Help! Buzz ish (not frets) from the electrics, 2EQ Ray

[Movielife]

I know this could be anything, so Im just going to see what I should do first.

The bass is a virtually brand new 2EQ Ray, lightweight, great tone, lovely sunburst!

I found today it created a loud-ish buzz when my hands were not on the metal parts of the bass.

I thought it might just be the room, so I tried my Ray 5 HS and that was silent (well almost) and so was another few basses.

The 2EQ is a great bass, im not knocking it, but is there a reason for this?

Im in the UK so id like to diagnose it myself if possible and contact S&T only if its a real issue.

Thanks!

 

[toomanyslurpees]

My 85 2eq buzzes once in awhile, whereas I've never had my 01 3eq buzz significantly. Does touching metal parts include the strings? I had some really annoying buzzing issues and sometimes a pop when I touched the control plate, but it turned out the ground wire under the bridge had sunk into the finish and wasn't making contact with the bridge anymore, i just took the bridge off and moved the wire a little and the buzzing issues have been much less frequent.

I think the preamp in the 85 is suseptable to room related noise issues that the 3eq isn't, though I was never sure if that's part of the design of the 2eq or because this thing is 30 years old, it's infrequent and minor enough that I haven't bothered to look into it beyond that once that bridge ground was fixed.

 

[Movielife]

Thanks for the response. Yeah, its ANY metal part, bridge, strings, control plate, etc.

Ive only just noticed it....if its just a normal-ish 2EQ thing Ill leave it be.

Is it something to do with the 2EQ?

 

[Rick Auricchio]

This type of buzz is usually noise pickup from the environment. Your body acts as the antenna; when you touch the grounded strings and metal parts, you ground your body and cut the noise. Using extreme EQ settings on the bass can make the noise more noticeable.

Try standing farther from the amplifier or other electronics, and turning in various directions; see if this makes a difference. Also, set up in a different room to rule out radiated noise coming from within the walls. Occasionally, something in the electrics can radiate (e.g. a fuse box/breaker panel or appliance on the other side of the wall.)

 

[oli@bass]

I'm familiar with this phenomenon, but it's not something I would attribute especially to the 2-EQ. But if none of your other MMs have it, I'd ask the distributor.

 

[Movielife]

Yep emailed my store, tried different amp, battery, cable, power, still does it

 

[maddog]

Sounds like a grounding issue.

Can be a multitude of things having to do with the fact that humans like to transmit electricity over long distances via AC as opposed to DC.

It is not particular to the 2-band.

No harm in having the bass checked over by a tech with attention to the shielding and the ground wires.

As Rick pointed out, try different outlets, rooms, buildings.

As you pointed out, a short-term solution is to keep a hand on it.

Another is to play with the eq on the amp end.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

Another is to play with the eq on the amp end.

If it were a hum, the sound would be at one frequency (50Hz in the UK, 60Hz in the US). But the more common situation is a buzz, which has harmonics at multiples of the fundamental (in the UK, they'd be at 100Hz, 200, 400, 800...).

You can EQ out a hum but not a buzz.

MovieLife, did you try setting up in a different room?

 

[Movielife]

Yep, thanks! Tried all variables

After all the tests, the only thing it can be is the bass.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

Time to email EBMM Customer Service or speak with your dealer.

 

[J Romano]

Movielife, I PMed you

 

[bovinehost]

You boys are not dabbling in internet diagnosis, are you??

 

[Movielife]

Trying not to haha! I've tried every variable going including different power and a surge protector that earths the power.

 

[Movielife]

Dealer recommended a pickup so it's on route in the factory case and box sealed up to be checked.

I had two faulty amps turn up so the whole lot has gone in one pickup.

Update on 2 EQ soon. Last night, different room, sounded great but very very noisy.

 

[Elad_E]

I have two 2 banders and they never exhibit such a problem except for one particular reharshal place where any bass I bring seems to have a ground loop issue which shifts between the various instruments in the room every few minutes.

I'd guess, like has been said before, that the issue is a broken or cold soldered grounding wire.

 

[Movielife]

The bass went for repair with the UK dealers, came back and still exhibited the issue. What a shame.

However, my store/the dealer have replaced the bass as I needed a Ray asap, and they had a 3EQ Burst/Maple in stock.

It has just arrived.

My word, I feel lucky. Beautiful birdseye figuring in certain areas and a hint of flame figuring on the headstock.

Probably the nicest single H I have owned.

The whole 2EQ vs 3EQ makes little difference to me...this bass is awesome.

Its also very quiet electronically.

Yes! Thanks for an ace bass EBMM.

 

[J Romano]

Glad it all sorted out. Enjoy!!!