Author Topic: (x) Epic Noise (Read 826 times)

rockbassist · « **on:** September 17, 2005, 08:14:18 PM »

I have 2 1997 Epics. Both of them have seem to have a characteristic that I have never experienced with other basses. I do not know if they are unique to Alembic. The first is that if I play a note softly, I hear a hissing sound. It goes away if I mute the string. In fact, it goes away as soon as I touch a string. It is not a grounding problem as it happens no matter where I play. The other problem is that if I hit a note, the sound seems to get progressively louder. Almost like the electronics are compressing the signal. In a span of about 1 1/2 to 2 seconds the volume gets louder and levels off. Has anyone else experienced this? I love the tone and feel of my Epics but if I cannot solve these problems I may be forced to try something else. I play everything from small clubs to outdoor arenas and needless to say these issues have caused problems for me and the sound engineers.

811952 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 17, 2005, 11:22:40 PM »

Have you tried new batteries? Surely you have, but in case you haven't, then try some and see if it helps.
John

David Houck · « **Reply #2 on:** September 18, 2005, 06:45:49 AM »

John's suggestion is the first one I thought of as well. I would also try a different cable and a different rig.

rockbassist · « **Reply #3 on:** September 18, 2005, 07:06:16 AM »

At first I thought it was a problem with the batteries or my wireless. I have tried different batteries, different amps, different cables,etc. I get the noise with both basses no matter where I play or what I use for amps.

mattheus · « **Reply #4 on:** September 18, 2005, 09:41:15 AM »

I've had a same sort of problem playing through wireless sysems. Somehow the shielding of the electronics weren't good enough to protect the electronics of the bass against the signals from the transmitter.
There are a few otions: try to put the transmitter as far away as possible from the electronics of the bass. Or try to use a ferrit-tube inside your bass.
Simple solutions are playing the bass with a wire (sounds better!) Or playing the bass without wire (for optimum movement onstage) and without a wireless system (so you don't have any hiss at all) and claim to the world that you are the world's first bassplayer who plays wireless AND soundless....

rockbassist · « **Reply #5 on:** September 18, 2005, 12:06:55 PM »

Thanks Mattheus, I have tried using several different cables and I still get the noise. I have changed batteries in both basses as well as my wireless. I even played through a friends amp. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, I still get the noise. Both of my Epics do this.

David Houck · « **Reply #6 on:** September 18, 2005, 12:24:26 PM »

Did you check to see if the ferrite beads were missing?

rockbassist · « **Reply #7 on:** September 18, 2005, 01:12:38 PM »

What is a ferrite bead?

lbpesq · « **Reply #8 on:** September 18, 2005, 01:38:18 PM »

A ferrite bead looks like a single piece of rigatoni or penne pasta, but made out of gray metal. Some of the wires pass through it and it helps to insulate the system from interference. You find a ferrite bead in the electronics cavity.

Bill, tgo

mattheus · « **Reply #9 on:** September 18, 2005, 02:41:21 PM »

A little more help on the ferrite bead:
It looks like a ring just like lbpesq said. The wires from your pickups run through it twice. It did wonders on my Spoiler!

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** September 18, 2005, 02:56:51 PM »

And here is the FAQ entry.

rockbassist · « **Reply #11 on:** September 18, 2005, 03:08:24 PM »

Thanks for your help. I checked the electronics cavity and both basses have a ferrite bead. I can't figure out why I am getting this noise from both basses. I have had basses with active electronics before and have not experienced this. Does anybody have any other thoughts? Thanks again

adriaan · « **Reply #12 on:** September 18, 2005, 03:24:39 PM »

You say you changed the cables but was that without the wireless? Do you still have the hiss if you plug in using a decent quality cable?

And what kind of wireless do you use? As others have pointed out: if you use another bass with the same setup, same problem? If you use the same bass with a different rig, same problem?

rockbassist · « **Reply #13 on:** September 18, 2005, 05:46:33 PM »

I have a feeling that it something unique to Alembic since I never had this problem before. I have 2 Epics which were purchased at different times and from different sellers. Both basses make the noise that I described. I have a Sennheiser wireless and noise has never been a problem. I recently got rid of a Musicman Stingray 5 string with active electronics and did not have this problem. I have tried a friend's Pedulla and Modulus and there wasn't any noise. I have tried high quality cables from the wireless to the head and also plugging directly from the bass to the head. I have tried different bass amps and have played at different locations. It doesn't seem to matter what I do, the noise follows me everywhere. Is there some type of sensitivity adjustment in the electronics cavity that may be causing this?

adriaan · « **Reply #14 on:** September 19, 2005, 01:11:23 AM »

Do you have the treble boost on the bass wide open? That position is known to produce a hiss - though more a constant hiss, even when no note is played.

Assuming the Sennheiser is multi-channel, you might try another channel, see if it's frequency-related.

But you could also be overdriving the Sennheiser: does the hiss disappear when you turn down the volume on the bass? In that case, you could set the trim pot in the control cavity a bit lower, or decrease the sensitivity on the Sennheiser.

The ancient art of trouble-shooting also tells me there may have been something outside of your rig that changed at the same time as you started using the Epics, like something with the lights. That's why I was wondering if you had AB'ed the Epics and a completely different bass in the exact same setting. You say you compared with a Pedulla and a Modulus, but was that really an AB test?

Other than that, the ferrite bead should solve the problem in most cases - but AFAIK Epics have always had the bead installed, so it would be strange if the beads were missing.