Intermittent distortion on "new" Bongo

[smeet]

I just bought a Bongo 4HH (from another player). It's a Radiance Red 2006.

It sounds great, but every few minutes I start getting distortion (the fundamental tone gets a bit weaker, with bacon frying on top of each note). It lasts for a minute or two and then fades away. It seems to happen only on the neck pickup.

I changed the batteries (energizers), tried different amps, lowered the volume, etc. No perceptible change. Since it's intermittent, it's hard to tell if what I'm doing makes a difference.

The guy I bought it from says he never heard this, so maybe the shipping dislodged something. Any ideas?

Does it sound like something that a local shop can fix (TrueTone Music in Santa Monica is where I usually go)? Or does it need to go to the factory?

Of course I'm going to contact Ernie Ball support, but I thought I might get a quick response from here...

Thanks!

 

[Randracula]

You might want to check if the batteries are in correctly.Putting them in backwards can yield less than stellar results.Other than that I would give Customer Service a call.......1-800-543-2255

 

[roburado]

?s about a color-shifting Sterling for anyone who can answer (CS, BP, Knuckleheads)

I came across a used Sterling H today. It looked purple. It had a maple fretboard.

I looked at it a little bit "off axis" and I saw green. At different angles I saw purple (predominant color), green, and a grayish color. It was like it was a Mystic Dream test bed in a way. It had a recessed neck plate with the Music Man logo--no mention of Ernie Ball.

My friend and I wondered if this Sterling may have undergone on of the following:
1) After-market paint job
2) An experimental pre-Mystic Dream color-shifting paint job

It sounded good. It played like it needed a set-up, or, at least, a truss rod adjustment. Sure, it had a few dings, but man, it looked sweet with that paint job. I was really tempted to buy it.

So, I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about this bass. SN: 45995.

 

[slucas]

Either I am missing the obvious here or I have just witnessed the "Hijack for the Ages"

 

[Ole Man Blues]

Either I am missing the obvious here or I have just witnessed the "Hijack for the Ages"

No. I believe you have just witnessed the "Hijack of the Ages"......

OMB

 

[roburado]

Sorry about the hijack. I hit reply to post when I meant to make a new thread.

 

[Oldtoe]

I thought that liquor or opiates were surely involved in that post. Ah, well.

 

[Ole Man Blues]

Sorry about the hijack. I hit reply to post when I meant to make a new thread.

It's all good. We are just having some fun with you..........

OMB

 

[eargasm]

smeet,

The same exact thing happened to me today. I replaced the batteries (correctly), plugged it into a different amp, used different cables, etc, and it's still making a buzzing/farting sound *only* on the neck pickup.

I'm going to contact EB tomorrow and see what they say. I will let you know what I come up with.

Is it coincidence that our basses started having the same exact problem around the same time? Perhaps our basses were baby brothers, and were part of a defective litter. We will see in time, I guess.

Love,
eargasm

 

[Oldtoe]

I predict a previously unnoticed gum wrapper under the "G" string near the nut is causing the noise.

 

[tkarter]

Have you checked the height of the pickup that is causing it?

tk

 

[eargasm]

tkarter,

I have. It's not the strings rubbing on the pickup creating the distortion (although that is a horrible noise!). It sounds more like your cable is halfway in your bass jack, creating a static fuzzy/popping noise.

It is not my input jack that is the problem though I think, because if I turn the pickup selector knob all the way to the bridge pickup (silencing the neck pickup), the noise totally goes away. If I turn it to the neck or anywhere in between, the noise returns.

At the risk of sounding like a moron (if I haven't already).... how do I tell if my bass is still under warranty? Is there somewhere on ernieball.com that I could type in my serial/model # and it would come up? Should I talk to my resaler (Guitar Center)?

Love,
eargasm

 

[tkarter]

tkarter,

I have. It's not the strings rubbing on the pickup creating the distortion (although that is a horrible noise!). It sounds more like your cable is halfway in your bass jack, creating a static fuzzy/popping noise.

It is not my input jack that is the problem though I think, because if I turn the pickup selector knob all the way to the bridge pickup (silencing the neck pickup), the noise totally goes away. If I turn it to the neck or anywhere in between, the noise returns.

At the risk of sounding like a moron (if I haven't already).... how do I tell if my bass is still under warranty? Is there somewhere on ernieball.com that I could type in my serial/model # and it would come up? Should I talk to my resaler (Guitar Center)?

Love,
eargasm

Customer Service can do all of what you are asking for you and will.

The strings don't have to hit the pup to do strange noises. Those are some hot pups I know. Check out the Faq and do some measuring if you need to do something before you call Customer Service.

If you like it and want it fixed the excellent customer service will help you out.

GC might, but now you are here go with the staff BP pays to resolve issues. You will be happy.

imho

tk