eliminating the trebley clicking sound on my amp!

[kevins]

sorry going through the pages of "click" on the faq was murder decided to ask this.

anyways i have a maple fretboarded stingray 4 3 eq, on this line 6 combo amp which is 300 watts and 1 15 inch speaker, it has no problem with the trebley click sound from my fingers hitting the strings coming through but on the 1200 watt kustom amp that currently is operating at about 400 watts because it has a set of 4 10s and a single 15 both at 200 watts rms the clicking is DEFINITELY there and it is maddening. i have a 12 band eq and i was thinking the reasoning behind this is because the kustom and the line 6 have a different kz or hz definition of what the trebble is, that is the trebble boosts or cuts a different frequency. does anyone know what frequency this click is in? anyone else have this problem? otherwise the thing sounds awesome, its got flatwounds on it and i would be loving the sound im getting through the 1200 watt amp had the clicks not been so pervasive.

 

[kevins]

forgot to mention i also have a 12 band eq on the kustom amp

 

[keko]

Try to record that "click" and post it here in mp3 format or something, and I'll tell You approximately what frequency it is, so You can cut it with EQ!

 

[the unrepentant]

it's obviously somewhere in your high mids-high. Just go through each band on your EQ in that area, turn them all down one by one until you find the culprit.

 

[Hellboy]

it's obviously somewhere in your high mids-high. Just go through each band on your eq in that area, turn them all down one by one until you find the culprit.

+ 1

//j

 

[Powman]

it's obviously somewhere in your high mids-high. Just go through each band on your EQ in that area, turn them all down one by one until you find the culprit.

I have the same problem. I am going to try this as well...

 

[Mogee]

Is it oly happening when you are really digging in or all the time?

 

[Big Poppa]

THis sounds like horn or tweeter attemuation...check the cabinets and see if you can back the tweeters off a little... If not do you have your treble on the bass full? Start with the bass in flat ...all three tone controls in the center detent. Bosst the bass slightly and see how that sounds.

One of the reasons why internet legends calls a stingray a one trick pony is from people boosting all freq's and its signature treble comes through...its user issue always start flat on your bass and amp and tweak from there

 

[T Alan]

Sounds as much like a setup issue than anything. Take it to a local professional tech to ensure it's setup properly. In the meantime, make sure the EQ on the bass isn't boosted. I only get that sound when the bass EQ is boosted. As mentioned, make sure your amp is set flat. Also, if you have a high freq attenuator on your cab, check that it isn't up too high(another common issue).

 

[five7]

Do you play with a pick or with your fingers?

 

[Hellboy]

Sounds as much like a setup issue than anything. Take it to a local professional tech to ensure it's setup properly. In the meantime, make sure the EQ on the bass isn't boosted. I only get that sound when the bass EQ is boosted. As mentioned, make sure your amp is set flat. Also, if you have a high freq attenuator on your cab, check that it isn't up too high(another common issue).

One thing that can happen if the PU´s are set too close to the strings is that the strings hits the poles on the PU. But that would be a problem with both amps in this case since that creates a rather..... noticeable sound.

//J

 

[orpheus55]

Back the treble a tad below the indent and boost the bass slightly; same advice on the amp controls. Mid should stay in center. This works for me.

 

[spencer]

It's what happenes on active basses, they go to a higher freq. This is why I like markbass they are voiced with a reduction of the highs, say there not by if you ab it with another amp you'll hear the difference.

Anyways simply start cutting the high freq u till you get rid of it. Don't cut a single freq. I'd begin from the highest freq and start cutting them untill it's gone one by one,simulating rolling off a tone knob.

 

[T Alan]

I should clarify- when I said "bass EQ" I meant the EQ on the bass; treble knob on the bass to be more accurate.

 

[T Alan]

It's what happenes on active basses, they go to a higher freq. This is why I like markbass they are voiced with a reduction of the highs, say there not by if you ab it with another amp you'll hear the difference..

How do active basses 'go to a higher freq"? My passive p-bass, for example, has the same frequency response(in terms of range) as my 'Rays.

Also, as a MarkBass owner, I'm confused about your comment regarding MB's being "voiced with a reduction of the highs." Could you elaborate please? My LMII is about as even across the frequency spectrum as bass amps get.

 

[Bloodfist]

I agree with BP on this one. Sounds just like a horn or tweeter problem. If it's adjustable, back off it a little, it'll make a world of difference.

 

[DaddyFlip]

In the meantime, make sure the EQ on the bass isn't boosted. I only get that sound when the bass EQ is boosted. As mentioned, make sure your amp is set flat. Also, if you have a high freq attenuator on your cab, check that it isn't up too high(another common issue).

There are other "non-technique" and non-signal/electrical related issues that could be the problem. I would do what T Alan recommends above. You also might have a problem with one or more of the speaker voice coils in one of the cabinets. Play each cabinet by itself through the Kustom and see if the click is isolated to either cabinet. If so, it could be a bad voice coil or cone edge surround separation.

