Author Topic: Problem with my Spyder - can anyone help? Mica? Val? (Read 223 times)

senmen · « **on:** April 23, 2004, 12:56:40 PM »

Hi All,
while rehearsing this evening I got a problem with my Spyder.
Suddenly I got some noise (kind of a slight distortion and scratching) into the sound. At first I thought it is the cable I used.
Then I got a high whistling sound into it and the normal signal nearly went completely away.
I tried with another cord but it was the same.
Then I looked at the control cavity if something was loose or so but nothing detectable.
I plugged in again and the same situation.
Then I tried the switches through and I noticed that it went away as I put back the q-switch for the bridge pickup. After this I tried numerous times again but it still works now.
Any idea?

Many thanks for your input.

Oliver (Spyderman)

ajdover · « **Reply #1 on:** April 23, 2004, 01:09:48 PM »

Oliver,

Check your battery first. If it's got the sound you're describing, and it went away when you turned off the Q-switch for the bridge pickup (in effect turning off the active electronics), it might be a battery problem. I'm not an expert, but I'd try that first if I were you.

Regards,

Alan

senmen · « **Reply #2 on:** April 23, 2004, 01:24:02 PM »

Alan,
I did this at first and with the new battery it was even stronger than with the old one.
Many thanks for your suggestion....

Oliver (Spyderman)

811952 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 23, 2004, 01:25:27 PM »

I would think it's either dirt in the switch or in the filter pot. You likely cleared both by switching and turning. You've pretty much got to have everything all the way up for the JE sound, so you probably never move the Q or filter once you've got it set, right?
John

senmen · « **Reply #4 on:** April 23, 2004, 01:34:41 PM »

John,
yes you are right. Very seldom.....

Oliver (Spyderman)

mica · « **Reply #5 on:** April 23, 2004, 04:45:54 PM »

Hi Oliver,

I'm actually not at the office today, but I can't stay away from the Club for long.

The pots are sealed, so any dirt inside will be from their own deterioration, which considering the age of you bass seems unlikely. They are also self-cleaning. Rotate the pot back and forth 10-20 times to see if the problem clears. It's also possible that the filter pot is defective.

If you get a chance over the weekend, send a picture of the electronics cavity to help@alembic.com and I'll see if there is anything I can see.

About the only part that I can imagine contributing to a sound like this may be the TLE2022 IC on each filter board. You could swap the ICs (make sure you line up pin #1 correctly) and see if the problem switches to the neck pickup.

dela217 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 23, 2004, 05:27:48 PM »

Oliver - I had a problem that was just like what you are describing. It seemed that my bass was making the scratching and distortion noise only when I used the batteries. The bass I am talking about has 20th Anniversary electronics installed, but with a 5-pin power supply jack. The problem came and went, but it only did it when I was using the batteries. I opened up the battery compartment. When I pressed on the batteries when the bass was plugged in, I could recreate the noise it was making. It turned out to be that one of the batteries was not seating well on it's connector. It was kind of loose. I pushed it firmly into it's connector and the problem went away. I hope the problem you are having is as simple as that one.
Michael

senmen · « **Reply #7 on:** April 24, 2004, 04:05:37 AM »

Mica, guys,
many thanks for your help.
Until now the problem hasn?t occcured again after
rotating and switching and doing the battery thing. Maybe it was such a small thing.....
Mica, I don?t have a digital cam here. So I can only make a shot on Monday when I bring my office cam home. So I could send it not before Tuesday. Is this ok for you?

Many thanks for your help.
Oliver

kmh364 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2004, 04:57:47 AM »

Oliver,

Michael gave you some good advice. Make sure both 9V battery female terminals (i.e., on both the connector pigtail and the battery itself) are tight. You may have to pursuade them slightly by compressing with a small pair of pliers...be gentle or you'll break them. Make sure also that the terminals are clean (i.e., no oxidation)...use a small pencil eraser from a drafting pencil or some plastic-safe contact cleaner and a cotton swab. I've also used a little TWEEK contact enhancer on the terminals on the batteries in my Jackson guitars for years (since the late '80's), although you have to be careful using that stuff on any connector that sees relatively high current or voltage (it was designed for small signal connectors, not power plugs or tube socket pins, for example). A little TWEEK on all of Ron's modular connectors wouldn't hurt either...it helps to keep the connections fresh and free from oxidation. Just my two cents. Good Luck.

Kevin