Mains hum, should I be worried?

[bassmonkey]

My 30th just developed a humming noise. This disappears when I touch the strings so I think it is probably a grounding issue.

Should I be worried about this enough to return it to the dealer to get them to take a look?

Will it harm me or the bass, or is it just the annoyance factor?

 

[oldbluebassman]

My 30th just developed a humming noise. This disappears when I touch the strings so I think it is probably a grounding issue.

Should I be worried about this enough to return it to the dealer to get them to take a look?

Will it harm me or the bass, or is it just the annoyance factor?

First things first.

1. Have you tried it with a different cable.
2. Have you tried it with a different amp.
3. Have you tried it with a different cable and a different amp.

If it still hums in all three tests then it is probably the bass and you let your dealer have a look. If not, then look at whatever you replaced, if you follow my drift.

 

[bassmonkey]

First things first.

1. Have you tried it with a different cable.
2. Have you tried it with a different amp.
3. Have you tried it with a different cable and a different amp.

If it still hums in all three tests then it is probably the bass and you let your dealer have a look. If not, then look at whatever you replaced, if you follow my drift.

1. Yes

2. Yes

3. Yes

It still hums. I'm loathe to take it back to the dealer. Just hate the idea of someone touching it when I'm not around to keep an eye on it. Weird, eh?

 

[hankSRay]

were you plugged into the same outlet and everything when you developed this hum? I went crazy once cause i noticed both of my stingrays developed an annoying hum at the same time. i couldnt figure it out for the life of me until I decided to move my amp to a different part of the house. Plugged in and hum was gone. Made me feel kind of silly, but relieved that my basses were still perfect.

 

[bassmonkey]

were you plugged into the same outlet and everything when you developed this hum? I went crazy once cause i noticed both of my stingrays developed an annoying hum at the same time. i couldnt figure it out for the life of me until I decided to move my amp to a different part of the house. Plugged in and hum was gone. Made me feel kind of silly, but relieved that my basses were still perfect.

Different buildings miles apart, different amps.

 

[tkarter]

Maybe give customer service a call and they can help you out?

tk

 

[slucas]

Different buildings miles apart, different amps.

My 30th does the same thing at the school where my church meets which is where I do 95 percent of playing out. Yet it sounds fine at home.

I was just layin low for now as we are moving into a new building in March and maybe it will just go away

 

[bassmonkey]

Maybe give customer service a call and they can help you out?

tk

I'm in the UK.

The thing I would do is take it back to the dealer, but as I said before I'd rather not do this. The problem is a minor inconvenience. All I want to know is, is this a grounding issue, and if so, will it do me or the bass any harm?

 

[tkarter]

Okay, figured the call might be cheaper than the trip back to the dealer.

tk

 

[bassmonkey]

Okay, figured the call might be cheaper than the trip back to the dealer.

tk

10 minute drive from where I work.

 

[oldbluebassman]

If you can get hold of a multimeter, measure the resistance between the strings, the bridge and the outer(ground) of the output jack, also the control plate. This will give an indication as to whether there is a bad ground connection somewhere. You can do no harm doing this and it should be zero.

 

[bovinehost]

In my experience, nine times out of ten, it's the building wiring.

(can't imagine any probs in the UK but you never know, heh heh)

Jack

 

[Aussie Mark]

Fluorescent lights in the room?

 

[oldbluebassman]

(can't imagine any probs in the UK but you never know, heh heh)

Jack

Agree. The supply is one of the most stable and reliable systems in the world but you can still find problems in individual properties.

The bass has been tried with different amps in different locations. Time for a specialist I think.

 

[tkarter]

Agree. The supply is one of the most stable and reliable systems in the world but you can still find problems in individual properties.

Stable? You all use copper for wire?

Or is it Kryptonite?

I spent 20 years building the wire that goes into buildings. It is only good if it meets certain specs. QC in the wire manufacturing in this country is nothing like what making basses is out of SLO is. IMHO


tk

 

[bassmonkey]

Stranger and stranger.

I went to practice last night and the hum was barely noticeable. Perhaps it was just a temporary thing. I'll wait and see.

 

[PocketGroove82]

I'm betting some wire might be jiggling around, and sometimes touching another wire that it shouldn't be.

 

[Narcosynthesis]

Fluorescent lights in the room?

That could be it.

A friend was getting really wound up with an intermittant buzzing problem he was getting, and eventually tracked it down as a flourescent light in the room below, so he was getting buzzing whenever it was on, but fine when it was off...

David

 

[bovinehost]

It's almost always environmental, I'm telling you.

Dimmer switches are as bad as flourescent lights.

 

[tkarter]

Who likes the cell phone noise in the amp?

tk