Is there a metal grille on either cab that is vibrating- I had this problem with a brand new cab once. Where is the porting on the cabs located (front or back) and is the output of either causing something external to the cab to 'click'. Is there damping material inside the cab moving, visible through the porting, that is causing the noise?

Is the 12-band integrated to the Kustom amp or external- sounds external? If external, could be cabling, shielding, grounding or other noise-inducing problem- try running without this. Is there other signal processing involved when using the Kustom (especially a compressor circuit)?

What is the nature of the click? Is it a constant clicking, intermittent, only when you pluck a string (if so, at the beginning attack or during the sustain), when you move around, etc.?

You mention a 1200W amp and 200W cabs. What are the impedance (ohm) ratings of the 4x10 and 1x15 cabinets and at what impedance (ohms) is the amp rated at 1200W? How do you have the cabs connected to the amp. Let's say the amp is rated 1200W at 4ohms. Let's say the cabs are 8ohms each. If you connect these to the amplifier in parallel (which is probably true if the amp has two outputs), then the amp is seeing 4ohms and the cabs are seeing a max rms power of 600W each, regardless of the power rating of the cabs. If you have 200W rated cabs, then you are potentially exceeding the power rating of the cabs if you are playing with "gusto". This is a good way to blow a voice coil or edge or induce other physical incarnations of click. (As an aside, the wattage rating of the cab has nothing to do with how much power your amp will try to put into it.)

In other words, it could be anything; but based on your description, it must be related to the Kustom and cabs.

 

[Hellboy]

There are other "non-technique" and non-signal/electrical related issues that could be the problem. I would do what T Alan recommends above. You also might have a problem with one or more of the speaker voice coils in one of the cabinets. Play each cabinet by itself through the Kustom and see if the click is isolated to either cabinet. If so, it could be a bad voice coil or cone edge surround separation.

Is there a metal grille on either cab that is vibrating- I had this problem with a brand new cab once. Where is the porting on the cabs located (front or back) and is the output of either causing something external to the cab to 'click'. Is there damping material inside the cab moving, visible through the porting, that is causing the noise?

Is the 12-band integrated to the Kustom amp or external- sounds external? If external, could be cabling, shielding, grounding or other noise-inducing problem- try running without this. Is there other signal processing involved when using the Kustom (especially a compressor circuit)?

What is the nature of the click? Is it a constant clicking, intermittent, only when you pluck a string (if so, at the beginning attack or during the sustain), when you move around, etc.?

You mention a 1200W amp and 200W cabs. What are the impedance (ohm) ratings of the 4x10 and 1x15 cabinets and at what impedance (ohms) is the amp rated at 1200W? How do you have the cabs connected to the amp. Let's say the amp is rated 1200W at 4ohms. Let's say the cabs are 8ohms each. If you connect these to the amplifier in parallel (which is probably true if the amp has two outputs), then the amp is seeing 4ohms and the cabs are seeing a max rms power of 600W each, regardless of the power rating of the cabs. If you have 200W rated cabs, then you are potentially exceeding the power rating of the cabs if you are playing with "gusto". This is a good way to blow a voice coil or edge or induce other physical incarnations of click. (As an aside, the wattage rating of the cab has nothing to do with how much power your amp will try to put into it.)

In other words, it could be anything; but based on your description, it must be related to the Kustom and cabs.

I would guess that it´s this one he has:

GROOVE BASS HD TECH

1200 W + graphic eq.

//J

 

[Big Poppa]

Guys Ive let this go because it illustrates asking for advice without seeing the bass....If he did everything here chances are he will be all screwed up!

 

[kevins]

thanks for the many responses! i think i may record it and post it, but its definitely not a blown cone or anything of the likes. i know its an issue with eqing because the sound is completely gone when the trebble is cut at even -1, its just the other amp with the trebble boosted and the clicks not there or a lot softer is so awesome sounding. on both amps the trebble is bosted all the way. and the action is pretty much dead perfect. see the thing that helps me separate it from being the speakers fault is that i know the bass is active and a lot more sensitive so i obviously play it with less attack than a passive, but i hear everything my fingers are doing, like if i slid my finger on the string, which is a flatwound i would hear the noise from it as soon as the trebble is boosted +3.

the bass is maple fretboard anyways so boosting trebble isnt a necessity less i want it to sound really gritty and all but i did like what i was getting out of it in the other room. plus the 300 watt amp and the 1200 watt amp are in different rooms. and the one room, stucco ceiling, cheap wooden walls, linoleum flood, random junk and shelving, is an accoustical nightmare so what might eq the noise dead will make the thing sound wonky in the room.

but im definitely hearing the attack, its not the strings hitting the fretboard or pickups or anything action related but me hearing too much from the pickups .