02 PM »

hmm no others hugh? the RF's and noises are not present w/ my old modded Aria proII goin directly thru these effects in chain . it's got to do w/ the actives interacting w/ crappy chord or these effects.. and Something in Them pickin up somethin from the Actives.. on the other hand they could use true bypass(but that's the effect loop) And maybe a new transistor or diode here or there ... No I don't want to sell my further because it 's causing the problem. I'm tired of futzing W/ my stuff! I need a good tech to go thru it all. hmm That should cost what I paid for my further ! lol Electronics are NOT my forte and wish i could afford one! I just dumped over 4oo bucks in my boogie to not a lot of result... I do think the electronics should be contained enought to not cause this problem W/ any effects... Is that asking too much?Thanks for your reply and I hope your right!...oh and the Schecter is a very old one, likely made by Tom Anderson w/ A solid rosewood neck and Koa body :-) Tanks Chris

son_of_magni · « **Reply #5 on:** November 29, 2004, 03:18:18 PM »

Chris, have you tried backing off the volume on the Alembic. The high level output my be freaking out your effects chain.
Just a thought...
- SoM

boulderopal · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2004, 03:52:08 PM »

good thought , no reason to have it up all the way,don't think i did ,.. can afford that adjustment,Thanks!

(Message edited by boulderopal on November 29, 2004)

dela217 · « **Reply #7 on:** November 29, 2004, 04:04:10 PM »

'when I told a firend in a very prominant dead band he just went oh yeah those old alembics Are notorious for noise problems... to which i replied .. This isn't An old one..'

I can't imagine a problem like this on a new instrument. The electronics are dead quiet. I would go check all other problems first before blaming the instrument. It seems like a grounding problem somewhere else to me too.

By the way, I have an Alembic from 1972 and it too is dead quiet! Not all old Alembics are noisy.

boulderopal · « **Reply #8 on:** November 29, 2004, 05:25:13 PM »

Well If it were doing it w/ any other guitar I wouldn't have thought it'd be further either. Really! it seemed to start after I got the guts back W/ a new input jack as the original was inferior. I thought maybe there was a glitch in the solder on the board .. and I hope that got checked .. I love the guitar, tones and gen feel.. And felt genuinely lucky when I found it for the considerably lower price than current models with custom inlay and better quilt... I was glad it wasn't super flashy AAAAA quilt but was psyched for the quality craftmanship, transmit 24 fret neck/feel/resonance and the renound Electronic Genius inherent in all this companies instruments.. I sold my garcia Wetlands II to pay for It! noone i think would deny that over recent years though, the market has been flooded w/ cheaper lower quality electronic components and unless you are in the factory where it's made you Really don't know what your getting unless you dissect every bit you use.. my furman pedal board was made in Taiwan I think ..so i don't go thru that... You know, so guano happens .and it's an imperfect world .. what else is new .. So I'll find out eventually and share whatever it is for others .. ground was an issue I brought to attention, even that I may have missed a washer on the inside when replacing the guts.. Thanks, it's on the list!
wow a 72!? got a pic? Love to see it!! Chris

(Message edited by boulderopal on November 29, 2004)

keavin · « **Reply #9 on:** November 30, 2004, 05:38:59 AM »

you never seen the old 1972 basses? ,go to series I guitars & basses (showcase),and look around theres several oldies there.

boulderopal · « **Reply #10 on:** November 30, 2004, 11:28:14 AM »

oh I I've played a series I , but It looked like a newer one .. I saw 72 and thought prototype.. I don't know all the history as I'm not really a bass player yet ... though I've wanted a little to get one for years .. and may still.... They're all different and always like to see the woods used .. like The purple heart on Val's batbass(neck) is the purplest I've ever seen .. kinda wonder if it really looks that purple in person ...thanks

mrfunkwool · « **Reply #11 on:** December 01, 2004, 09:49:04 AM »

I just found out last night, from Dino (another member) that you can adjust the pickup sensitivity inside the cavity of the bass.
They are blue boxes( 1 box foreach pickup).
Each blue box has a white dial where you can increase/decrease the amount of pickup... maybe your pickups are set to super sensitive...

boulderopal · « **Reply #12 on:** December 01, 2004, 12:42:31 PM »

Oh I found those little trim pots all right ..:-) they're on the Qtrols though. I haven't seen the backside of a pickup. I thought (Assumed) they were frequency trims.. as turning all the way to right seems to get it considerably brighter almost to a Piezo tone on my further (guitar) but yeah I don't think i have'm up All The way as it gets chase rats to water bright :-) I would be curious to fid out if they are in fact sensitivity pots though! (another item for that user guide):-) IMHO ... Thanks

bsee · « **Reply #13 on:** December 01, 2004, 01:22:53 PM »

The pots you found were probably attached to the toggle switches. Your pickups each have a three way-toggle, set for off/on/brite and those pots control how brite brite is. There may be another one in there that ties in to the full-range preamp gain, I don't know the Further guts. It would probably be located with the volume pot.

If you're using the effects loop built into the guitar, this would be important for you. My recollection is that the full signal is pushed through the effects chain and that the cuts applied through the guitar controls are after the return in the chain.

I suspect that your other guitars don't have an effects loop built into them. If you plug the Further in as if it were an 'ordinary' guitar, does it behave like the others?

Also, if you're using a crappy TRS cable, that would be a bad idea. You have to go for something high-quality and properly shielded.

boulderopal · « **Reply #14 on:** December 10, 2004, 08:48:29 AM »

Well, I got Furthur back , hooked it up To same amp ,same effects , same chords Thru Same wall outlet and no more RF's or sporadic bbbzzzt'ing so whatever it was was taken care of at Factory . there' was A wire Mica said they reconnected..wether it was loose or poorly connected I Don't know.. but so far sooo good! Thanks for all the advice and i Will go Thru and upgrade wherever poss.Happy Pickin! chris