Bongo noise ?

[mike not fat]

Hi everyone, it's been a while since i couldn't post anything on the forum. This new thread is sorely not fun and is mainly a question to the forummates that have godd tech knoweledge.
I play on a 4 HH bongo, and two time ago I had a strange noise that occured while playing.
The first time, it occured as I was approching my hand of the volume pot. This caused a buzz that got away by putting my hand away from the pot, but the buzz occured again by approching my hand from the pot. Intensity of the buzz was increasing with the distance from my hand to the pot : the closer, the stronger. I put everything off (bass, amp, pedals...) and then on again, and the phenomenon didn't happen anymore.
The second time, I was playing at low volume, and the same noise occured after touching the strings and stopped after letting the fingers on the string and removing them slowely to avoid that they ring. Again, it stopped after an on & off turn.
Do someone have an idea of what could be the reason of that buzz ? The only common point i can find with both event, is that I was using a bass cable running from the bass to the pedals, but a cheap back up cable from the pedals to the amp, as my second bass cable was dead. Any link with that ?

Thanks in advance for your advices.

MNF

 

[Aussie Mark]

Sounds like a grounding problem to me, which is most likely to be a dodgy cable. Best way to tell, try a new cable or a cable that you know is good, to confirm that the Bongo is not the problem. If the hum/buzz is still there with a new cable, it *could* be a grounding problem with the Bongo (I doubt it) or even something to do with your amp. However, I suspect the cable, since that's the most fragile part of the signal chain. Let us know how you get on.

 

[mike not fat]

thanks Mark. I also think it's that cheap cable, because between those 2 buzz events, i played with no pedals, only using a good bass cable to connect to the amp, and no buzz occured. I'll get a new good cable this w-e and see if erverything's OK.

MNF

 

[xHARPERx]

as dumb as this sounds.. make sure your amp is grounded....

not cheating anywhere, cutting of grounds on cords..

 

[Franky]

also, check that where you plug in the amp is wired properly

(i get hiss because the moron electricians wired our house polar or something)

 

[SteveB]

MNF,

You don't happen to live near any nuclear reactors, do you?

 

[Mobay45]

My cell phone causes some hellacious noises to emit from my amp! I didn't realize it until I was standing next to it last night when my phone rang. I would have been really baffled if it didn't do the same thing to computer speakers when it goes off.

 

[JB1]

I insist on cells being switched off at rehearsals.

No noise, no interruptions.

 

[Mobay45]

I insist on cells being switched off at rehearsals.

No noise, no interruptions.

It really doesn't make any difference when we're playing because you cant hear it ring anyway.

 

[MingusBASS]

It really doesn't make any difference when we're playing because you cant hear it ring anyway.

But if a hellacious sound emits from your amp while you are playing wouldn't you be able to hear it?

Andrew

 

[Mobay45]

But if a hellacious sound emits from your amp while you are playing wouldn't you be able to hear it?

Andrew

It's not that loud, it's just annoying when you're not playing. My phone doesn't work well in our rehearsal space anyway so it hardly ever rings there. It's in a bad area for my cell phone and has a metal roof so it hardly every rings there anyway. We all leave our phones on anyway in case our wives need to get in touch. That way they don't give us any crap about being out late on a Friday night.

 

[JB1]

It really doesn't make any difference when we're playing because you cant hear it ring anyway.

So how would you know if your wives had called?



F*** it. Rehearsal night is 'I'm not available night'

We managed without cells before......

Plus we switch 'em on when we break just in case. Then right back off again.

If the noise is annoying you during downtime in rehearsals, do you have a mute on your amp?

 

[Mobay45]

So how would you know if your wives had called?

You flip it open every once in a while and see if you have any missed calls.

 

[Aussie Mark]

So how would you know if your wives had called?

You flip it open every once in a while and see if you have any missed calls.

Does your band do "Under My Thumb" by the Rolling Stones?

 

[jongitarz]

 

[Mobay45]

No. And we don't do windows either!

 

[Mobay45]

BTW, I've been married for 25 years. I do those kind of things because I want to be married for 25 more. (And I don't want to lose half of what I've spent 25 years accumulating! )

 

[bass thumper]

It's not that loud, it's just annoying when you're not playing. My phone doesn't work well in our rehearsal space anyway so it hardly ever rings there. It's in a bad area for my cell phone and has a metal roof so it hardly every rings there anyway. We all leave our phones on anyway in case our wives need to get in touch. That way they don't give us any crap about being out late on a Friday night.

I truly feel your pain.

 

[mike not fat]

I played this w-e with new bass cables and no noise happened. The cheap cable as been fired...
I also checked all the wiring in the house and in the room were the band play, dismantled und puted together my amp with blindfolded eyes in 2'37", cruched all the cell phones in an area of 3 miles and kindly asked the nuclear reactors to be stopped as I play
I just didn't need to make my girlfriend shut up, as she's never anoying me when I play ; she sometimes even listen to what I do...that's surely the best thing, because the tech probs can always be solved.

Thanks for your suggestions.

MNF

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

IMO, you have an R.F. (radio frequency) problem. The plug on the cable is acting as a rectifier (diode)...like a crystal set radio we had as kids...especially if the interference varies to hand position. I think it would be at the power amp end...not because your amp is a prob...but because the plug is acting as a crude rectifier. I know guys who used to receive local radio stations through the power amp. Different metal and mineral contact can do it. The chrome on the plug has probably corroded.

Not joking...dead serious!

Ever thought of becoming a D.J.

.