Bass Guitar Electonics Question

[messenger]

My bass player has a Musicman SUB Bass (USA) with a passive electronics. It keeps clipping his amps input. He's tried numerous amps. He has to keep his volume on the bass rolled back to keep it from clipping. He's tried it in the active inputs and it still clips. I've pulled the control plate and everything visually looks fine. Any suggestions?

 

[moltenmetalburn]

the amp? passive electronics distortion even a padded down input? sounds hinky.

 

[messenger]

He's used a Peavey Max15 (I think). Now a Carvin B1500. Had a small Ampeg. It's done it on all of them. I'm out of ideas. No clue how his passive pickups (and no internal preamp) is clipping even when using the active input.

 

[moltenmetalburn]

He's used a Peavey Max15 (I think). Now a Carvin B1500. Had a small Ampeg. It's done it on all of them. I'm out of ideas. No clue how his passive pickups (and no internal preamp) is clipping even when using the active input.

done on all of them ok rules out the amp.

have you actually seen the inside of the bass or only been told whats in it? is the bass plugged directly into the amp?
maybe the pickups really are too hot...

 

[messenger]

Ya I've seen inside. Three pots and a jack. No circuit board or anything like that. Bass straight into amp.

 

[Valtyr]

Can he lower the pickup?

also...

When he plays, are the strings colliding with the pickup? Some players push the strings at a downward angle, if the pickup is too close you can get a lot of unwanted noise.

 

[blackba]

Are you sure the bass isn't active? http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-b ... stion.html

From what I can tell from a google serach the USA sub basses are active. Might ask on talkbass forums and post some pictures.

 

[messenger]

Are you sure the bass isn't active? http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-b ... stion.html

From what I can tell from a google serach the USA sub basses are active. Might ask on talkbass forums and post some pictures.

Some of the early ones were passive, but from looking around doesn't seem like that many were. And unless it's possible to be active without a battery and have no circuit board it's passive

 

[messenger]

Can he lower the pickup?

also...

When he plays, are the strings colliding with the pickup? Some players push the strings at a downward angle, if the pickup is too close you can get a lot of unwanted noise.

That is a possibility. I actually had him lower it one time but it was still doing it. His rig is at my place. Maybe I'll crank it all the way down and see if it helps. Because it only clips when he really plays it hard.

 

[blackba]

Are you sure the bass isn't active? http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-b ... stion.html

From what I can tell from a google serach the USA sub basses are active. Might ask on talkbass forums and post some pictures.

Some of the early ones were passive, but from looking around doesn't seem like that many were. And unless it's possible to be active without a battery and have no circuit board it's passive

Interesting. I assume you have opened the control cavity and had a look around?

 

[messenger]

Are you sure the bass isn't active? http://forums.ernieball.com/music-man-b ... stion.html

From what I can tell from a google serach the USA sub basses are active. Might ask on talkbass forums and post some pictures.

Some of the early ones were passive, but from looking around doesn't seem like that many were. And unless it's possible to be active without a battery and have no circuit board it's passive

Interesting. I assume you have opened the control cavity and had a look around?

Yes.