SC Standard Interference

[wolverinebass]

Hi peeps,

I hope someone can help me with this. I have a SC Standard which I have had from new in 2002. It has developed what one might call “interference.” I tend to play with what one might say is the Entwistle style sound. Crunchy, if you will.I've attached an audio file so that you can hear what I mean. There is no playing in it. This is just the amp idling with the bass plugged in. Settings wise, pickups are centred, neck is 2/3rds open with the q engaged and the bridge is half open with q switch off. It gets better as one lowers the filter cutoff or turn the q switch off, but doesnt go away.

Every time I try to attach the audio file I get some weird error so I've just put it on Google drive.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JwN1gRMN7sdo7yA6FzjorKSU-kopmicY/view?usp=drivesdk

Before anyone asks, I have tried different amps, cables, all to no avail. The ferrite bead is on.This has appeared to have happened gradually, but it's worth saying that I can use my series 1 in mono into the same settings with the same cables and not get that, so it's definitely the bass.Has anyone had something like this before?Some advice and/or help would be greatly appreciated as I can't use the bass the way it is.

Cheers,
Andy

[JimmyJ]

Yeah, that's a pretty nasty racket.  Make sure all the switches and pots are clean by exercising each of them about 25 times.  Does the noise change when you face another direction?  Meaning, is it RF interference that the pickups are hearing?  If so, you may be able to move around the room like a geiger counter and find the piece of equipment or appliance that's transmitting that noise...

Others here may have some better ideas.

Jimmy J

[wolverinebass]

Yeah, that's a pretty nasty racket.  Make sure all the switches and pots are clean by exercising each of them about 25 times.  Does the noise change when you face another direction?  Meaning, is it RF interference that the pickups are hearing?  If so, you may be able to move around the room like a geiger counter and find the piece of equipment or appliance that's transmitting that noise...

Others here may have some better ideas.

Jimmy J

Hi Jimmy,

I did the switches and pots thing beforehand. It didn't make any difference. Furthermore, it's worth saying I tried the bass as I walked around my studio (about 20 feet) with the lights both on and off and the difference was pretty minimal.

The last gig I did with it, I had to sweep the volume down between songs as it was really not great.

[hieronymous]

Sorry you're having this problem! It made me think of the way a Series bass sounds when the battery is dying - I managed to make a recording:

http://hieronymous.us/music/fizonly1.mp3

And here it is in context:

http://hieronymous.us/music/fizzle2.mp3

May not help at all, but it made me think - maybe your electronics aren't getting the full expected power? Hopefully others will chime in and hope you get it solved!

[wolverinebass]

Sorry you're having this problem! It made me think of the way a Series bass sounds when the battery is dying - I managed to make a recording:

http://hieronymous.us/music/fizonly1.mp3

And here it is in context:

http://hieronymous.us/music/fizzle2.mp3

May not help at all, but it made me think - maybe your electronics aren't getting the full expected power? Hopefully others will chime in and hope you get it solved!

Yeah, I've tried different batteries as the SC with a dying battery does sound like the clips you've posted. Like a bass going through an exceptionally cheap fuzz pedal.

Alas, changing the battery has no effect in this case.

As to whether it's not getting enough power, I'm afraid that I really wouldn't know as I'm not really an electronics person and would have no idea how to test that.

[edwardofhuncote]

Hey Andy, that is a weird one. Can you isolate it to one pickup or the other? Assuming your bass has Signature electronics, hard pan to one or the other and see if it makes any difference.


*Kind of a long-shot; but pop the backplate off and see if any of the pots or switches have worked loose, and may be making poor contact with the shielding. I've never heard quite the sounds you have, but I have heard some funky noise from this.

[wolverinebass]

Hey Andy, that is a weird one. Can you isolate it to one pickup or the other? Assuming your bass has Signature electronics, hard pan to one or the other and see if it makes any difference.

I've already done that. It makes no difference. It's only different per pickup with the q switch on on one pickup but not on the other. Even at that, the difference is maybe only about 10% maximum.

Yes, it is signature electronics. My apologies, I should have made that clearer.

[rv_bass]

Have you checked to see if all wire connections to circuit boards are tight? Kind of sounds like when things are not connected securely.

[wolverinebass]

Have you checked to see if all wire connections to circuit boards are tight? Kind of sounds like when things are not connected securely.

Yes, I've checked that. I had the back panel off to make sure that there was a ferrite bead, connections were secure and battery was still okay. Everything is connected as it should be.

Have a look.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KM9UH505AuUWfM4IHXJ_cSp8gNebZezd/view?usp=drivesdk

[mica]

I listened to this with my dad, and he's 95% certain that this will be solved with our replacement IC board swapped for the original IC on each filter. Email or gove me a call to coordinate.

[wolverinebass]

I listened to this with my dad, and he's 95% certain that this will be solved with our replacement IC board swapped for the original IC on each filter. Email or gove me a call to coordinate.

Many thanks Mica! I shall send you an email as being in London it'll probably be easier with the time difference.

Cheers,
Andy

[jazzyvee]

Excellent news Andy.

[wolverinebass]

I listened to this with my dad, and he's 95% certain that this will be solved with our replacement IC board swapped for the original IC on each filter. Email or gove me a call to coordinate.

Hi Mica,

I've sent an email to yourself and also to the "help" address. Let me know if you haven't got it.

Cheers,
Andy

[mica]

Yup, I did receive your email yesterday. Looks for an answer later tonight.