Help! Cracking Noise

[JohnKNC]

I bought a StingRay 5 string second hand. It's a single H with the three way switch. I play with a pick.

It would crack and pop when I wiggled the input cord and I had a guy work on it and it's much better.

Still, when I'm playing loud, when I first hit a string it will crack\pop pretty loud. Is this going to be a wiring defect? I can turn up the compression on my amp and it helps but it's still there. It's so bad, I thought it was my MarkBass speaker but I can't recreate the noise with a second bass.

 

[Golem]

Diagnostic questions. What result if you secure the plug very well so it cant possiblly wiggle even very slightly in the jack ? Also, as-is right now, can you wiggle the plug and provoke the crack pop noise ? Can you provoke it when playing hard with the volume knob on the bass turned all the way off ?

 

[JohnKNC]

Thanks for your questions.

I get no noise from the jack.

And it's worse when the three way switch is set to the front as opposed to the middle or the rear. Does that tell me it's the wiring from the front row of pickups or the pickup itself?

I have the MarkBass Traveler 102 (2x10") and a 400w Ampeg PF500 transistor amp and it sounds like it's shredding the speakers when I hit the strings hard. I get the same from a 250w Behringer into a GK15" but not quite as bad.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Thanks for your questions.

I get no noise from the jack.

And it's worse when the three way switch is set to the front as opposed to the middle or the rear. Does that tell me it's the wiring from the front row of pickups or the pickup itself?

I have the MarkBass Traveler 102 (2x10") and a 400w Ampeg PF500 transistor amp and it sounds like it's shredding the speakers when I hit the strings hard. I get the same from a 250w Behringer into a GK15" but not quite as bad.

Try some contact cleaner on the three switch positions.

 

[Mu5icM@n]

I think you may just be causing whatever preamp/amp you’re plugged into to clip. The neck position is also generally louder, which would make this more likely to happen. Try turning down the volume knob on the bass and see if it still happens. The other thing is that the pickup may be too close to the strings. Try lowering the pickup and see if you still have the issue.

 

[Golem]

Thanks for your questions.

I get no noise from the jack.

And it's worse when the three way switch is set to the front as opposed to the middle or the rear. Does that tell me it's the wiring from the front row of pickups or the pickup itself?

The switch positions do not represent the rows of PU pole pieces. Front and back on the switch are still playing both rows. Seems like the switch may be dirty or failing. And as you mention it can also be wiring. Most any shop can deal with all that. Shipping it to SLO runs about $100, so local shops are your better option.

 

[nhbassguitar]

This could also be a plucking-hand technique problem, where you're driving the preamp into clipping by playing too hard.. Especially if it's the older 9V system. (Such occurrences may be why MM went to an 18V system.)